THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: June 2023 (Page 8 of 10)

JOE BONAMASSA – You & Me

June 14, 2023 /

Going back to 2006 for this one. I think this is where the oh so prosperous partnership with uber producer Kevin Shirley first started. You have to admit the production on this album is stellar. Every instrument is placed perfectly and the clarity is incredible.

High Water Everywhere kicks things off with an old school blues vibe and a killer dirty riff. Next up is Bridge To Better Days. It starts nice slow with a pounding groove and a killer riff, then the switch is flicked and the heavy blues rock groove that Joe is famous for takes over. Asking Around For You is as traditional blues as it gets. When the word blues is spoken, this is what pops in your mind. Very similar groove to So Many Roads, except Joe rips it up right from the get go. Awesome tune!

I Don’t Believe is a kick ass shuffle. I’m a sucker for a shuffle! It’s acoustic country blues time with Tamp ‘Em Up Solid. This one sounds as though he is playing right in front of you. Great production. Django used to be the track he walked out to when he played, and if I’m honest it sounds a lot like Jeff Beck. Tea For One follows and is a cover of early Zeppelin, and you have Jason Bonham on the drums to give it that right feel. Palm Trees Helicopters And Gasoline keeps that Zeppelin feel right along with Jo Bo giving it plenty on the acoustic.

Your Funeral And My Trial takes you on a hard shuffle groove and it’s my favourite track on the album. I said I’m a sucker for a shuffle. The album closes out with Torn Down. A choo choo train main groove while Joe wails over the top vocally, then a quirk burst of speed, and back we go. Repeat and away we go.

You can’t deny Jo Bo has worked his ass off and he deserves all that comes to him. Solid album.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

MR. BIG – The Stories We Could Tell

June 13, 2023 /

This is album number eight from one of melodic rock’s greatest bands. Released in 2014, four years after what was described as an original comeback and the release of What If. This would also be Pat Torpey‘s last album before stepping back due to poor health.

Now being a Paul Gilbert fan, it’s cool to see him playing the melodic rock tunes instead of the out and out shredder guitar hero stuff from his solo records and Racer X. Gotta Love The Ride lays it down with intent to let everyone know they still have something offer. Great uptempo groover with some monster playing. I Forget To Breathe keeps the groove going with another killer track. Eric Martin has such an amazing voice and he still looks as though he has just left school. Fragile is a more commercial sounding track with a very radio friendly hook and chorus. Satisfied is a straight up four to the floor blues rocker that is as close as you get to a trademark Mr. Big tune. The Man Who Has Everything follows and it’s ballad time. I guess of all the bands, Mr. Big were perceived to be the kings of the ballad mainly due to the success of To Be With You, so I’ll give them this one.

The Monster In Me blows the ballad away with some guitar histrionics before the main killer riff and groove kick in. They do this type of tune so well. What If We Were New is an old school dirty rock n’ roller that Martin did so well when he was solo. East West is the only track Martin didn’t have a hand in writing and is a mid tempo ballad with a nice PG solo. The Light Of Day seems to be taking inspiration from Hendrix and when you hear it you’ll know. This is my favourite track, I just love the whole groove to the song.

It’s ballad time again with Just Let Your Heart Decide. It’s Always About The Girl follows and the groove is a slow, funk/rock, swing with a riff right out of the mid seventies. So, the final side kicks in with Cinderella Smile. A slow busy riff and groove with a great hook and chorus. Next up is The Stories We Could Tell, the heaviest sounding track on the album. A deep heavy blues that sounds huge. The final track is a ripping live version of Addicted To That Rush.

Mr. Big don’t make bad records and this one doesn’t disappoint.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

JEFF BECK – There & Back

June 12, 2023 /

One of the saddest things to happen this year was the news of the sudden passing of Jeff Beck. One of the great guitar innovators of modern music.

This album came out in 1980, four years after the release of Wired, and sees Jeff reunited with Jan Hammer on three of the tracks. This is the last of those killer fusion records he did.

Star Cycle starts with that familiar keys sound of Jan Hammer before it’s a typical Jeff groove workout. Killer playing. Too Much To Lose follows and that melody line Jeff plays is so good ,played on top of a great smooth funky groove. Superb opening to You Never Know. Killer interplay between Hammer and Beck, Jeff really gives it the beans. Side 1 ends with The Pump, a slowed down groover that sounds amazing and Jeff’s playing is on another level here. Killer production!

Side 2 bursts in with El Becko, a great fusion romp with some slide from Jeff. The Golden Road starts like some smooth jazz backing track interspersed with crazy Jeff licks. Space Boogie follows and this is one of my favourite ever Jeff moments. Killer uptempo groove from Simon Phillips and Mo Foster, superb keys from Tony Hymas, and then there’s Jeff just laying it down. Monster track! The album closes out with The Final Peace, just keys and guitar.

This is what I will remember Jeff for. That unreal control of feel and tone. I doubt we will see anyone like him again.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

ANDY TIMMONS – Electric Truth

June 10, 2023 /

This is Andy’s latest release on his own Timstone Records. Some of you may know him from his time in melodic rockers Danger Danger, but he was also musical director to Olivia Newton John amongst many other things he has done. He is one of the most underrated players around, his chops, tone, and style are superb and he is one of my favourite guitarists around.

The album kicks off with some serious groove as EWF is the funky jazz beast you always needed in your life. Wonderful opening track and Andy’s playing is sooo good. Apocryphal is next up and the pace slows somewhat, the guitar is basically playing what would be the vocal line. Such great melody and tone. Johnnie T is next up and the vibe is a groovy country feel. He is joined on this track by Josh Smith on guitar as they trade cool licks. When Words Fail is next and we turned the pace right down. Guitar playing is not all about a million notes a second and this is a master class in feel and playing what’s right for the piece. Such an emotive track. Side one closes out with the bluesy tones of Say What You Want and is one of two tracks to feature vocals by Corry Pertile. Nice swing to this one!

Grace opens up Side 2 and it is a tribute to two lost friends and at times feel like a eulogy. Again very emotive playing. That killer funky groove returns with Shuggie. A super cool tune and that middle section is awesome with some very tasty playing. One Last Time is next up and the groove is super slow but that guitar tone is to die for. Killer stuff!! The album closes out with Take Me With You, this is the second track with vocals and we are in ballad territory until the mid point where the energy is raised and that solo is killer.

Great record and the production is perfect.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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