REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Day: September 29, 2023

HURRICANE – Reconnected

Hurricane are another resurrected back from the dead band. These guys are unique as they have been resurrected twice. Once in 2001 with the album Liquifury and now twenty-two years later with this release on Escape Music. Well, at least there are two original members with Robert Sarzo and Tony Cavazo in the band. So was it worth bringing them back from the dead? Yes, of course it was. Class musicians don’t make stinkers and that is proved here. That is, apart from their Under Pressure cover.

Rock Star Cheater opens up in fine style and this is exactly what I expected. A kick ass, uptempo, melodic groover that hits the spot perfectly, it’s my favourite song. You & I follows and has a different vibe and groove adding that variety, I’m loving the vocals and harmonies on this one. Under Pressure is next and there are some songs that you should just leave alone, this is one of them. It’s not that it’s bad, it’s just that the original was so unique and can never be bettered. It’s big ballad time next with Behind Your Shadow. Yup, it’s a ballad. The vocals are strong, and the solo is decent. Innocent Girl closes out Side 1 and it’s AOR-a-plenty here with a big hook and chorus and a simple chugga riff.

Don’t Change Your Love kicks Side 2 into gear with a hands in the air anthem. A great simple riff with a hook and chorus that you can’t help but sing a long to. That happy party groove continues into the next tune I’m On To You complete with “NaNaNa” sing a longs. A hint of psychedelia next with the intro to Hand Of Souls, which is essentially a country rock power ballad. Disconnected carries on the vibe, although this one is a bit darker. I love the vocals and harmonies. Back to the party vibe with Blind Love. Another simple riff and groove, but so effective. We close out the album with an acoustic piece called Wishing Well, with a nursery rhyme-style vocal.

All in all not a bad return, but not a classic either.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

NO SWEAT – s/t

This is the only album from Ireland’s hard rockin’ band, and also a favourite of one Joe Elliot who produced the single Heart And Soul. I think they were also managed by none other than Louis Walsh, the famed British Pop Idol judge. They came together in ’86, the single was released in ’89, and the album followed in ’90. It was produced by Keith Olsen, who gave the album a super slick production. Super commercial sounding and should have done way better than it did. I have to say, I really like this album. If it wasn’t for that guitar sound, this album could easily been a pop record.

Heart And Soul opens up the album with a band. A killer pop rock groover with massive hook and chorus. The seriously infectious Shake follows with a killer uptempo polished groove that will definitely get you moving. The huge power ballad that is Stay is up next, and Paul Quinn’s gravelly tones make this pop. On The Edge is straight out of early 80’s US pop rock. All built around that massive hook and chorus, and where have you heard that outro riff before?

Waters Flow feels like a Zeppelin re-write until those multi-layered vocals hit you. Tear Down The Walls has a huge Def Leppard feel to it, especially in the chorus. It’s favourite tune time next with Generation. Such a slick groovy rocker with killer bv’s and harmonies. A close second in the favourite tunes department is Lean On Me. It has a great snappy groove and massive hook and chorus. Mr. Olsen sure knows how to record vocals. Stranger keeps the vibe going with yet another pop rock crossover gem. We close out the record with Mover. A nice blues intro slides right into another slick pop rock masterpiece.

It’s a crying shame that these guys appeared when they did, as this is such a good record that would have been massive a few years earlier. I know I keep mentioning that, but there are so many great records that just fell between the cracks.

9/10  from The Grooveman.