REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: November 2023 (Page 10 of 14)

IMPELLITTERI – Eye Of The Hurricane

This is a reissue of Impellitteri’s eighth album, originally released in ’97. I do love the partnership between Chris Impellitteri and Rob Rock as they haven’t made a bad record, they compliment each other so well. Rob’s powerful melodic voice is in tune with the wild and over the top guitar of Mr. Impellitteri.

She’d Your Blood shows this partnership in great effect. The vocal line and melody would not be out of place on any melodic rock/aor album, but add that epic guitar with as much crunch and widdle as is humanly possible, then it becomes a whole different metallic beast. I do love a track with a galloping double kick drum groove and fat huge guitar sound, and Fuel For The Fire fits the bill which makes it my favourite track on the record. Bleed In Silence is taking those old sabbath riffs and injecting them with power and groove. Everything Is You starts like a Metallica tune, then that killer riff and swinging groove slaps you round the face.

They are a criminally under appreciated band that puts out consistently great records.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

AUTOGRAPH – Loud And Clear

This is album number three for Autograph, and it was released in ’87. They toured on the back of it then after the tour they were dropped by their label, and basically that was it. I’m not sure if there were singles released off the record however, there were two tracks in the movie “Like Father Like Son” which the band also appeared in.

They were a killer band that didn’t disappoint on any of the three original albums. In Steve Lynch they possessed one of the best guitar players out there. Everything about this album screams class, apart from the big hit single. It wasn’t wanting for a bad production either as master knob twiddler Andy Johns did a great job giving the record a huge sound.

My favourite track is Dance All Night. It’s a kickass, feel good rocker with a great riff and groove that you just can’t stop singing to. Honourable mentions go to the title track, and the close out song When The Sun Gies Down which I would say is a trademark Autograph song. It’s got that big drum sound with that massive party gang sing a long chorus.

You can’t go wrong with Autograph.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

DOGS D’AMOUR – Errol Flynn

There was sort of a mini Faces-inspired movement of bands based around the pubs of London that popped up around the late eighties. The Quireboys and Dogs D’Amour were the leading lights of it.

I do have a sneaking love for the simple barroom whisky rock n’ roll, especially if it’s delivered with melody. The Faces were gifted when it came to that type of song, especially with the pipes that Rod Stewart once possessed. The Dogs also have that gift, and songs like Satellite Kid with the Faces’ patented mandolin have that gift also. Trail Of Tears is almost a carbon copy, and I guess that’s why they both charted in the UK singles chart.

If you like your rock n’ roll stripped back and whisky soaked, then you may need to give The Dogs a listen.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

LONDON – Don’t Cry Wolf

This album number for the nearly band of Hollywood. Believe it or not, Nikki Sixx formed this band with guitarist Lizzie Grey back in ’78 and there was a revolving door of members until Nadir’D Priest and Brian West joined; this is the line up that recorded this album in ’86.

It’s typical Sunset Strip of the time really, except without having that one track just to get the album off and running. I guess the song with the biggest impact is For Whom The Bell Tolls. This song was written by Blackie Lawless when he was in the band and he would later record it with WASP, which appears on The Headless Children. Although, my favourite track is a lot simpler and more wham bam thank you mam. That would be Fast As Light, a four to the floor rocker with double kicks all the way.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

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