THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Day: December 6, 2023

CARAVAN – In The Land Of Grey And Pink

December 6, 2023 /

This is an album I own for pure nostalgia. I have very vivid memories of a friend of mine playing this album over and over again as he was adamant that this album was one of the best Prog albums of the moment. Now, he may not have been right in his assessment, but the repeated playings had some effect as I have bought this album many times over the years.

Caravan were the leading lights of the burgeoning Canterbury scene, where folk music was mixed with the experimental progressive grooves to get a unique sound. It’s a very British sounding record, as was most of the early Prog movement. This is Caravan’s finest release.

We were all into these huge songs at the time. You know the ones that were split into many parts and took up the whole side of an album, Nine Feet Underground does just that here. I mean how can you go wrong with a track called Dance Of the Seven Paper Hankies? I remember this giving me lots of hilarity at the time, and I’m pleased to say the 12 year-old inside me still gets a laugh from it.

This whole album is a beautiful look back in time for me and I’m going for Winter Wine as my favourite track.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS – S/T

December 6, 2023 /

Now, I never managed to get to grips with Tom Petty and his music. I more or less ignored it as it just didn’t connect with me, at the least the more commercial stuff didn’t. This album released in ’76 is the only Petty album I own as it contains one of his best tunes, Breakdown (that’s to say the main riff and guitar part). That descending guitar just gets me every time. American Girl is the other tune that I like, which closes out the album.

Tom was rather lucky. If this had been five years later, would it have sold as much? One of the things that fascinates me in the music biz is how some bands get to make other records after rather stuttering first attempts, and others just get bombed. Well, I guess we now know why I’m not an A&R guy.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

STEVE LUKATHER – Bridges

December 6, 2023 /

Steve Lukather is one of the great guitarist and songwriters of his generation, but often gets overlooked by the more “flash bang” of his contemporaries. Sadly, with the promo of this record he said “this is as close as we will get to hearing another Toto record,” seemingly alluding to the fact that Toto is done recording. 

Well, there is a definite Toto vibe about the songs but at the same time giving them a huge chunk of his own DNA. He may be in the twilight of his career, but he still delivers big time. I really love this record, it’s got such cool songs and he even nods to Steely Dan (a band he looks up to) with Burning Bridges – the vibe is so them. What a killer track that is almost a shuffle but has a great swing and melody, and Luke’s solo is so cool. I’m torn between My Kind Of People and I’ll Never Know as my favourite tunes. Both are very different in style and groove, but both are so freakin’ cool and the lyrics are seemingly very personal.

He is one of rock’s great characters and long may he keep making music.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

URGENT – Thinking Out Loud

December 6, 2023 /

Yet another short lived melodic rock band from the mid eighties. This is Urgent’s second album that was released in ’87 with a killer production by Tom Allom. It should have done way more than it did. This has American radio stamped all over it. The vibe is more pop rock, with the emphasis on a huge sing along chorus.

The band were more famous for what certain members went on to do. Vazquez would depart to join Diving For Pearls and would end up being a recurring character in Seinfeld as The Intimidating Gay Guy. Funny old business. Onto the songs…

As I have mentioned already, radio friendly pop rock is our meal for today and the single Can’t Take It No More should have been huge. It has everything that should have made it a hit at the time. Huge hook and chorus with a great melody and uptempo groove should have been a cert but… crickets!

My favourite tune Pain ( Love Is A Victim) also should have been a smash, but I guess they never got the back up. There are so many good songs like Always Be There, Extra Extra (which is a close to being my favourite), and the anthemic Give Em Enough rope. All of the above should have been enough to break the band, but history says otherwise.

Another forgotten gem that’s worthy of your attention.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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