THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: December 2023 (Page 5 of 9)

ALICE COOPER – Killer

December 11, 2023 /

This is album number four for Alice Cooper (the band) and was their second album released in ’71.  The record companies sure milked their bands back in the day.

There were two singles that came from the album: Under My Wheels and Be My Love. Under My Wheels is the much better song and would wave the flag for the direction the band would take for the next three albums after this. The psychedelic influence was still present with the excellent 8.22 of Halo Of Flies with Vince at his freaky storytelling best.

It all sounds very dated now, but at the time this was the dogs. It’s hard to believe that the Alice of now played this kind of music back in the day.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

SWEET FA – Stick To Your Guns

December 11, 2023 /

Sweet FA were another so-called hair band that appeared too late to gain any traction, and only managed two albums before it was bye bye. This was the first of those records, released in ’90. I remember reading somewhere that they were going to be the new Van Halen. Well, we are well off that I’m afraid but they do remind me a bit of  the Bulletboys.

Nothin’ For Nothin’ is one of those tracks and vocally Marq Torien briefly springs to mind, but overall it’s a great sleazy rocker with a cool swagger. Rhythm Of Action is another tune that has that sleazy swagger and a cool middle eight. Whiskey River however is my favourite, a good uptempo rocker with a great riff and the vocal is pure Bulletboys.

There is a lot of hate for bands like this, which is unfair because it’s just fun good time rock n’ roll. I like this record and so would you if you’re into the whole hair band thing.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

TT QUICK – S/T

December 11, 2023 /

This is TT Quick’s killer, kickass first EP released back in ’84 on Avalanche Records. Mark Tornillo (now of Accept) was the band’s original singer and appears here.

Go For The Throat kicks things off nicely with a full on double kick onslaught over some killer riffage. A ripping version of CCR’s Fortunate Son is up next, and I prefer this to the original. Child Of Sin closes out Side 1. It has a slow, heavy groove that pounds away with some cool guitar riffage and a ripping solo. A very loud chugga riff opens up Metal Man, and it’s my favourite track. I love old school riff-heavy songs like this. All too soon the final track Victims is upon us. A mid tempo epic intro gives way to a maximum chugga’s and Tornillo wailing.

Of course, they would release the classic Metal Of Honour after this. They were another great find by Jon Zazula after Metallica, Anthrax, and Overkill. A fun old school metal romp.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

DEVICE – 22B3

December 11, 2023 /

Device never played live and were a studio plaything for Mike Chapman and Holly Knight. You may of heard of Holly Knight as she wrote songs for Tina Turner, Pat Benatar, and Aerosmith. The Best, Love Is A Battlefield, and Rag Doll are probably being the most well known songs she wrote.

This album is typical mid-eighties slick American radio pop rock. They had a minor hit with Hanging On A Heart Attack, which leads off the record. I’m not a fan of programmed drums, especially those from the eighties as I think they sound horrible, and unfortunately that’s all you get here. Plus, a lot of the tracks delve into synth pop territory which isn’t my bag either. There are some really good songs however, like Pieces On The Ground and Hanging On A Heart Attack which are classic pop rock of the time.

I had this album given to me (I didn’t buy it thankfully), but I will go with Pieces On The Ground as my favourite tune.

6/10 from The Grooveman.

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