THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Day: January 1, 2024 (Page 1 of 2)

DREAM THEATER – S/T

January 1, 2024 /

This was album number twelve and the second to feature Mike Mangini on drums. “The emphasis is on shorter more concise songs.” Really?! llumination Theory is twenty two minutes long! Not that I’m complaining, I’m a big lover of the DT that write songs that leave and don’t comeback for days.

Nice cinematic intro with the False Awakening Suite and the two more commercial efforts The Enemy Inside and The Looking Glass. Enigma Machine is my favourite track on the album (did they channel their inner Inspector Gadget when composing the main riff?). It’s what DT do best: lots of widdle and intricacies but in a more concise way.

Illumination Theory is the centre piece of the whole album. It’s about what things people will live, die, or kill for. It’s a well written and performed piece with a full orchestra inserted, but it does feel as though I’ve heard it before. To be honest, the latter day albums do all feel like that, apart from The Astonishing (which I didn’t like at all).

DT are a great band, they just need invigorating and hopefully the return of MP will give them a boost.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

CHEAP TRICK – In Color

January 1, 2024 /

Did power pop exist before Cheap Trick? All I know is every band that came after with a similar vibe was compared to them. Released back in ’77, this is album number two and I’ve always thought the cover for this record was awesome. Not sure who came up with the idea of Team Normal in colour and Team Weird in black and white, but it was a stroke of genius.

I’m sure everyone has heard I Want You To Want Me as that was the biggest selling single they had. Well, the original version appears on this album and the live version is so ingrained in your brain that this version sounds like an interloper. There are some killer songs herein: Hello There, which the band used to open up their live show with; Clock Strikes Ten, which is such a great track; and You’re All Talk, which gets my vote as favourite tune on the album.

There is an underlying Beatles vibe about a lot of the tracks and I do know the band all name check them as an influence, if you listen to Oh Caroline it’s front and centre. A fun band and a fun listen. Everyone should own at least one Cheap Trick album.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

AEROSMITH – Get Your Wings

January 1, 2024 /

I think it’s safe to say that Aerosmith were on a roll right from the get go as their first six albums all went platinum. Released back in ’74, this was album number two and you can hear where the American Rolling Stones tag came from. You can split the band’s career in two parts, before and after the split. Before is my favourite period as I love that dirty blues rock n’ roll vibe. Sure, they made a ton of money after they reconciled and brought a whole bunch of outside writers in, but I think they lost their edge at that point.

There are three of my favourite Smith tunes on this record. First, The Same Old Song And Dance which only Aerosmith could have done. I love that sleaze barroom vibe, and the hook and chorus are huge. Lord Of The Thighs is my favourite song on the album. That jam band feel and groove is killer and that funk element really lets the song fly. Also, their version of Train Kept A Rollin is monster. When I was young and naive I actually thought it was their original composition.

Steven Tyler is one of the best frontmen out there, and I sure hope the band get to complete their farewell tour as they have consistently put out great records while putting a great amount of South America’s chemical stimulants into their bodies.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

ANTHRAX – Spreading The Disease

January 1, 2024 /

The beginning of the 80’s was such a great time for rock and metal, it was one of the best times for music. In the UK, NWOBHM was bringing a whole bunch of new bands to public attention with a heavier and raw sound. There was a killer bunch of bands coming out of the US that were influenced by Van Halen. And, NWOBHM kids were pushing that influence further and harder to create Thrash. This is where Anthrax really took off.

Fistful Of Metal was full of youthful exuberance but lacked that something. With the addition of Joey on vocals and Frank on bass, they were the missing pieces in the Anthrax machine. I love every note on this album and I can vividly remember hearing it for the first time and head banging like a loon. I could pick any track as my favourite but today the pin has landed in Stand Or Fall. A full on thrash assault and even by Anthrax standards it’s fast.

Killer album released at such a fun time when it felt as though you were seeing a band play everyday.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

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