THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: January 2024 (Page 3 of 7)

DIAMOND REXX – Land Of The Damned

January 22, 2024 /

Some bands can pull off the whole glam image really well, but others (like Diamond Rexx) look like a bad drag act on a Friday night bender. This album was Diamond Rexx’s debut album, released back in ’86 (on Island records nonetheless), and I really like it.

The production is quite raw and that works in the band’s favour as the guitar is nice and loud with the minimum of overdubs. Vocalist Nasty Habits has an Iggy Pop feel to his vocals and musically they are a glam version of Raven. Highlights are the metal romp of Cuz I Wancha; my favourite Up And Down, which has a nice solo from S. St. Lust, (*waits for everyone to stop giggling*); and the anthemic Rock Gun.

They were never going to reach the heights that they so obviously wished for, but their first album’s “let’s go do it” attitude is quite endearing.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

TESLA – The Great Radio Controversy

January 22, 2024 /

It’s been a while since I gave this a spin. You forget what a near perfect hard rock masterpiece this is.

This was album number two for Tesla released in ’89, Geffen must have thought they had struck gold with it. Hang Tough is such a great tune to open up with and then boom, Lady Luck with those huge backing vocals nips in behind. The dirty blues of Heavens Trail follows that opening, major props to the record company for releasing this as a single. It’s a great dirty sounding tune. Be A Man sounds as though it belongs in the Deep South instead of California. You can pick any of the first three as my favourite tune as they are all equally as good.

I won’t do song by song breakdown here because this is such a class album that all melodic rock fans will know intimately, but I will tell you the album has been certified double platinum and still gets squillions of streams. Class will always be class.

Tesla are still releasing albums with quality tunes and long may they do so.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

DIRTY HONEY – Can’t Find The Brakes

January 15, 2024 /

This is album number two from California’s latest exponent of retro rock grooves. Now, Dirty Honey has class oozing through every note and in Marc Labelle they have one of the best rock n’ roll vocalists around.

Don’t Put Out The Fire has a Stones feel to the proceedings with a very simple riff and that voice drifting over the whole piece. Won’t Take Me Alive is a funk tinged beauty, with hints of old school Aerosmith. That funk continues (albeit with a slower groove) with Dirty Mind until the hook and pre chorus rip it up. Roam is essentially a blues ballad and I love just the hint of a Hammond in there to add to the atmosphere of the song, and the clean tone solo is cool. Get A Little High is taking a lot of pointers from a few Zeppelin tunes, but that voice just makes them their own. A total change of vibe with the acoustic Coming Home that closes out Side 1.

The title track opens up Side 2 and it is my favourite tune. The tempo is high and the groove is rockin’. Satisfied is next up and I’m feeling a touch of the Steve Marriott and Humble Pie vibes here. Ride On has a cool, loose mid-seventies rockin’ groove that reminds me of so many bands. You Make It All Right has huge Zeppelin vibes, and the fade out track Rebel Son is pure old school rockin’ R’n’B.

Now, when you play this old school retro music it’s inevitable that songs trigger memories and nods to other bands and that’s not a bad thing, it shows respect to what came before. Very cool record!

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

VICTORY – Temples Of Gold

January 15, 2024 /

This was album number five for Germany’s melodic metallers and was released back in ’90. This version also has a bonus live in LA EP included.

I do love some twin lead guitars, and Herman Frank and Tommy Newton are a great combination. And with Fernando Garcia on vocals, this was Victory’s best effort.

What a killer opener with Rock N’ Roll Kids Forever. It has a big fat riff, a pounding groove, and an anthemic chorus, it’s a winner all the way. A killer mid tempo groove opens up Backseat Rider and the hook and chorus make this a real party rocker. Standing Like A Rock has another variation of THAT riff and pounds along at a fair pace. All Aboard kicks off like a Montrose tune, but it’s the monster hook and chorus that make this track fly. Hell And Back is a close second for my favourite tune on the album. It has a killer riff, massive hook and chorus, a great middle eight, and it pounds along at a fair old lick. Great stuff! The title track closes out Side 1. It’s got a slow pounding beat with a matching riff that sounds massive.

If you’re not jumping up and grooving to Take The Pace then you need an adjustment to your groove muscle. This is definitely my favourite tune on the album. Killer track! The quality just keeps on coming with Rock The Neighbours . Another great  party anthem. I love the nice and fat guitar sound on this one. Mr. President is a Hot  For Teacher inspired tune that really rips along and is just a whole bunch of fun. An epic riffage and killer groove to Break Away. Every song is just top drawer and all with a chorus that sticks in your head.

The inevitable happens with the arrival of the power ballad Fighting Back The Tears. It does manage to redeem itself towards the end when the groove arrives however. The album closes out with The 9th Of November and we return to the crunch and the big riff. The 6 track EP is more of the same: a very loud mix with a killer guitar sound.

How the hell did this band not become huge? They’ve got great songs that you just hum along to and are very radio friendly. It would have been a 10 were it not for the ballad.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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