THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Day: May 9, 2024

LA CHINGA – Beyond The Sky

May 9, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Hailing from Vancouver, this BC trio of noise makers were new to me until recently when Rob at Music Madhouse Records played me a couple of tunes and I was hooked. They defo have a retro in vibe and groove but with a lot more balls. Think Led Zeppelin mixed with early Motorhead and a sprinkling of The Black Crowesmliving in an RV in deepest Louisiana.

This is the band’s third album that came out in 2018. Emphasis is on killer rockin’ tunes with a ripping groove and stacks of hooks and melody. Mama Boogie is the one that grooves the hardest. A super cool riff that swings just right and a great  trippy solo from Ben Yardley on guitar. Yup, it’s my favourite track.

However, there is so much more to enjoy about this album. Black River takes you right back to what was great about 70’s rock bands. Cool riff and a simple catchy chorus that sticks in your head. Feel It In My Bones is pure old school sleazy Aerosmith, and Warlords feels like Lemmy era Hawkwind.

If retro is your thing, then check these guys out.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

JETBOY – Feel The Shake

May 9, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Same title as the album that broke them, but this is NOT that album. There are two versions of Feel The Shake, an ’87 one and another from 2007. The rest  are a collection of waifs and strays that haven’t been on vinyl before.

Side 1 has a demo vibe and feel about it, and is quite raw. I find the punky sleaze vibe quite endearing and Don’t You Mess Up My Hair shows that the band has a fun sense of humour. The best song on the album is a Bullfrog Pond.

The production has gone up another notch as we go over to Side 2 and sounds huge compared to all of the tracks on Side 1, and that Aerosmith vibe suits them.

These Deadline bits and pieces albums are ok for completists, but I’m not sure any new fans will be attracted.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

ALIAS – S/T

May 9, 2024 / / 0 Comments

Alias are a Canadian AOR supergroup, would you believe. There are members of Sheriff and Heart, so I’ll give them that. All joking aside, it’s a very good album that is high on big hooks and has loads of melody but was released at the moment of doom, so I guess they were destined for failure.

They did have a number one single in Canada and number two in the US with More Than Words Can Say, and Waiting For Love didn’t do to bad either. If you’ve read a lot of my ramblings you will know I’m not too partial to the ballad and my brain locks in to the the rockier tracks and Say What You Wanna Say is that track in this record. It’s a great uptempo rocker with a killer hook and chorus and Freddy Curci has a great set of pipes.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

PLINI – Mirage

May 9, 2024 / / 0 Comments

This the latest five track EP from one of the most prolific musicians around today, Plini. There is such a thriving progressive music scene in Australia, I may just have to emigrate.

The word fusion gets thrown out whenever Plini releases any new music and with opener The Red Fox that is what immediately springs to my mind. There seem to be two differing time signatures going at once, with the bass and hi hat following one path and the kick and snare following the other, and Plini soars over the top. Beautiful piece!

Five Days Of Rain is a deceptively chill song that musically captures the title perfectly, with heavier bursts to describe the more stormy aspects. Very clever track! Still Life is another killer sonic masterpiece with an awesome groove that goes really low to wake up your internal organs with an added bonus of Tosin Abasi lending a solo.

Aqua Vista starts with that heavy low end bass and the guitar soundscape is sooo spacey. I love the guitar on this one and it is my favourite tune of the record. The EP comes to an end so quickly with Ember. There is quite an upbeat vibe to this piece with almost folk guitar runs played underneath that heavy groove.

I’m a massive lover of instrument music and when it’s played and written as well as this there is nothing better.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

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