THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Day: October 4, 2024

TOMMY SHAW – Ambition

October 4, 2024 /

This is Tommy’s third solo album, released in ’87. All the songs were written by Tommy and producer Terry Thomas, except Ever Since The World Began which was written by Survivor’s Jim Peterick and Frankie Sullivan, and was released as a single but only managed to reach #75.

It’s a pleasant enough AOR album with maybe three great tracks: No Such Thing, Love You Too Much, and my favourite Are You Ready For Me. They all have great melodies and earworm choruses, and are great radio tracks. This is what I call a producer’s record. The kitchen sink has been thrown at this record (technically speaking) and it does sound good, but maybe the emphasis should have been more on the songs. The guitar is well down in the mix on a lot of the songs and well, Tommy is known as a guitar player.

It’s a pleasant enough record and maybe I’m being a bit tough here as it does sound super clear.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

SAGA – Generation 13

October 4, 2024 /

Album number 11 from Canada’s greatest exponents of Prog rock, Saga. Although I do find it hard to pigeon hole them with a label, because they tend to float around style-wise. Plus, this album is a concept album, and is all over the map. Each song is joined together with strange interludes to carry on the tale that is told. This album came out in ’95, right in the middle of grunge-arama, so to come out with a progressive concept record was about as popular as a fart in a space suit. Thank god for Germany as they seemed to accept it with open arms, but then again the Germans have always had a soft spot for the band.

I’m a sucker for a concept album, especially with lots of weird connecting musical pieces and this fits right into that box. There are some killer songs, as you would expect. The Cross is trademark Saga. It has the killer Ian Crichton guitar, with a quirky groove and matching hook and chorus. The Learning Tree is superb with a great choppy riff and groove, and I love the guitar sound, it’s one of those songs that only Saga could do. My Name Is Sam is a song you could imagine Peter Gabriel doing, as it has that Sledgehammer vibe. My favourite tune is Screw ‘Em, a song that you would expect Saga to do. A very busy guitar riff and melody with suitable Ian Crichton wizardry on the guitar.

I’m not sure if the band ever played this in its entirety live, but if they ever decide to, I would love to see it.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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