THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Month: May 2025 (Page 4 of 5)

Y&T – Down For The Count

May 12, 2025 / / 0 Comments

This record was released in ‘85 right when hair bands were ruling all before them and Y&T were one of the best exponents of the rock anthem. Yet, they never quite made it into the top half of the premier league.

The trio of Earthshaker, Black Tiger, and Mean Streak are Y&T at their best, but the band’s biggest charting single Summertime Girls is on this album and that should tell you a lot about this record. It’s definitely the most commercial record the band made and they had both eyes firmly on FM radio with this one. Whether that’s pressure from the record company or just the way they were going at this point I’m not sure.

I find the keyboards quite off putting on some of the songs. Y&T are about the crunch and the worst offender to my ears is Anytime At All where the keys are front and centre. Thankfully, they still remember how to rock and Anything For Money is a prime time Y&T belter.

This is where the band went full AOR, and if you entered the Y&T universe with Earthshaker then this record is a tad disappointing.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

BLACK SABBATH – The Eternal Idol

May 9, 2025 /

I’m pleased they finally got around to remastering and re-releasing the Tony Martin albums because there are some great tunes hidden away here and they have been overlooked for way too long.

This was album unlucky 13 for Iommi and co and it appeared back in ‘87, it was the first of the TM albums. This a very cool groovin’ hard rock album with a great swing to the songs and gone are those evil sounding riffs (well almost) from days of old. There was a lot of derision and hate towards this line up at the time as the die hards questioned whether it should be called Black Sabbath. I’m on the fence, but you can’t deny that this is a great album with an awesome set of songs.

There is no doubt Iommi is having a blast playing a more wide ranging groove and vibe. I love Ancient Warrior and Hard Life To Love but it’s Nightmare with its changing tempo and groove that I love the most. Tony Martin is as good as Dio to my ears and this is well worth picking up.

9/10 from The Grooveman,

L.A. GUNS – Leopard Skin

May 8, 2025 /

If you are expecting the glam slam thank you mam of their early albums, then you may be in for a surprise. This album seems to be firmly rooted in the late 70’s as it has the retro groove to it, complete with a hint of punk.

Phil Lewis has never bettered the Girl album Sheer Greed, so I judge everything by that album. That rockin’ retro 79’s groove is perfect on Taste It, Grinder, and If You Wanna which are all really good tunes. I’ve never been a fan of that whiny indie sound a la REM, so Hit And Run is a bit of a surprise. And, I don’t do country so Follow The Money and The Masque leave me cold.

This album is definitely a side step to the left and when it all clicks it’s not bad.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

BONFIRE – Don’t Touch The Light MMXXIII

May 7, 2025 /

This may confuse some as this was the title of the first album that Bonfire put out in ‘86, after their name change from Cacumen. Main man Hans Ziller decided to revisit and re-record this album, giving the songs a whole new groove and sound using today’s technology. Hence the addition of MMXXIII to the title. I believe Point Blank and Fireworks are getting the same treatment.

I do like this new version because it’s given the songs that big arena rock sound. Good songs are good songs so Hot To Rock, Don’t Touch The Light, L.A. and S.D.I are still the stand out songs, but they sound much bigger here. Bonfire are a class act and are one of Germany’s best melodic rock bands.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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