THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Category: Vinyl Reviews (Page 112 of 492)

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.

EXTREME – Six

January 1, 2024 /

I’m quite pleased that this album hasn’t come up to review before as there has been a lot of opinions posted about the record, some even saying it’s the best thing they’ve done and a lot of them regarding Nuno’s playing. Some of the things Nuno has said himself has you wondering where his head is at.

When you open an album with your best two songs, you are setting the bar very high for what comes after. Rise and Rebel are up there with the best things they have done, and that’s not even up for debate. Nuno’s playing is top drawer and frankly I wouldn’t expect anything less for someone as gifted as he is, plus they are both killer tracks. I really like Banshee, especially the beat and groove, it has that Extreme DNA for sure. Other Side Of The Rainbow is an acoustically driven pop song with a nice solo towards the end.

The Mask has a Gary Glitter drum groove with a Beautiful People Manson riff and sees Nuno and Gary sharing vocals. Thicker Than Blood has a NIN crossed with a RATM groove and vibe, it is the oddity of the album even though the solo is cool. I love the whole vibe of Save Me. It has a great groove and Nuno’s great guitar tone. An electro pop groove hits you on the opening to X Out, even though the feel is a lot darker. The rest of the tracks are either ballads or softer songs.

I would say that after the amazing opening, this album does tail off somewhat, but I do love it. There is only one Extreme and I hope they don’t leave it so long before releasing their next record.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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