THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Category: Vinyl Reviews (Page 22 of 462)

JIMMY BARNES – Freight Train Heart

October 21, 2024 /

Any peeps from Australia and New Zealand will be more than familiar with the voice of Jimmy Barnes, as Cold Chisel were heroes down under. Of his solo albums, this is his best effort and he is joined by an amazing bunch of muso’s to help him along. The record company gave Jimmy the big push with this one. Mike Stone produced most of the record however, Desmond Child did his thing on two tracks. Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain, Randy Jackson, Huey Lewis, and Joe Lynn Turner all appear, so no expense was spared.

I’m not sure if anybody has ever called Jimmy Barnes smooth, but this record is a very slick and smooth sounding record with a killer blues tone to the proceedings. There is not a bad moment on the whole record if we are being honest, but as usual it’s the more up tempo rockin’ tracks that do it for me and Lessons In Love is one of the best melodic rock tracks you will ever hear. Not only does Jimmy sing his ass off but Neal Schon lays down the perfect guitar accompaniment and has you wishing they had held back on the fade out.

So many good songs on one record should be a criminal offence, and why Barnes never reached mega status is a massive head scratcher for me. Every wannabe vocalist should listen to this to see how it’s done. Great record.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

CARR JAM – 21

October 21, 2024 /

So, what’s this all about then? This is the fourth instalment of a series of charitable releases in tribute to the late great Eric Carr of Kiss. Most of the musicians taking part are Swedish and the production is top drawer.

The EP is all covers of Kiss released tunes. In fact, the first track Eyes Of Love has Eric himself on vocals. Killer tune with a great swing to the groove and the hook and chorus are infectious. Love Her All I Can is next up, a Paul Stanley tune and it sounds killer. Can You Feel It rolls on in and it’s a tune written by Eric and Bruce Kulick that has Wig Wam’s Age Stan Nilsen on vocals. Another Ace tune gets an airing next with Snow Blind and Dregen on the box does a good Ace impression. The EP closes out with I’ve Had Enough (Into The Fire) with Mats Levin on vocals, and I would say this is my favourite cover of the bunch.

Records like this are so often train wreck material but this is rather good with a decent production.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

PROTEST THE HERO – Scurrilous

October 14, 2024 /

Pet peeve alert! You release a record and the artwork and the pressing are superb, but you put zero information on the cover, not even a track listing. This is a reissue of Protest the Hero’s 2011 album through Sheet Happens, who always do great pressings. They are a relatively local band for me so I have followed them since the beginning.

Technical progressive metal is an ever expanding genre and these guys do push boundaries. They lean to the heavier side of the machine but melody is never far away and the clean soaring vocal of Rody Walker is superb sitting just on top of all the technical noodling that rages underneath. It’s tough to pick a fave as there are so many different elements to all the songs, but Tapestry is just intense and I love the interplay between vocals and riifage. That staccato pattern is freakin’ awesome.

Killer record by such a cool band.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

ECLIPSE – Megalomanium

October 14, 2024 /

This is the tenth album from these Swedish melodic rockers who have consistently put out high quality rockin’ records since 2001. If you look back over their recent albums the sound has shifted somewhat to a more Foo Fighters groove while still holding on to the big hooks and melody. An obvious attempt to rake in a younger audience perhaps? They even move to a Celtic sound on Anthem where memories of Gary Moore and Thin Lizzy come rushing into my head.

However, it’s the big riffing catchy chorus tunes that I really love from the band and I’m pleased to say they are here but buried later in the record. The last seven songs starting with Hearts Collide will have you singing along like a goon. I don’t know any other modern band that consistently comes up with so many hook laden songs. Frankly, Erik Martensson is a genius and doesn’t get the credit he deserves.

Give this album time and you will see the band have grown into so much more. Favourite track? Well, it’s a real tough one as there are some bangers here for sure but I Don’t Get It and So Long Farewell Goodbye are my joint choices. I Don’t Get It is a killer power pop blast with a HUGE hook and chorus. So Long starts with that trademark crunch riffing that they do so well and again the sing along hook and chorus is soooo good. There are no ballads on this album!🎉

Great band and great album.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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