THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Category: Vinyl Reviews (Page 232 of 492)

GARY CLARK JR. – This Land

November 26, 2022 /

A superb 2019 release from one of America’s new shining lights, Gary Clark Jr.. Fusing together all styles and falling into all categories. When it’s Grammy time he gets nominated right across the board, and I think this album and the song This Land scooped up three.

This is a seriously groovy record with a stunning production by Gary himself. Everyone should own this album. It’s a record I go back to all the time as I find it a joy to listen to. Lyrically it’s hard hitting and truthful, and musically it’s seriously uplifting and joyful. Really hard to pick a favourite track, but I will go for What About Us as the groove and vibe are just awesome. Ask me tomorrow and it could be the epicness that is I Got My Eyes On You. Do your record collection a favour and go purchase at your earliest convenience.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

STEVE VAI – Passion And Warfare

November 26, 2022 /

This is Steve’s second proper solo album, released back in 1990 and this is the MOV numbered edition of which mine is number twenty nine. I think that’s the lowest number of any of the MOV’s I have. I’m a big fan of Steve and I loved him with DLR. This is head and shoulders my favourite Steve Vai album. After this he started to get a little weird and the songs started to disappear somewhat.

There is not a bad second on this album, it’s sheer guitar god heaven. You will not hear guitar played with as much feel as on For The Love Of God. If there was a template for “how to be awesome at guitar” then just play anyone this piece. There are all sorts of delights on this masterpiece. The killer groove of Animal with Steve’s incendiary notes flying in all directions, for example. The Audience Is Listening is just incredible and is my favourite track, for today at least. The riff and groove on it are freakin awesome and sooooo many notes. If you want a bit of normality there is I Would Love To, which could have been right off of the DLR Skyscraper album. This is most definitely Steve at his best. Every home should have one.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

THE HANDSOME BEASTS – Beastiality

November 25, 2022 /

The NWOBHM movement threw up a whole host of wannabe bands that saw an opportunity to further their careers by attaching themselves to it. I always thought The Handsome Beasts were a bit of a joke, and the cover of this their first album did nothing to change my mind as it features frontman Gary Dalway attempting to have relations with a pig. Yup, they didn’t have the best image that’s for sure.

The tunes are mostly heavy blues workouts with very sparse production, and yet they do have a somewhat endearing quality to them. I look back fondly on this period of music in the UK as it was a fun time to be around with new bands appearing constantly. Breaker is my favourite track of the bunch. It’s the one track that feels like a NWOBHM tune with attitude alone. I think they are back doing the rounds and good luck to them.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

CINDERELLA – Live At The Key Club

November 25, 2022 /

This album was originally released on CD in ’99 and it contained fourteen tracks, whereas this version has been shrunk to fit on a single record with only ten tracks. You basically get the beginning and the end.

“No overdubs to fix the rubs” is proudly displayed on the back cover. It is a warts and all performance and that’s how it should be. No songs played from Still Climbing, they are just concentrating on what they do best. Great versions of The More Things Change, Push Push, Somebody Save Me, and my favourite, Shake Me. They always were a great live band and this is a pretty good recording captured in a hot and sweaty club.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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