THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Category: Vinyl Reviews (Page 240 of 492)

ANVIL – Hard N’ Heavy

November 8, 2022 /

It’s hard not to like Anvil after all they went through. But that’s all in the future, and this is in the past, where it all started. This album was released back in ’81 in prime NWOBHM time, but these guys were from Canada. They were obviously a big influence on Anthrax as they have said so much, and other bands in the thrash scene, but that’s in the future.

The album opens up with School Love. Yup, the lyrics are well dodgy mentioning peaches and beaves, but the music and production is top notch with a great guitar sound. AC/DC is another lyric masterpiece – NOT. I’ll get this out of the way now as ALL the lyrics on all songs are pretty bad. I did not realize how similar Ted Nugent and Lips’ lead playing is, you could swear that Ted was playing on AC/DC At The Apartment has an AC/DC style riff with that plod groove. I Want You Both With Me is a straight up boogie. It was written by Dave Allison, who also sings lead vocals and it is the only track with no Lips involvement on either of those things. Bedroom Game closes out Side 1 and it’s the most metal track on the album with double kicks all the way through. and is my favourite on the record.

Ooh Baby opens up Side 2 and it’s a rehashed Ted Nugent riff and groove. A cover of the Stones’ Paint It Black follows and it’s an ok rendition, nothing great. Oh Jane is next up and it’s the only self penned lyric that is not a sleaze fest as Lips is saying how much he misses his one true love whilst out on the road. Hot Child has a nice riff and a cool gallop groove. The album closes out with Bondage and it’s another Nugent-inspired riff and groove. I’m sure Ted would approve of the lyrics as well. To be fair, the middle eight on the track is pretty killer. It’s amazing that the next album Metal On Metal, would do so well for them, but it was head and shoulders above this one.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

RIVAL SONS – Before The Fire

November 8, 2022 /

This is a reissue of the band’s self-financed debut from 2009. Dirty fuzzed up rock n’ roll – I don’t usually associate these type of grooves coming from California.

Tell Me Something is tipping the hat to Zeppelin, especially the guitar and drum sound. Lucky Girl has a killer riff and groove, and I love the hook and verse melody. I love the intro to Memphis Sun and we are in deep blues territory, maybe with a little Keef thrown in as well. I love the riff and the vocals are killer. Angel takes an even deeper turn into the blues, but with a heavy Zeppelin influence as well. Pocketful Of Stones has a riff that sounds slightly out of tune, coupled with that heavy Bonham drum groove. Side 1 closes out with the beautiful The Man Who Wasn’t There; just minimal instrumentation and a superb vocal until the very Beatles section.

Pleasant Return has a killer fuzzed up intro with a heavy psych vibe to the whole tune. On My Way has a heavy Americana vibe, with a hint of Seattle, and a bass line a lot of you will be familiar with. A superb, killer, groovy opening to I Want More, which tips the hat to many tunes that have gone before and reminds me of so many but keeps its originality and is my favourite tune on the record. Flames Of Lanka is the big number of the album and it starts really weird as though we have been transported back to the late 60’s with that whole psych vibe. The album closes out with Nanda-Nandana, a very grooved up psychfest. Great band that have really grown with each record and don’t sound much like this anymore.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

QUEEN – s/t

November 7, 2022 /

Another band and album that had a great impression on me as a young-un. This album didn’t do a whole bunch chart-wise, but I loved it and still do! Mainly due to the brilliance of Brian May and his use of the WEM Copycat. A delay and echo device that would become a huge part of the Queen sound. It gets its first airing on opening track and first single, Keep Yourself Alive. Again, it did nothing in the charts but what a killer song with a great melody and lots of Brian.

Doing All Right follows, and starts as a very laid back piece with Freddie doing his thing then, BAM that freaking awesome riff and groove just nail you to the wall. Great King Rat is Queen’s first attempt at the big operatic (at least theme wise) song that would serve them well in future endeavours. Even though Brian’s guitar rips you a new one right from the off it’s Freddie’s vocals and lyrics that run this one, and the time and groove change in the middle is killer. My Fairy King closes out Side 1 and what an awesome opening with Roger really hitting that high note. It’s the rhythm and groove change that really get me on this tune, and I think you’ll agree that it’s a really impressive set of tunes.

Side 2 kicks in with Liar, featuring Roger’s phased drums and a very 70’s heavy riff from Brian. The song doesn’t do it for me but they are the kings of the instrumental middle section and this one’s a doozy. The Night Comes Down is the weakest song on the album. I don’t really care for the hook and chorus, but Brian’s echo guitar is cool. Roger gets his chance to sing with Modern Times Rock N’ Roll, and it’s my favourite on the album. A big riff driven beast of a tune with a killer vocal from Roger. You have to admit that Roger sings the rockier tunes better than Freddie.

Sons And Daughter is a heavied up blues riff with a great vocal from Freddie. The very medieval sounding Jesus closes out the album, or does it? As the short instrumental piece Seven Seas Of Rhye follows. They would later expand and release this track on Queen 2 and it would become their first hit single. Side 1 is killer and Side 2 is more filler. The production is not the best as the drums sound flat, but I still love it.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

SUZI QUATRO – s/t

November 7, 2022 /

Imagine a young, impressionable, and music hungry thirteen-year-old turning on the TV to watch the weekly dose of chart fodder that was Top Of The Pops and witnessing this leather clad temptress kicking out some kick ass rock n’ roll while fronting the band and playing bad ass bass at the same time. We were not used to seeing girls rocking out and fronting what was, an all male band. Girls were resigned to singing soul or cheesy pop novelty tunes. As were a lot of bands at the time, they were taken under the wing of mega songwriters and producers Chapman and Chinn.

The two biggest tunes on this album were both their compositions: Devil Gate Drive and, my favourite track, Can The Can. The tunes that the band came up with themselves were mostly rock n’ roll and boogie. The best of which is Glycerine Queen. You’ll be hard pressed to find a better pop rock song than Can The Can. Superb song and what a killer delivery from Suzi. Sure, the line Can The Can repeats a lot but the groove is undeniable. Keep on rockin’ Suzi Q.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

« Older posts Newer posts »

Archives

© 2026 THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑