THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Category: Vinyl Reviews (Page 242 of 492)

KING DIAMOND – Them

November 3, 2022 /

Mercyful Fate were a band that passed me by as I thought it was a gimmick, and I guess I never paid them much attention. Released in ’88, Them was King Diamond’s best selling album up until this point. I think this is about King Billy’s multiple personal personalities and his stay in an asylum. Fictional of course!

The vocals are so high pitched in places, I’m sure his Crown Jewels are being squeezed very tightly indeed. The music throughout this album is killer speed/power metal with an awesome guitar duo of Andy La Roque and Pete Blakk spanking their planks with aplomb. Before Mickey Dee was Motörhead’s skin basher he occupied King Billy’s drum stool, and his double kick prowess is all over this record. The Invisible Guests is a monster tune and is my favourite on the album. Killer riffs and grooves and the solos are seriously on the money. A close second is Twilight Symphony with epic riffage and grooves. A great killer metal album and as a result of me buying this gem I’ve gone back and I’m checking out other albums in King Diamond’s back cat.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

JIMMY PAGE – Outrider

November 3, 2022 /

I think I’m right in saying that Outrider is Mr Page’s only solo album. I know he has done different collaborations and guest spots, but I’m sure someone will let me know if I’m wrong.

The album kicks off with two tracks that have John Miles on vocals. Now, if you’re like me you will only know John from his hit song Music, and it’s a revelation to hear him belting out heavy blues rock. Wasting My Time and Wanna Make Love sound like Zeppelin tracks with those trademark Page riffs and Miles killer vocals. Writes Of Winter follows and is an instrumental piece with a really cool swing and groove. The Only One has Mr. Plant on vocals and is my favourite track on the album. A really busy riff and groove and it actually doesn’t sound like Zeppelin. Liquid Mercury closes out Side 1 and is another instrumental. The tune feels like some soundtrack to an American cop show.

Side 2 begins with Hummingbird, a slow blues ballad with Chris “Motorbiking” Farlowe on vocals. In fact, there is a big blues presence throughout Side 2. Emerald Eyes is another instrumental that again, feels like a soundtrack to some TV show and is the track I like the least. Prison Blues is a throwback to Page’s days gone by and his love of the blues wth Chris Farlowe again on vocals. The album closes out with Blues Anthem, a big power ballad with strings and everything. I really like Side 1 but Side 2 tales off quickly.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

BADLANDS – Voodoo Highway

November 2, 2022 /

I’ve had this about four months now and yes, it’s an unofficial one as I have given up hope of getting an OG without selling a body part. What a voice Ray Gillen had man, it’s so sad he was taken away so soon. The bluesy style of this band was perfect for him and there are not many rock singers out there that can touch him.

The band released two albums while they were going strong; this and the self-titled first album. Dusk, which was a selection of demos, was released after the band’s demise. This album is all about Ray, sure Jake rips it up a storm, but those vocals are immense.

The Last Time gets things under way with a killer dirty groove and what a superb vocal. Show Me The Way is all Ray, it gives me goosebumps listening to it now. Shine On is my favourite track on the album as both Jake and Ray give killer performances, and man what a dirty groove. Whiskey Dust has that old school blues vibe but with a very early seventies sound and feel. Joe’s Blues is just Jake and an acoustic. Soul Stealer blows out Side 1 and is the heaviest groove so far with both Jake and Ray wailing away. Big shout-out to Greg Chaisson and Jeff Martin for being the grooviest rhythm section around.

3 Day Funk opens up side 2 and as the title suggests it’s just one big groovefest. I love the funky guitar and Jake suits this style of playing. Killer opening to Silver Horses with Jake’s guitar on the verge of feedback, and what an awesome groove. Love Don’t Mean A Thing mixes the funk with a heavy blues swagger. If Free and early Zeppelin had a love child – !!! The title track is an old school slide blues piece with Rays vocal and footstomps. Fire And Rain reminds me of a heavier Allmans tune. Heavens Train is driven along by a superb Jake riff and a four to the floor groove. The album closes out with In A Dream, another acoustic blues piece with Ray just laying down a beautiful vocal. An album totally different from their first with that old school blues vibe.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

SYRE – It Ain’t Pretty Being Easy

November 2, 2022 /

This is another album I purchased just on the cover alone. I mean, it’s gotta sound good with all that big hair right? I’ll come to that in a minute. I think they are from Waterloo, Ontario and this was released on A&M in ’89. There was another album recorded, Pissed To The Gills but it did not see the light of day until ’93 when they released it themselves. Toward the end of the eighties, if you were a hair band you needed to be at the top of your game. If not, you were dropped like a stone and this is what happened to these guys.

It’s not a bad album, it’s just not great. The album is missing that killer track to sail it away. A lot of the tracks have that sleazy Sunset Strip vibe and let’s face it, that was big at the time but their image was more rock than sleaze. You Never Looked Back is a really catchy tune and was as close as they came to a hit. It has that hint of Poison about it, as does a lot of the album for that matter. If they had a hotshot producer things might have been different. My favourite track is Say Hi To Your Girlfriend as it has a nice riff and hook, it’s just a fun song.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

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