THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Category: Vinyl Reviews (Page 243 of 492)

HAREM SCAREM – s/t

November 1, 2022 /

So here it is… the 1,000th review! I’m not sure I thought I would get this far when I started this in the days of COVID, but here we are. Keep watching as there is going to be a giveaway for a mint new copy of this record.

I think I have said this before, but these guys really are Canada’s best kept secret. I think for them they were right place, but very wrong time. Five years earlier and they would have been huge – I’m so sure of that.

This album came out through Warners in ’91.  It’s melodic rock at its finest. We open up with Hard To Love – a great tune with a superb hook and chorus and killer harmonies – it’s definitely my favourite track on the album. Distant Memory takes the power down a notch, but man what a vocal – and Pete Lesperance rips a great solo. With A Little Love follows, and right from the start it’s melody 101. Killer harmonies, and the hook, chorus, and solo are huge. Honestly is a ballad, and we all know how I feel about those…but Harry’s vocals are incredible and I love the solo. Love Reaction is the close out track on Side 1, and those keys are right from the early 80’s. A superb riff, and it’s lighters in the air time with a killer sing-a-long hook and chorus.

Side 2 kicks off with Slowly Slipping Away, and these guys are the kings of the melody. Other than Journey, I’m not sure of any band that can do it consistently. All Over Again starts with just a guitar and vocal, and then the up-tempo groove kicks in – and BAM! – those melodies just hit you. It keeps coming on Don’t Give Your Heart Away, with a cool riff and a four-to-the-floor beat. A very moody keys intro, and a great chorus sounding guitar opens up How Long, before the groove and that huge hook and chorus slaps you in the face. The album closes out with Something To Say, and they finish with a ballad. It’s basically an acoustic and Harry. – that voice is a force of nature, and add the harmonies…no other band comes close.

This is up there with one of the best melodic rock/aor albums ever recorded, and yet not many people outside of the scene have heard of them. I will be giving away a minty fresh copy of this album, so look out for the post on how to enter in all my usual places.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

SPARZANZA – Announcing The End

November 1, 2022 /

I admit to not knowing diddly squat about this band, as this was the product of me late night surfing the internet for interesting new tunes. It always seems to be Sweden that has the killer bands, and these guys were formed there in ’96. This album is from 2017 and is a monster record full of huge riffs and killer grooves.

Announcing The End is a freaking epic opener, with a to-die-for riff and groove – with the added bonus of a massive hook. Nickelback keeps coming into my head, but I guess that’s the clean vocal tone in Fredrik’s voice. Then again, they also remind me of equal parts Sabbath, Metallica, and their countrymen, Mustasch. Next track up is Damnation, which has that deep Sabbath rumble mixed with a deep heavy riff. Whatever Come May Be starts quite slow with a deep heavy drum and bass groove and a superb dramatic vocal – a very melodic killer tune. Vindication opens up with a killer riff and vibe that makes you want to bounce, and that Nickelback reference is here again. The Trigger follows and the riff is very up-tempo Sabbath – this is my favourite tune on the album. Breathe In The Fire starts real slow and doomy with a great vocal, and the Iommi style solo is cool. One Last Breath is quite a simple repeating riff – I would say this is the most commercial sounding track on the record. To The One has a great (almost Indian style) drum pattern with a D-tuned simple riff, and a huge hook and chorus. The Dark Appeal starts as heavy as hell with a really low riff and death style vocal. We Are Forever is Children Of The Grave, until the hook and chorus kick in. The album closes out with Truth Is A Lie, and is very close to being the best track on the album.

I love finding bands that are new to me, and I got a real buzz hearing this for the first time.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

BRUCE DICKINSON – Tattooed Millionaire

October 31, 2022 /

This is Bruce’s first solo album, which he recorded whilst he was still a member of Iron Maiden (he left leave in ’93). I think the idea was to record a rock album in the classic sense, avoiding areas that he was familiar with. I think this is my favourite of his solo releases as he was just being himself. Ironically, future Maiden guitarist Jannick Gers, was recruited on guitar.

It’s all quite one paced groove-wise with Bruce’s humour present throughout the record. Check out the intro to Dive Dive Dive with his mention of Seaman Stains. Tattooed Millionaire was a hit single and I would say it’s the most commercial sounding track on the album. A lot of his vocals have a more gravelly tone to them I guess to separate more from Maiden. There is a decent cover of Mott The Hoople’s All The Young Dudes, but it’s the close out track No Lies which is my favourite on the album. I really like the up-tempo groove and the melody and hook are great.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

ZZ TOP – Fandango

October 31, 2022 /

I love the concept of half live and half studio albums, and I’m surprised more bands don’t do this. My favourite ZZ period is the mid-to-late seventies, when they were a smoking live act and were experimenting with sounds and grooves which eventually led them to Eliminator.

Side one of this album was recorded one hot sweaty night in New Orleans – I think in ’75.  A mixture of originals and blues/rock n roll covers, it’s as raw and as groovin’ you’d expect ZZ to be. But it’s Side 2 that really draws your attention with all killer originals, that today, the band play a lot of live.

Nasty Dogs And Funky Kings has a killer riff and groove, and a bass line to die for. Blue Jean Blues is a real slow blues with a crystal clear production, and you gotta love Billy G’s tone. Balinese is one of those Tex Mex delights that only ZZ do – a great groove and vibe! Mexican Blackbird is the odd track on the album, mainly because of Billy’s vocal, and there is some cool slide playing. The last two tracks are stone cold classics. Heard It On The X has a killer simple riff and groove and busy beat- superb stuff! The album closes out with Tush – a great heavy boogie that I’m sure you’ve all heard of. A lot of other bands borrowed it as well. Check out Motörhead’s No Class. I love this album, as I do most mid-period ZZ Top.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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