THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Category: Vinyl Reviews (Page 389 of 492)

THE POLICE – Zenyatta Mondatta

September 2, 2021 /

Released right in the middle of the band’s original career, this was album number three. The band were flying by this point, and could literally do no wrong. Everything they wrote and put out was a Grade A product, and Sting obviously thought the same. When the band folded and went their separate ways, this album’s songs featured heavily in Sting’s first solo tour – albeit with different arrangements.

Side 1 is as near a perfect side of music you will hear anywhere. The single and big hit, Don’t Stand So Close To Me, leads off the album and is followed by one of my favourite Police songs, Driven To Tears. This track alone is what The Police were all about. Superb track! I don’t think music gets much better than When The World Is Running Down, You Make The Best Of What’s Still Around. Seemingly a very simple arrangement, but what a killer groove and melody that goes round and round. I never tire of hearing this. The fast reggae, almost calypso, groove of Canary In A Coalmine follows and again is a superb track. Don’t forget, only two albums earlier they were this quirky punky crossover band. Voices Inside My Head is next, and when played live, this was the track that they would extend to a full on groove out. Bombs Away closes out Side 1, and boys and girls I think you would agree, a near perfect side of music.

Now Side 2 does have its high points, namely the nonsense lyric of De Do Do Do, and the amazing Man In A Suitcase, but all the big guns were loaded onto Side 1. So I will still give it a 9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

APRIL WINE – Harder Faster

September 1, 2021 /

Now this might come as a surprise to none-Canadians, but this was the band’s 8th album released in ’79. This was the first time I had paid attention to the band, as previous efforts were a tad poppy and a bit weak for my tastes.

It was the lead off track, I Like To Rock, that got my attention and they were even asked to play the very first Monsters Of Rock festival in the UK. They were 4th on the bill after Saxon and before the Scorpions. The very radio friendly, Say Hello, was the second single from the album and did a lot better in North America than it did in the UK. There is a brief section in Tonite that rocks, and Ladies Man does rock harder as well, but other than I Like To Rock, it’s a very AOR record. There is a very strange choice of a cover that closes out the record, with King Crimson’s 20th Century Schizoid Man. It’s an ok rendition, but I would be interested in finding how they chose that one.

I don’t think this album has aged that well and the production is a bit flat, but it’s still an enjoyable album.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

OPETH – Morningrise

September 1, 2021 /

Old Opeth don’t bare much resemblance to the band you see today. Their sound has developed way beyond the death metal band they set out to be. This is the bands’ second release from ’96, and the only surviving member from this release today is Mikael himself. It’s not a total growl fest, as there are still the lighter moments with clean vocals. There are also some acoustic and progressive elements to the music as we get more of today. After the release and tour for their previous album Orchid, the band were rehearsing and writing constantly and went quickly back into the studio to record this beast. There is a definite progression between the two records and the progressive elements are more focused here, but the riffs are still dark and aggressive. Mikael’s deep screams are amazing, and how he switches to cleans in a second is unreal.

My two favourite tracks are Nektar, and Black Rose Immortal, both taking up a side each. The riffs and the dynamics of these two songs is a step above the rest of the album IMHO. I’m a big fan of Opeth, and when you go back and listen to the older records, it’s great to see how they have evolved and progressed. This is the RSD release in shiny blue vinyl and it sounds crystal clear. A fantastic pressing.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

PORCUPINE TREE – House Of Blues Los Angeles 2003

August 31, 2021 /

This has been available as a download for quite some time on the band’s Bandcamp page. Now, with the acquiring of all their own catalogue, they are releasing everything through their own Transmission label. For a band that has been done for nearly 11 years, they put out quite a lot of product. Mainly reissues and remixes, but occasionally we get nuggets like this. A limited release on shiny blue vinyl to go with the title, this is without doubt a superb album.

The album was recorded on the In Absentia tour when the band were supporting Opeth. The In Absentia album was the beginning of the heavy riffs and grooves entering the band’s music, and would last for two more albums, until The Incident, where the vibe changed and would be the last studio album they recorded. If you don’t own any Porcupine Tree, then hurry and go and buy this before they are all gone.

The choice of songs from the old catalogue, as well as the In Absentia new material, fit together perfectly. I love the way they put in songs that were not on the album proper, as Futile was only originally on a promo CD. Gravity Eyelids shows the new direction really well, encompassing the fat riff heavy grooves with the beautifully angelic pieces. The version here of Russia On Ice is just sublime and one of my all time favourite PT tracks.

Porcupine Tree are one of the world’s best kept secrets and urge everyone to to add some to your collections.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

« Older posts Newer posts »

Archives

© 2026 THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑