THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Category: Vinyl Reviews (Page 392 of 492)

ALANIS MORISSETTE – Jagged Little Pill

August 26, 2021 /

A somewhat freak move by the randomizer today, sees the second review by an Ottawa native. For some reason, everyone seems to think that this is Alanis’s first album, but in reality it is her third – the first two being dance pop records. The departure in sound and style is incredible because this album is a nailed on bomb classic and has sold 33 million copies.

Produced by Glen Ballard, and she is joined by a who’s who of the alternative scene at the time, namely Flea, Dave Navarro, Matt Lang, and Benmont Tench, make this album a sonic masterpiece. But the undoubted star of the show is Alanis herself. Very personal first person lyrics, and the vocal delivery is just incredible. You Oughta Know is one of the best songs of the era, and her vocal delivery is so emotive and heartfelt that I never tire of hearing it. She also has the most beautifully soft voice in quieter numbers like Perfect, and Mary Jane, when the emotion and feel is still present in a more laid back manner. I guess it’s the sign of a successful album when every song feels like a personal friend. You feel like you know them that well without playing them yourself as you hear them wherever you go. This is a definite “every home should have one”.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

EXCITER – Heavy Metal Maniacs

August 25, 2021 /

Formed in’ 78, and hailing from my adopted home town of Ottawa, this is the band’s first full length album on Shrapnel. They also appeared on compilation US Metal Vol2. They were quite an influential band as they are considered to be one of the first speed metal bands. All the clichés are here that you would associate with metal bands of this period, but I think it’s part of the fun. You can hear that they desperately wanted to be a part of the embryonic thrash scene at the time. They are loads better than some of the second wave of NWOBHM bands that were so bad. These guys deserved their shot.

So the tracks that I think are a cut above are Mistress Of Evil, Under Attack, and Cry Of The Banshee. As with most bands that didn’t quite make the big time, they have had their share of line up changes and drama. They no longer have any original members, as John Ricci quit in 2018. If you are a collector of early thrash albums, then this should be in your collection.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

VAN HALEN – 1984

August 25, 2021 /

So here it is campers, review number 400 is on us and doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun?! I guess you know where this is going before we start, as I have mentioned previously that the first 6 VH albums are all “knock it out of the park 10/10” records – and this one could be the king of them all.

Starting off with the very un-Van Halen keyboard intro of 1984, the album then kicks into the band’s biggest and most well known song, Jump. Just over four minutes of pop perfection. Then BOOM…straight in the brilliance of Panama. A riff to kill for superb chorus and hook, and who says Dave can’t sing?! To show that VH always take chances, Top Jimmy is next up and there is a hint of Jazz in the mix, as well as a short sharp burst of a killer solo. Side 1 closes out with one of VH’s best deep cuts with Drop Dead Legs. A superb riff and a dirty sleazy vocal from Dave – plus great melodies and bv’s from Eddie and Mike, and we get a great ending which I think is superb.

Over to what could be the best Side 2 of any VH record, and Hot For Teacher assaults your aural openings with Alex pounding the hell out of his kit, leading into a fast shuffle with one hell of guitar intro. The riff alone is to die for and the video was hilarious. Dear Van Hagar fans, name me one song that comes close? I thought not! As close as VH get to ballad city is next with I’ll Wait. A mainly synth driven song, and is followed by a killer one two ending of Girl Gone Bad, and House Of Pain. These two tracks are old (or parts of them are old), and they go way back to the backyard party days. The intro to Girls Gone Bad is epic, and the build up to the main song is awesome – the solo should melt your face off. Who would have thought that House Of Pain would have been Dave’s last contribution to the band for some time – well at least he went out with a bang. What a killer way to end a record. Everything about this song is amazing – and I mean everything!

So that’s it – the last great VH album. No Hagar-era album comes close, and we won’t mention VH3 as it’s a bit weird. There are moments on a Different Kind Of Truth that are great, but essentially 1984 was the peak.

I’m sure it’s no surprise that it’s another 10,000/10 from The Grooveman.

KISS – Animalize

August 24, 2021 /

I’ll admit to not being the biggest Kiss fan in the world. I always thought the make up and fireworks just took away from the fact that they wrote very average songs, and it was the image that drove them along. I was told that Creatures Of The Night was to be the first album without make up, but with the title and the image, it was to be put back for one album. The arrival of Vinnie Vincent sure gave them a kick up the ass, but when his weirdness was even too much for Gene and Paul, in came Mark St. John for the recording of this album.

This, and Lick It Up, are my favourite Kiss albums. I think they have the best songs and the best playing. It’s no coincidence that the band brought in outside writers at this point, as they knew they needed that extra shove without the costumes. The big single from the album is Heavens On Fire, and Gene is still as classy as ever with his contribution of Burn Bitch Burn with the immortal line of “Ooh baby I want to put my log in your fireplace”.

Musically, it’s a cut above usual Kiss fodder, and Under The Gun is my go to track. Just to emphasize that it’s all about the cash with these guys, I don’t think they have recorded any new material since 2012 and they are still doing the forever farewell tour.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

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