THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Category: Vinyl Reviews (Page 416 of 492)

MORE – Warhead

June 19, 2021 /

Another one of the many casualties of the NWOBHM period of band’s who had a shot, but ultimately came up short. Probably more famous for having an ex-Iron Maiden vocalist in the band in Paul Mario Day, and Laurie Mansworth who went on to form Airrace, and I think he had something to do with the Cartoon in Croyden as well.

When you don’t have the songs there is not a lot you can do. I mean they are alright, but nothing jumps out and grabs you. Opener, Road Rocket, is ok but that riff was used by the Egyptians its that old. A cover of Arthur Brown’s Fire is next and it’s ok, but nothing amazing. Soldier is a half decent tune with a nice instrumental section. Side closer, Depression, is not a bad attempt at doing something a little more commercial, but the production is so flat it does nothing for the song – it almost feels like a demo.

Side 2 opens with the title track, Warhead, and again, it’s basic riff-erama that needs a boost to lift it. Mario Day’s vocals are the best thing about the song. Way Of The World at best is pub rock, and if it wasn’t for the guitars of Mansworth and Kenny Cox, this whole album would be a bust. We Are The Band has a variation on “the riff” and is ok. Album closer, I Have No Answers, starts with one of the worst guitar pieces you will ever hear, until the song starts at a gallop and could be a Hawkwind cast off.

What should have happened here is that the record company should have stumped for a half decent producer to work with the band on the songs. This album just sounds like a collection of demos that shouldn’t have been let out of the bedroom. Only for NWOBHM completists.

4/10 from The Grooveman.

ED WYNNE – Shimmer Into Nature

June 18, 2021 /

This album is freaking amazing!!! Ed Wynne is a co-founder of UK space hippies Ozric Tentacles, and Ed has played guitar and keys on every release by the band. It was a surprise in 2019 that Ed announced he was working on a solo record. Although this does feel like an Ozric’s album, there are a lot more guitar sections and a lot of programmed trippy trance like grooves, which Ed was responsible for bringing into the Ozrics.

There are only five tracks in total, the shortest being 7.44. Opening track, Glass Staircase, is a cracking opening tune an absolute instrumental delight. It has a very fusion vibe but with trance beats and grooves. There is so much going on under the surface of the main groove, that it takes repeated listens to pick up on all the intricacies. Travel Dust is a lot more chill and laid back and features lots of programming ambient sounds – at times it dives into a reggae dub groove. Oddiplonk is the last track on Side 1 and is a total spaced out piece with layered guitar soaked in all sorts of effects wizardry over the top of trance like rhythms.

Shim kicks off Side 2 with a trance club groove and Ed’s echo shimmering guitar licks that lead into some superb guitar playing. Ed is seriously underrated and I’m glad to say he is working on a second solo album as I write this. Wherble closes out the album and is a combination of all the sounds and grooves so far in one 10 minute epic. Ed has all of the tools and is a killer player. He respects the music totally and does not shred for shreds sake, he just plays what is needed. A must have in my opinion.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

AEROSMITH – Live Bootleg

June 18, 2021 /

When checking the exact release date of this release, I was amazed to discover how many kick ass live albums were put out in this year. As well as this there was Ted Nugent – Double Live Gonzo, Thin Lizzy – Live And Dangerous, AC/DC – If You Want Blood, and Scorpions – Tokyo Tapes – to name a few! Unlike all of those records that have either been enhanced afterwards with lots of overdubs in the studio, or completely laid down in a studio, this album (as the title suggests) is completely Live and is a total mess. Not in a bad way, you have to understand it’s just the way Aerosmith were in the seventies.

Every song seems to have been recorded at a different show, either a huge enormo-dome show or small little club shows or theaters, and it seems to have been sequenced in a random order. The band’s performances range from the amazing, to completely sloppy – and I love this album for that alone. The band’s love for chemical enhancements is well documented, and there are songs like Last Child where Tyler sounds as though he is completely off his face. Then there are killer moments like Lord Of The Flies which is superb ,and Come Together which is one of the best versions I have heard of this song.

Up until Permanent Vacation, the band was on its knees, and with the help of outside writers they made it to mega status. But there is something about the band at this time that I love – they were just a killer rock n roll band. They have written some classic tunes before Love In An Elevator that people forget. Dream On, Sweet Emotion, Toys In The Attic, and Walk This Way are all hall of fame contenders – but that was a different band.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

GARY MOORE – Back On The Streets

June 17, 2021 /

Don’t you just hate it when labels do theses reissues and change the original cover?! I guess they think they can improve on the original, but I wish they would leave them alone.

Just before Moore rejoined Thin Lizzy to record the Black Rose album, this album was recorded, and he roped in Phil Lynott to play bass and to do some vocals. He also called in two of his Colosseum 2 band mates on keys and bass in Don Airey and John Mole, plus Simon Phillips and Brian Downey on drums.

The album explodes into life with the title track which rocks hard, and Gary just rips it up on the guitar. Song For Donna is a great laid back tune with some really nice playing from Gary. What Would You Rather Bee Or A Wasp is next and is a continuation of what he was playing in Colosseum, a great jazz/rock workout with some serious playing. Fanatical Fascists is Gary’s entry into the punk rock arena but done with a hard rock edge. Spanish Guitar closes out Side 1 and is one of three tracks where Phil Lynott gets a song writing credit. Even though Spanish is in the title, it has a very Irish feel and has Moore showing what a great melodic player he is – it’s not all out about scales and runs.

Don’t Believe A Word opens up Side 2, and I know nearly everyone is familiar with this tune, as its a Thin Lizzy classic, but this version is done in a slow blues style and works really well. Again, Gary adds that beautiful melodic solo to proceedings and there’s a killer shuffle at the end. Flight Of The Snow Moose is the second piece that revisits Gary’s short stay in fusion world. I often wonder why he didn’t go back and do another fusion album as he was so good at playing in that style. Next up is Hurricane, and this track just exists so Gary can rip all over it, and that’s exactly what he does. This is what he was so good at, and it kills!!! The song that he was most famous for as a solo artist, Parisienne Walkways, closes out the record. Such a beautiful piece played with so much feeling, and his voice and Phil’s compliment it so well. I have seen him play this so many times and he gave it his all every time I saw him. It’s unreal to think he is no longer with us. RIP Gary you are greatly missed.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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