THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Category: Vinyl Reviews (Page 419 of 492)

GIANT – Last Of The Runaways

June 12, 2021 /

Yet another melodic rock band that appeared at the end of the ’80s. Giant was the brainchild of the Huff brothers, Dan and David, who were previously in the Christian rock band, White Heart. The band split up in the early ’90s, and Dan Huff made a name for himself in the country music scene – both as a hot shot producer and writer.

Dan definitely pulls the strings in the band. As well as being the lead vocalist, he is an amazing guitar player, and the intro to the first track, I’m A Believer, shows this perfectly. A great virtuoso piece and a superb melodic rock track. This sets the tone for the whole record, great songs with superb melodies that are well written and played. They had a hit single with the ballad I’ll See You In My Dreams, but it’s not the best track by far. I Can’t Get Close Enough is a great tune with a slow rock groove and killer riff – plus a superb solo and is definitely a contender. No Way Out is a cool track with a nice funk rock groove, big chorus and a very tasty solo. They do try to change things up from the standard hair rock anthems and ballads. Stranger To Me starts with a cool bass line and slow rock shuffle, and is great song that stands out from the others. Last track, The Big Pitch, has a bit of a Van Halen vibe – especially the riff – and closes the album out in style.

A very slick well produced record that does exactly what it sets out to do.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

MESHUGGAH – Obzen

June 11, 2021 /

This album is heavy, intense, and beyond epic. When the term djent was just a twinkle in the loins of Periphery’s Misha Mansoor, these guys were ploughing a loan furrow of technical experimentation, taking metal to a whole new universe. The unreal rhythms created by drummer Tomas Haake are insane. Ably abetted by Frederick Thordendal on guitar, Marten Hagstrom on guitar, and Dick Lovgren on bass. You can throw traditional rhythmic counting out of the window, as these guys are on a different planet. Math metal was invented for these guys.

Combustion is an immense chunk of heaviness and groove to warp your brain around. Just when you have managed that, Electric Red changes it completely as the grooves are insane, heavy, and in a superb odd time. Bleed starts with a mental staccato guitar burst – the only way I could do that would be with a stick or something. There seems to be three grooves going at the same time. Killer stuff! How Jens Kidman keeps the intensity going with the vocal is beyond me, and Live he is super intimidating – a huge presence on stage.

Lethargica opens Side 2 with an insane up down riff in superb d-tuned insanity. Obzen, the title track, follows and has to be the lowest sounding riff I have ever heard. The guitar strings must be as loose as wool! This Spiteful Snake is quite a simple riff when you break it down, but what surrounds it gets heavier and more complex as the song evolves. I love this tune. Pineal Gland Optics is nuts!!! You have to hear this rhythm and groove to believe it – it’s as though the drums are the lead instrument.

We flip over to Side 4 and start with the penultimate track, Pravus. It’s as heavy as hell, and the grooves and rhythms are even more crazy than before. Dancers To A Discordant System is the last track, and if possible, is even more brutally heavy and twisted. There are no other bands like Meshuggah, they are a one off. If you are remotely interested in this type of heaviness, then this is a good place to start.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

DEEP PURPLE – Made In Japan

June 11, 2021 /

One of (if not) the best live rock albums ever recorded over three nights back in 1972. Everything is not only louder than everything else, but it is extended and expanded more than everything else. Arguably the best line up of Purple, although I do like the Burn line up, these guys invented the hard rock format that still holds true today.

What an opening track! Highway Star is everyone at the top of their game and they all get their moment in the spotlight – we are only at the beginning! Jon Lord is immense on the ivory’s, Blackmore is playing like a demon, Gillan’s vocals are epic, and the rhythm section of Glover and Paice is on fire. Child In Time is all Gillan with those unreal screams at the beginning and towards the end, then it’s Blackmore – for who the term “guitar god” was invented. Every one forgets just how influential he was, and you should all be made to listen this record to listen to how he became so revered. Super long solos were invented by this man! Smoke On The Water is about as well known a song in rock circles as it gets. Everyone has heard this. I don’t think I need to expand on that too much, other than this version is about the best you will hear. The live sound gives it way more balls than the studio version.

The Mule is up next and was the big number for Ian Paice. Everyone seems to forget Paice when it comes to legendary drummers, but for me, he is up there with Bonham as a legend – in fact, he has more chops as he learned to play in jazz and dance bands. This has to be one of the longest drum solos on record. Strange Kind Of Woman, other than Hush, was the first big single for the beefed up Purple and is quite a commercial sounding tune. A simple riff and a catchy chorus is all you need folks, and this version sounds huge. Lazy is next, and even though the song starts with Lord ringing out some other worldly sounds from the Hammond and riffing out the jazzy intro, this song for me is all about The Man In Black who shows how versatile he is. It’s big finish time and it doesn’t get much bigger than Space Truckin’. It’s everything you have already heard and then multiplied by 10.

This album is fifty years old next year – just let that sink in for a second! If you don’t already own this, then I suggest you change that mistake at your earliest convenience.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

FIFTH ANGEL – Time Will Tell

June 10, 2021 /

Just to prove that Seattle was not all about grunge, Fifth Angel released their first album in ’86, and this, their second album, came out in ’89 just as the groundswell of grunge was blooming. Original axe slinger, James Byrd, had left by this point to go solo, and just after this album was released the label pulled the plug. It’s hard to understand how some labels make their decisions. Melodic hard rock is the order of the day, the band wrote some killer tunes, and Byrd’s replacement, Kendall Bechtel, was a great player.

Opening two tracks, Cathedral, and Midnight Love, are really great tracks with killer vocals and melodies, superb riffs, and some great playing. Seven Hours has an interesting opening before settling down into a generic hair rock anthem. Broken Dreams is power ballad number 1. The title track follows and is very Dokken in its execution. The last track on this side is a cover of Lights Out by UFO, and while its an ok attempt, the original is such a strong song that unless you are going to do something different, it’s best left alone.

Side 2 kicks off with Wait For Me and it’s back to the big rock and big production. Angel Of Mercy is up next and starts with a huge riff, but it’s a near exact copy to the previous track. We Rule is the heaviest track on the album so far, and is the highlight for me. So Long is ballad number two, and Feel The Heat closes out the record with a big chorus, melody, and harmonies a go-go.

Unfortunately there were a ton of bands doing this type of rock at the time, and unless your are top of the heap, you will get passed over.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

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