THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Category: Vinyl Reviews (Page 458 of 492)

UFO – Phenomenon

March 12, 2021 /

Formed back in ’68, but it wasn’t until the release of this album in ’74, and the introduction of Michael Schenker on guitar, that the band started to find their sound. You will still hear that typical early seventies rock sound on some of the songs here for sure, but there are two all time UFO classic songs to be found here. To most fans (me included), the golden period for the band was from this album until the departure of Schenker, after the release of one of the all time great live albums, Strangers In The Night. On a side note, Schenker was only 18 when he left the Scorpions to join UFO. Other than Schenker’s guitar, it was the vocals of Phil Mogg that made the band unique. If there ever was a category that was a typical English Rock Band, then number 1 top of the list would be UFO.

Anyway, into the album we go. We have two very standard rock songs to start us off with Too Young To know and Crystal Light, each brought to life by Schenker’s guitar and Mogg’s vocals. Third track in is Doctor Doctor, which when the live album was released, would be put out as a single by the record company and would break the Top 20. A very simple rocker, but very effective and would become an anthem for the band. Fun fact, Iron Maiden plays this track over the PA just before they take the stage at every show. A very hippy-ish number, Space Child, follows with an acoustic riff, again a great vocal and guitar makes this the stand out track on Side 1 for me. Classic track number two, Rock Bottom, closes out Side 1 and another very simple but effective track.

Side 2 begins with Oh My, the only full band collaboration on the album, and it’s probably the weakest track on the album despite a cool solo from Schenker. Time On My Hands follows, a nice song that shows the softer side of the band. Built For Comfort, a cover of the Willie Dixon song, is next and shows the early roots of the band. A short Schenker penned instrumental, Lipstick Traces, is next before the album closer Queen Of The Deep – a song that they would close the set with around this time.

The albums that followed this would see them develop the sound into a full hard rock band and gain them success and make them a top drawer live band.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

RIOT – Narita

March 11, 2021 /

Riot were often cited as the unluckiest band in world, due to all the misfortune that came their way. Original vocalist, Guy Speranza, left the band after the Fire Down Under record to work as an exterminator, and he died from cancer in 2003. Fun fact, Scott Ian from Anthrax asked him to be the singer in the band before Joey Belladonna. His replacement, Rhett Forester, was shot in a gangland execution. Band leader and founder, Mark Reale, also died of cancer.

The band could not get a record deal no matter how hard they tried. They had to finance this album and the first album (Rock City) themselves as no record company wanted to sign them. This album was picked up in Japan and was released there before anywhere else, mainly due to the title of the album being that of the Tokyo airport. It was released in ’79, three years after their first album, and is a good representation of where they were at at the time. They were heavier on the next record, which opened a lot of doors for them. Even then they managed to screw things up for themselves, and they were strictly second division after.

It’s quite a good hard rockin’ release, and there aren’t really any bad tracks on the album, but there are a couple of stand out tracks for sure. The cover of Born To Be Wild is probably the best version of this classic – it’s been given a nice and heavy transformation. The title track, Narita, is a bit of a speed metal classic and was one of the first tracks to be talked about in those terms. The last track, Road Racin’, would be come a classic live track for the band.

This was the album that saw Riot change from hard rockers to metallers. They took full advantage of the NWOBHM scene in the UK. They toured a lot and the fans loved them in the UK.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

ALEX HARVEY THE NEW BAND – The Mafia Stole My Guitar

March 11, 2021 /

This is the complicated album. Alex walked out of SAHB after the recording of the amazing Rock Drill album . He was unable to tour due to health problems at the time, and he was totally disgruntled with poor management and the fact that the band owed the label a ton of cash after having a semi-successful career with sold out tours. It started to all to go South for Alex after the death of his friend and long time manager, Bill Fehilly, a few years earlier. Alex surprised everyone by returning to the scene with this album and The New Band, proclaiming that the guitar player was the new best thing. Not sure he did a lot after this to be honest. The only leftover from the recording of the last SAHB album was keyboard player Tommy Eyre.

A bit of a left turn for the opening track, Don’s Delight, as it’s an instrumental and features horn player, Don Weller, who wrote the track. Back to more usual Harvey fare with Back In The Depot, again it features horns as the main instrument. Wait For Me Mama is more of a traditional Scottish arrangement, which Harvey had visited throughout his career. The last song on this Side is the title track, and is the first time you get to hear what Matthew Cang can do on the guitar (after all the boasting). Not a bad riff and is reminiscent of times past.

Over to the flip we go and a cover of Johnny Kidd and the Pirates’, Shaking All Over. Alex, once again, showing his love for all things rock and roll. Well, he did win a competition back in the fifties and was heralded as the Scottish Tommy Steele. It’s actually a really good cover, and adds a lot to the original with some tasty guitar from Mr. Cang. Next up is The Whalers, where Alex gets to show us what a great storyteller he is, and is the big production of the album with a great middle section. Oh Spartacus follows and wins the most unusual track on the album award. The album closes with a cover of Just A Gigolo/Ain’t Got Nobody, and is a very lounge lizard version of this classic.

Not loved by SAHB fans, as the classic band were not involved. I think that was the point, and it was to be a new beginning for Alex. Unfortunately, a couple of years later he died of heart failure in Belgium whilst waiting for the ferry back to the UK. I was a big fan of SAHB when I was a lot younger. I even had the band name painted on my school bag, as you did in the bad old days. I do like this album.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT – Tales Of Mystery And Imagination

March 10, 2021 /

This was the debut release by the band, and in true Prog fashion, is a grandiose concept album based around the scribbling of gothic horror author, Edgar Allen Poe. Before this, Parsons was more widely known as an engineer/producer working on the likes of Dark Side Of The Moon. Basically the band is Parsons himself, his songwriting partner Eric Woolfson, and a bunch of guests. The two most notable names as guest vocalists are John Miles and Arthur Brown.

The album is basically a rock opera and is laid out as such. The standout track being the 15.13 minute long The Fall Of The House Of Usher, which takes up most of Side 2. A very ambitious project for your first release and it works really well. The album is very well written, and as you would expect, the production is top drawer.

If you like your Prog delivered in a big operatic way then this could be for you. 7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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