THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Category: Vinyl Reviews (Page 484 of 492)

JOHNNY WINTER – Roots

January 11, 2021 /

This is Winter’s last album that was released while he was still alive. The album after this, Step Back, was released after his death. What they both have in common is they are both all full of new renditions of blues standards and produced by his guitarist Paul Nelson.

Each track has a special guest, either guitar players, harp players or keyboard players, to give each track and the whole album a boost. Although by no means a Winter classic, each song is done with respect to the originals. We don’t stray too far from the path here.

The two stand out tracks for me are Bright Lights Big City, which features Susan Tedeschi on vocals and guitar, and Dust My Broom which showcases the amazing talents of Derek Trucks.

Nothing too outstanding here, and unless you are a Winter fan then there would be no reason to add this or your collection.

5/10 from The Grooveman.

CROBOT – Welcome to Fat City

January 11, 2021 /

This is the second album from Pennsylvania retro groove rockers, Crobot. Basically carrying on from where they left off after the debut album except this is possibly even dirtier and groovier. A perfect example is the title track which opens the album with Crobots’ typical groovy swagger. Easy Money has a cool riff and killer breakdown. Brandon Yeagley’s powerful vocal and Chris Bishops funky heavy guitar style are the standouts here.

At times the band exude an almost stoner vibe, as in the track Not For Sale with a killer vocal from Yeagley and a serious fat guitar sound. Hold on for Your Life is next and is the best track on the album – again with killer vocal and stoner grooves with a trippy vibe.

Side 2 kicks off with the bass heavy groove of Temple In The Sky, and then into Right Between The Eyes with its Sabbath sounding grooves. The next three tracks: Blood On The Snow, Steal The Show and Moment of Truth are basically more of the same groove. Then we get to the monster of an album closer, Plague Of The Mammoths., which has all of the album’s highlights and sounds condensed into one song.

Whereas bands like Greta Van Fleet are purely mimicking Led Zeppelin, Crobot are creating their own sound. Sure they are taking lots of elements from bands of the past, but that’s cool as every band is guilty of that, but it’s how those influences are used.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

DREAM THEATER – Black Clouds & Silver Linings

January 9, 2021 /

So here we have Dream Theater’s 10th studio album, and unbeknownst to everyone at the time, this would be Mike Portnoy’s last with the band. The band that he started at college, the band his father named, the band he near enough single handedly controlled he would no longer be part of. In my opinion DT have definitely missed his presence in the band as none of the albums they have released after have been up to their high standards.

So we kick things off with the absolutely epic (which DT song isn’t epic😜?) A Nightmare to Remember. Up there with the very bast DT songs. Great riffs, massive hooks, unreal solo sections and a fantastic melody – plus some unreal drumming from MP. Let me get my breath!!!!!

Next up the more straight (for DT) ahead Rites of Passage, quite Metallica-ish in places. Then we have another absolute monster, the final part of the 12 steps suite, The Shattered Fortress, which has documented MP’s battle with alcoholism. So that’s the 1st record done and only 3 songs in.

Record 2 starts with the obligatory ballad Wither and then into The Best Of Times, which MP had written about his father who was battling cancer at the time and ultimately would be taken by the disease. Final track, The Count Of Tuscany, takes up the whole of Side 4, and again in true DT style, is an absolute monster of a tune.

Hindsight being a wonderful thing, I can see why MP wanted the band to take a break after the touring cycle of this album as there was obviously a lot of personal turmoil in his life at the time. I’m sure you all know what Dream Theater are all about by now, and if you don’t own this album, the last great DT album, then you probably should.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

BRUCE DICKINSON – Skunkworks

January 9, 2021 /

Looking back, it was a really brave decision leaving Iron Maiden to go solo when he did. Grunge was in full flow and Metal was not flavour of the month.

Trivia time folks!!! Bruce was actually going to have this as the debut album by the band Skunkworks, but the label refused to release it under anything else other than his own name.

Skunkworks actually reflects the time it was recorded very well as it is very alternative sounding in a rocky way if that makes sense. This version is a 2017 remaster on double 180g vinyl and it sounds great, clear, and loud. The band that played on this release are mainly unknowns apart from ex Gun guitarist Alex Dickson.

Things start off nicely with the Space Race and into the single Back From the Edge, which sees Dickinson showing great variation in his vocal. Faith is a more straight ahead rocker. Solar Confinement is a really cool song with a cool chorus guitar, and then into the Nirvana-esque Dreamstate which is a very weak song. Then I Will Not Accept The Truth, also Nirvana-ish but with more balls. Inside The Machine which starts Side 3, is also giving a nod in Seattle’s direction but with more melody. Next track is Headswitch which is one of album’s best tracks with more than a hint of Soundgarden about it. Meltdown follows and then into Side 4 with slow paced Octavia. Then we have the rockier Innerspace, and finally Strange Death in Paradise which builds quite well and is a strong album closer.

Unfortunately Bruce has such a strong presence as a metal vocalist it’s very difficult for that voice to be used in anything else without sounding out of place. Not a bad album but…6/10 from The Grooveman.

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