THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Page 330 of 479

BETH HART – Screaming For My Supper

This is a vinyl reissue of Beth’s second album which was released back in’ 99. The single, LA Song ,would be a success for her as it reached the Billboard Top 10. For those that don’t know, she won the Star Search show on US tv and that’s how she got her big break.

In my opinion, she is one of the best vocalists around today as she pours so much feel and soul into everything she does. This is much more singer/songwriter style to what she is doing today which has more of a blues/roots vibe going down. As with a lot of her work, it’s semi autobiographical and if you read between the lines, a lot of her songs are very personal.

This album is a such a great record I cannot recommend it high enough. There are no loud guitars or pounding drums, just superb songs performed by one my generation’s great artists. I won’t point out a favourite as I love it all.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

KINGS OF THE SUN – s/t

Australia seems to have the rights to all barroom rock n roll bands. I mean, just look at some of them: The Angels, Rose Tattoo, and the kings of them all, AC/DC- only to name a few. It must be something in the air…or the beer.

Theses guys are slightly different, as they seem to have a really good sense of melody coupled with a very Mid-West vibe. Formed in ’86, they originally made 3 albums, this of which is the first. Two singles were released from the album: opening track, Serpentine, and the best track on the album, Black Leather, which has a great swing to the groove and riff. Superb song! This is pretty basic stuff, stripped down rock n roll with no hairs and graces. Hot To Trot is another song I really like as it has a certain swing to the groove, and the AC/DC groove of Wildcat is another good song.

If you like that basic stripped back sound, then give this a try.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

VICTORY – Don’t Get Mad Get Even

This is the band’s second album released back in ’87 consisting of ex Accept members. This album had Charlie Huhn (ex-Ted Nugent) who now sings with boogie merchants, Foghat. Surprisingly, the band are still going today, albeit with a different line up and released an album (Gods Of Tomorrow) last year.

The original mix of the opening track was considered not good enough and was remixed by Michael Wagener – his trademark elements are all there with the big fat guitars and pounding drums. A typical mid-eighties heavy rock sound coupled with some decent songs make this album a winner in my book.

Killer opening with The Checks’ In The Mail – a great driving riff and groove get things off to a flying start. Following track is Are You Ready, making it a great 1,2 opening. Arsonist Of The Heart slows things down in a very Scorpions style with a very heavy sounding guitar and a slow clockwork beat. Double kicks are pounding for the last track on Side 1, Hit and Run, plus there is a great sing-a-long chorus.

She’s Back starts off Side 2 and has more of an American feel to it than the very Euro sounding Side 1. Turn It Up starts with THAT riff you have heard a million times before and then leads into a stock stomp rocker. Seven Days Without You has a slight funky groove to change the pace a little. Sneaking Out has a very slow stomp beat that takes us into the final track, Running Wild, which, along with the opener, are my favourite tracks. A pretty solid hard rock album.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

GREEN LUNG – Black Harvest

One of the surprises of last year for me was the release of this monster record. As you do when surfing the net, you come across all sorts of wonderful things, and I was blown away when I heard this. This is actually their second album and it takes you back to the early seventies vibe, of which my formative musical years were. So it has a a big nostalgia vibe for me, but at the same time it sounds very now. There is a big Deep Purple/Sabbath feel to proceedings, which is great to hear a young band taking this sound and running with it. Most new bands that you hear, who are into the whole retro thing, use Zeppelin as reference point. I’ll admit to not being the biggest Zeppelin fan, but Purple and Sabbath I’m in all the way.

There is a very medieval/occult vibe to this record and it also feels like an original soundtrack, as though they envisaged a cinematic world to their creation. The opening intro to Old Gods even reminds me of Boston with it’s instrumental beginning. Leaders Of The Blind is just a superb song, epic in its delivery and creation, and it’s really hard to believe this is from the present and not the 70’s. The instrumental title track, Black Harvest, is just fantastic and is so majestic sounding as it builds and builds. The big monster track for me is the close out track, Born To A Dying World, which is very different to rest of the album as it has a slow blues/psych beginning that shows the talents of vocalist Tom Templar.

This is a killer record and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

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