THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Page 38 of 459

ICON – Right Between The Eyes

July 14, 2024 /

Icon are another band that should have been a whole lot bigger than they were. After their second album (Night Of The Crime) the band were dropped by Capitol. Their third album came out only on cassette as an independent release and they were thinking of calling it a day. Lady Luck came into play and they were picked up by Megaforce/Atlantic for this album, their fourth release.

I was lucky enough to see them on this tour as they were supporting KingsX, but after the relatively poor sales for this album they called it a day. If you like your rock with a hard edge and big sing along vocals in the chorus, then maybe you should check these guys out. So many good songs it’s hard to see why they failed.

From the opening crunch of the title track, this is one belter of an album. Two For The Road, Taking My Breath Away, Bad Times, and Running Under Fire will have you up and rockin’ and singing like a demon. Only one ballad to take the vibe down a notch and a weird end instrumental piece, but I’ll forgive them that. My favourite track is Right Between The Eyes, a truly great song that any hard rockin’ band would have been proud of.

Sometimes the “biz” sucks and true talent gets tossed aside.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

KROKUS – Change Of Address

July 12, 2024 /

Labels put all sorts of pressures on bands in the mid eighties to add keys to their sound, to make them more radio friendly. I think that’s called the Def Leppard effect. Krokus had great success in cranking out the tunes with guitars a blazing (which they were great at), so why try and change them? The sales were not as good for this album and their subsequent releases, so I guess it was an experiment that failed.

It’s an okay album, it just doesn’t sound like Krokus. Take the final track Long Way From Home, and you’d swear that you were listening to Foreigner. The only song that really shakes my tree is Hot Shot City, as at least the guitars are loud.

Sometimes labels should leave bands alone.

6.5/10 from The Grooveman.

TED NUGENT – Little Miss Dangerous

July 12, 2024 /

If anyone remembers uncle Ted from the Double Live Gonzo days, you know how wild and hungry he was as a killer guitar player. Now, if you stepped off the planet for a few years and the first thing you heard was this and somebody told you it was Ted, then you would think “no way.”

This album is super polished and melodic rock radio-friendly, essentially everything that Ted wasn’t in the 70’s. It’s not until the third track in (which is the title track) that the old Ted makes an appearance. Even though the song reminds me of Billy Idol, at least the guitar is wailing and loud. Crazy Ladies is pure old school Nugent. Pounding double kicks all the way with Ted riffing up on the guitar good and loud, and lyrics that only Ted can get away with. It’s definitely my favourite track.

It’s a fun record that really comes to life when Ted gets to sing.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

ACCEPT – Russian Roulette

July 10, 2024 /

This album is Accept’s seventh release. It came out in ’86 and it was the last before Udo departed, only to come back again, and then leave again. I guess a lot of people look at this line up as the definitive Accept as this was the one that got them up the ladder. I do like a lot of the modern Accept records, as Wolf Hoffman sure knows how to write a good riff.

This album gets overlooked somewhat as Balls To The Wall and Metal Heart gets all the praise, but there are some great tracks hidden within the grooves. Opener T.V. War is good old speedy Accept with double kicks all the way and a trademark Wolf riff fest. Aiming High has another uptempo Wolf riff and groove with Udo wailing, as only he can. There are a few too many slower tunes on the record, and even a ballad which at the time, didn’t go down to well. My favourite track is definitely T.V. War because that is how I expect Accept to be.

Not as bad as everyone makes out.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

« Older posts Newer posts »

Archives

© 2025 THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑