THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

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MR BIG – Lean Into It Live. The Big Finish

July 9, 2024 /

So this was recorded as part of Mr. Big’s current farewell tour at the mighty Budokan in Japan and was released as part of this year’s RSD. The band have always been big in Japan, even when the rest of the world gave up on melodic rock.

Lean Into It is my favourite of their studio albums and you get it all in chronological order with this live version. Eric Martin’s voice isn’t as good as it was and it sounds as though he is struggling a bit here, though he gives it everything. Musically the band are on the money, and Paul Gilbert’s sounds as good as ever, as does Billy Sheehan. Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy is my favourite track here. It’s one of the best things the band did and stills sound good here. I’m a massive PG fan and his playing is so good throughout the whole album. 

It’s a shame that they are calling it quits as a band but it’s best to go out when they are still cooking.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

ACE FREHLEY – 10,000 Volts

July 8, 2024 /

This is probably one of Ace’s best solo efforts, mainly due to the inclusion of Trixter pair PJ Farley and Steve Brown in the writing and production of the album. In fact, there were a raft of rumours doing the internet rounds saying that Steve Brown not only played rhythm guitar on the album but they were his solos. Well, if you listen and know anything about Ace and his style then you will know he plays just about all the solos on the album. I would say Steve Brown had a bigger hand in the writing of the songs than the solos played.

Ace always had the knack of writing really good catchy pop rock tunes and this album’s contenders are Constantly Cute, Cherry Medicine, and Back Into My Arms Again. My attention however is drawn to the two stand out tunes on the album: the title track (my favourite track on the album) which is just superb with a killer riff and a chorus that you will be singing all day long, and the anthemic Cosmic Heart which is just such a great song with that great hands in the air chest beating chorus.

Kiss haven’t put out a new album for over twelve years, they have instead gone out on the endless farewell tour coining in the cash. At least Ace is still putting out new music which is what a true musician would do. Here’s to the next one!

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

PAGANINI – It’s A Long Way To The Top

July 8, 2024 /

Released back in ’87, this was the Swiss band’s second album put out by Vertigo. Unfortunately, the two main protagonists in the band, Mark Paganini and Ralph Murthy are sadly no longer with us, both taken way too early.

This album is an enjoyable hard rockin’ romp through nine tracks ranging from the awesome to the not so. Tracks that really float my boat are the opener It’s A Long Way To The Top. What a killer way to open the record, a nice riff heavy rocker with a great hook and chorus, it’s my favourite on the album. Also One Of A Kind is a four to the floor anthem style rocker, and Hold Back is a straight up no frills rocker with a great call and repeat chorus. The song that I really don’t like is Salt Water Kisses, which sounds like a different band and should have been omitted.

Not a bad album and if you see it cheap enough then it’s definitely worth a punt.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

THUNDER – The Thrill Of It All

July 2, 2024 /

Album number four for Britain’s favourite melodic rockers, and it’s more of the same R’n’B tinged hard rock that they do so well. But, as with all their records, there are always a couple of tracks that don’t quite cut it. If you took all the best bits from all of their albums, then you would have one hell of a record.

There is no doubt that Danny is one of the best vocalists out there and I’m sure he could sing the phone book and it would sound epic. Tracks like Don’t Wait Up, which normally would just be okay, are lifted by the wonderful tone and feel to his voice. However, Pilot Of My Dreams and Something About You are really great songs that don’t come around too often.

Cosmetic Punk is just superb, it’s my favourite on the record. It’s a killer old school R’n’B riff sped up with an awesome groove that is so infectious and guaranteed to get you up and groovin’. The last side is given over to four rousin live renditions of tracks from the record.

I’m not sure if we will get any more Thunder records and tours as Danny is not too well since he has had a stroke. I wish him well.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

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