THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: album review (Page 106 of 472)

AEROSMITH – Rock In A Hard Place

November 19, 2023 /

The Aerosmith that no one talks about. The only Aero album not to have Joe Perry playing, also Brad Whitford left during this recording as well. So, a new guitar partnership was given a baptism of fire on this album.

This is not as bad as everyone makes out to be. In fact, it sounds about as Aerosmith as you could get. There are some killer tunes on this Aero disc. Opener Jailbait is a superb tune and is my favourite on the record. This has all the swagger and groove you would expect from the band, and Jimmy Crespo shows he’s no slouch either. Bolivian Ragamuffin has a killer sleazy groove with guitar to match. Tyler is just spitting out the lyrics in time to the beat, which sounds like a rap. The title track is the other song that really does it for me. Another monster sleazy riff and groove, and Tyler is so in his element here.

There is lots to enjoy here, don’t be put off by the naysayers.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

T.REX – Electric Warrior

November 19, 2023 /

Let’s go back to the beginning of the 70’s. Glam was starting to take a hold of the musical landscape and Marc Bolan and T. Rex were at the forefront of that. The first thing I purchased was the Ride A White Swan single, as that’s all my pocket money could afford at the time. It was two and half minutes of pure joy that just waved its way into my brain. Bolan was a genius at writing a hit single, but he seems to struggle with the album format as there was always some filler on all of his albums.

This is the only thing I now own of Marc’s recordings, which I find strange knowing how much I loved his music, but that’s life I guess. The biggest song on here and maybe of his entire career is Bang A Gong ( Get It On). Yet another perfect piece of musical history that you still hear everywhere today. That guitar still draws you in after all this time. Jeepster is the other big song from this record. It’s just a simple rock n’ roll riff hidden away with percussion and a great lyric.

Happy days, and if it was eleven year-old me reviewing this then I would probably give it 100/10, but cynical aged old me can only give it a…

7/10 from the Grooveman.

HOUSE OF LORDS – Indestructible

November 16, 2023 /

This is album number seven for House of Lords, since their comeback in 2004. It goes like most of their modern releases: huge, fat, crunchy guitar, lots of keys, and plenty of melody in the choruses. Jimi Bell is the secret weapon here as he can throw out some serious heavy riffs seemingly at will, with the added bonus of being a top drawer shredder.

Killer opening with Go To Hell. It’s got maximum riffage and groove, with a kickass hook and chorus. The title track is up next and this may be my favourite. A nice chugga riff with a great swing to the groove, and I really love the hook and chorus. Third track in and it’s power ballad number one with Pillar Of Salt. The solo is killer though. Maximum riffing and groove returns at 100mph and it’s not a cover of the Vardis tune. I love this one! Call My Bluff closes out Side 1 and it’s an AOR fans wet dream. Lots of keys, and plenty of melody.

We Will Always Be One opens up Side 2 with a whimper as it’s ballad time again. Superb eerie intro to Die To Tell, which gives way to a huge rifforama with a superb melody over the top. Great tune! Another Dream follows and if this was 1984 I would release this as a single. Everything about this song oozes class. Eye Of The Storm is up next and this is the song that I like the least. It feels like a demo compared to the rest. Ain’t Suicidal verges on Prog metal territory in the verse with a great four to the floor groove. The album closes out with Stand And Deliver, and we are going out with a bang. It has a great uptempo driving riff and groove.

Another solid release that they seem to do with ease.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

LIONHEART – Hot Tonight

November 16, 2023 /

These guys, (according to the press) were supposed to be somewhat of a NWOBHM supergroup. This is because Dennis Stratton, after his departure from Maiden and Jess Cox, after his removal from the Tygers Of Pan Tang came together to form the band. They put the band together around ’81, but it was not until ’84 that this album (their debut album) final surfaced. By this time Cox had gone and was replaced by Chad Brown. Stratton was still there on guitar, Steve Mann was guitar and keys, Rocky Newton on bass, and for this album only Bob Jenkins on the pots and pans.

By now the sound was more akin to aor/melodic rock. A top notch producer in Kevin Beamish was brought in and outside writers were used to try and find the elusive hit single. Die For Love was the track that maybe should have cracked the charts, but I’m not sure if it was released as a single. The emphasis on the whole album is on the big hook and chorus, with a melody you can sing to. My two favourite tunes are Hot Tonight and Dangerous Game. Both have the twin guitars in the mix and you can’t fail to sing along to either.

The band should have been aimed more at the American market, because melody was king at this point. A definite forgotten gem.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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