THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: album review (Page 43 of 474)

A2Z – The Witch Of Berkeley Live

September 2, 2024 /

For a brief, brief moment in time the spotlight shone on A2Z as they were right in the middle of the NWOBHM explosion. Putting out a live album as your introduction to the world of metal seemed a strange thing to do, but it worked for fellow NWOBHMers, Vardis, so why not.

Looking back after all these years, it’s a very raw recording and maybe they needed a decent producer to work with them on the songs before they put this out. We can even play a fun quiz where you put on the first track, No Fun After Midnight and tell me where that main riff was stolen from. There are a couple of very easy ones to choose from.

It’s definitely of its time and parts of the record sound like they were recorded in ’70 never mind ’80, but it does have an endearing “we gave it a go” attitude to it. The track that stands out to me is Walking The Distance, where they are trying to stretch themselves using early Rush as an influence.

Not a must have, but if you’re a NWOBHM collector then you should have this.

6.5/10 from The Grooveman.

SWEDISH EROTICA – Too Daze Gone

August 24, 2024 /

This is a reissue done independently by Swedish Erotica of their third album that originally came out in 2005. Great pressing too, it sounds nice and crisp. There was quite a buzz after the release of their first album that came out in ’89, but the label didn’t seem that interested in them. I think all the songs on this release were meant for the second album, but they ended up on here.

If you like your rock a little on the sleazy side then this one’s for you. Mats Levin has the perfect voice for these type of songs. He has a whole bunch of power with a slight rasp and when they take it down a notch he has a perfect clean tone for the more AOR tunes like Fire With Fire. It’s the uptempo groovers that get my attention however like Show A Little Lace, Down 2 Bizniz, and my favourite Too Daze Gone. A hint of Dave era VH pizazz, with a cool riff and groove, and a hook and a chorus that just sticks in the brain. There is a hint of Aerosmith swagger in a lot of what they do and Blue Movies highlights that perfectly.

They played at this year’s Sweden Rock festival so maybe we might get some new tunes. Here’s hoping.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

TALL STORIES – S/T

August 24, 2024 /

This is another one of those early nineties albums that disappeared not long after release. You used to pick them up for next to nothing in bargain bins everywhere but now it they go for over $300 a pop.

Steve Agueri is probably more famous for being Steve Perry’s stand in for Journey until he blew his voice. If you like really classy, well produced melodic rock albums then this has your name on it. Not a bad moment on the album. Wild On The Run, Chain Of Love, Sister Of Mercy, Somewhere She Waits, and World Inside You are all superb tunes, but my favourite is Crawling Back. I love the dynamics on this one with a slightly different groove and vibe.

Great band who briefly reunited and released an album Skyscraper in 2009. Definitely buy this one if you see a copy.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

TNT – Realized Fantasies

August 24, 2024 /

This is somewhat a forgotten album in TNT’s catalogue. It came out three years after Intuition, which they had great success with in the US. However, in those three years between ’89-92 the great grunge unpleasantness had exploded and taken over the rock scene, making classy rock bands like TNT surplus to requirements.

I’m a huge fan of Ronnie Le Tekro on the guitar and Tony Harnell possesses one of the best voices in rock, so these guys tick all the boxes for me when they all click together. I actually prefer this record to Intuition as they reeled in the more AOR elements and added more crunch to the melody.

Downhill Racer opens up the album and it’s a an absolute belter of a tune. Killer riff and groove, and Harnell gives it the beans. Hard To Say Goodbye follows and again, the quality is high. Melodic rock heaven for sure. Mother Warned Me is a straight up and down four to the floor groover with a hook and chorus that sticks in your brain. Lionheart is a trip to ballad town and you may know if you have read a few of these reviews that the ballad is not my favourite type of tune, although the solo in this is quite cool. Rain closes out Side 1 and this song could have been on Intuition as the vibe and sound are so similar.

My favourite tune on the album is Purple Mountains Majesty. Harnell sings this one on full power. Mix that with a great riff, ripping guitar, and driving groove; it’s a total beast of a song. Rock ‘N Roll Away is what I call a typical TNT song. It has all their signature elements: Ronni’s trademark tone and riffing, and Harnell doing only what he can do. Easy Street is the band taking a left turn slightly to doing an almost vaudeville song. All You Need sees the band going full groove with the funky riff and beat. We close out the album with Indian Summer, a killer uptempo groover.

This has just been reissued by Music On Vinyl and sounds great, so if you see one around, pick one up.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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