THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: album review (Page 76 of 470)

INTERVALS – In Time

March 7, 2024 /

This is one of the early EP releases from Intervals in 2012. It’s just 5 tracks of djenty Prog metal grooves from the brain of Aaron Marshall. The band’s sound has moved on massively since this release and a lot of that really low end grunt has gone. So, if you are a lover of supreme low end grooves then this release should be high on your list.

Of the five songs here I really do like them all but my favourite of the bunch is the final track Epiphany. It’s more laid back than the others (at the start anyway) but the grooves are so cool and the lead playing is just beautiful.

I love most things that Aaron Marshall puts out and this another gem.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

PRINCESS PANG – S/T

March 7, 2024 /

You don’t even have to see the cover to know what this band are all about, the name alone tells you everything you need. Yet, another one and they’re done band. They just released this one album back in ’89 and then folded. It was surprisingly released on Metal Blade, which was a slight departure for them.

Fronted but female vocalist Jenni Foster (it was very unusual to see a glam sleaze band with a female vocalist), this album is a lot better than some of the other cheesy sleaze bands of the period. There are maybe three of tracks that stand out above the rest. These are Sympathy, which closes out Side 1. It is a kick ass tune and has that dirty rock n’ roll groove that I really love, complete with a tasty solo. Also the side 2 opener Scream And Shout, with it’s cool NWOBHM vibe mixed in with the glam. And lastly, my favourite tune on the record, China Doll. This is a sure fire crowd pleaser with a four to floor groove that you will be singing along to.

A fun listen that other glam bands cannot reach.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

ROUGHHOUSE – S/T

March 7, 2024 /

Does anyone remember a band called Teeze?

They released one album and then they were gone. Well, not quite. They had an image and a name change and then reappeared as Roughhouse. Under the new name, they had a more glam look that maybe would appeal to what was happening over in the west coast. That would’ve all been great but then you open the album with an aor/melodic rock song, which was sort of what the band were doing previously as Teeze, it just seems a little odd. Now, I’m not ripping into the song. It is a banger for an aor band, but I’m just querying the name and image change here.

In fact, the whole album is a harder edged aor monster. If you look at the bands they went out on the road with: Kix, Cinderella, and White Lion, the record company were pushing them down the wrong path. Maybe they should have gone out with Foreigner or Toto who are a much better fit.

Anyway, I’m drifting away here. My favourite track is Don’t Go Away, which is definitely a lost AOR classic with killer vocal and harmonies. Occasionally the band rock it up with tracks like Love Or Lust and Teeze Me Pleeze Me, when the glam makes an appearance.

I like this album for what it is, not what it’s supposed to be.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

JARED JAMES NICHOLS – S/T

March 4, 2024 /

There are tons of clips of Jared ripping up a storm with that guitar all over the internet. His problem however is how do you translate that on a record as there are a billion other blues rockin’ wannabe’s laying down the same schtick!?

It’s not just the guitar that’s his secret weapon, he has that rich, bourbon, dipped in honey type of voice that not many people possess. When that all comes together like on the track Easy Come Easy Go you feel as though he has cracked the formula and could give Bonamassa a run for his money. His playing is blistering on this song.

He has that commercial touch to his writing as well with the song Down The Drain, where the vocal and guitar create an earworm that you will be humming for days. It’s the guitar that pulled me into Jared’s records though and there are a whole bunch of wild riffs and leads all over this album. Hard Wired, the spacey Shadow Dancer (which is my favourite), and the Hendrix-inspired Hallelujah will keep the most ardent guitar aficionados drooling.

I’m not sure if he’s trying to go for a lo-fi production or if that’s just the way it turned out. Sometimes it sounds as though the drums were recorded in the next building.

I like Jared a lot and he’s on my list of people I would love to catch live. I would like him to work with a great producer to push him to where he belongs.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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