THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: babylon a.d.

BABYLON A.D – American Blitzkrieg

July 18, 2023 /

This is album number three for these Southern California rockers, released nearly ten years after their previous effort. The musical landscape had changed somewhat in the years in between, and this album has a lot more of a raw, sleazier sound reflecting the time.

The title track comes bounding in with a great groove and riff, and the inclusion of the verse by War is genius. Magic Mary is textbook LA sleaze. A great riff and groove and that Doors influence in the middle eight is cool. I Wanna Live follows and has a dirty groove and riff with a slight funk undertone. Sinking In The Sand closes out Side 1 and is my favourite track on the album. Superb riff with a great four to floor groove, and that hook and chorus are huge.

The Sky’s Falling kicks off Side 2 and it’s power ballad time. Emphasis on the power, and I love the guitar sound. The Unreal is the band fitting in to the sounds around them. A modern sounding raw groove and a cool simple chugga riff. Normal service is resumed with One Way Ride, a return to that dirty sleazy sound that they do so well. The Glyde is up next and it’s more of the same. A simple sleazy dirty riff and I love the hook and chorus. The album closes out with Superstar, a track that reminds me of Aerosmith at their most dirty.

Not a bad comeback album at all.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

BABYLON A.D. – s/t

July 14, 2022 /

You don’t usually associate mega record label boss, Clive Davis with bands like Babylon A.D. as he usually is in the company of all the pop diva’s, but he signed these guys after seeing them do a showcase. I remember Kerrang magazine drooling all over the band as well, saying they were the next big thing.

This is a good album, which came out in ’89. The band did quite well from touring the album but when it came to doing a follow up, the great grunge unpleasantness had arrived and BOOM.

This is a good old Californian hair rock in the finest of traditions, and again if this had come out three years earlier thing’s would have been a whole lot different. I know I say that a lot, but it’s true.

Bang Go The Bells is a kick ass opening tune with a great riff and hook. Hammer Swings Down is more of the same, and this track really swings with some great guitar. Desperate has that Joan Jett stomp groove, with a big sing-a-long hook and chorus. The Kid Goes Wild closes out Side 1 with police sirens wailing before the main riff kicks in with a very sleazy groove.

Side 2 starts with Shot O’ Love and it starts real slow before a very dirty slow pounding groove takes over. Maryanne follows with a very simple riff, groove, and a pounding beat. Back In Babylon is my favourite on the album, it has a slow build in the beginning before the main riff kicks in with a great hook and chorus. Sweet Temptation is a fairly typical sleazy groover, and Sally Danced closes out the album with an acoustic blues shuffle until they plug in to bring it on home. If I’m honest, it’s a fairly generic album of the genre but it’s done well.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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