THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: music review (Page 119 of 484)

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.

QUEENSRYCHE – Rage For Order

November 16, 2023 /

This is the follow up to the very metal album: The Warning. It was the birth of what would later be coined progressive metal. A lot of reviews were less than favourable. Some said that the band had sold out, and even called them a glam metal band. Whoever wrote that review had never listened to the album and chose to review the record by just looking at the band’s pictures on the cover. Which admittedly, were a tad glam but that was record company stupidity.

I’m not a lover of Operation Mindcrime. This is a better album, as the songs gel a lot more and it feels  as though I’m listening to a BAND. If you want to know where Dream Theater took a lot of influence from check out The Whisper and tell me how many DT songs that reminds you of.

The best tune on the record is Screaming In Digital. The band are pushing boundaries on this tune and it is as far removed from The Warning as you can get. Tate’s voice is incredible and I love the arrangement. The only gripe is that the production is so quiet and you have to really crank it to hear it fully.

An album that gave birth to a genre.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

AC/DC – Highway To Hell

November 16, 2023 /

This is my second favourite AC/DC album, right behind Powerage. This is the first album recorded with Mutt Lange, who laid down the blueprint for what came next. Everything about this album is top drawer, from the songs, the performance, and the production…everything! This was the band’s seventh album and they had been knocking on the door for a few albums before it, but this was the one that smashed everything wide open.

Angus and Malcolm were on fire at this point. They made killer riff, after killer riff and every song you just wanted to bang your head to. I remember when Shot Down In Flames came out as a single and they were everywhere on TV, you felt like that they had finally broke through. These were great times indeed, and when the news came through of Bon’s death it was devastating.

There are so many good songs to choose as a favourite, but the record company definitely got it right with Shot Down In Flames as the single. That is everything the band were great at: killer riff, awesome groove, and a superb hook and chorus. That’s what great producers do, highlight what defines a band.

Superb record!

10/10 from The Grooveman.

Sensational Alex Harvey Band – The Penthouse Tapes

November 14, 2023 /

I’ll admit that SAHB were a big schoolboy crush band for me, and I still revisit them often. This album wasn’t loved by the press when it came out as they were accused of taking the easy option as most of tunes are covers.  All of the songs however, were played live at some point over the years and the band did add their originals. There was a few problems withe Alex’s health around this time, so this was more of a take the pressure off record.

Of the three original tracks, my favourite is Jungle Jenny which is prime SAHB with Alex giving us his best story teller lyrics. Of the covers and my favourite of the whole album is a ripping version of Love Story by Jethro Tull. Now, if you’re going to do a cover you have to blow the doors off, and indeed that is what the Harvey’s do here. Giving it the right amount of beef to add to the dramatics and Zal just rips it on the guitar. There are some other seemingly strange choices on the album, like Del Shannon’s Runaway which was a single, and a killer version of Crazy Horses by the Osmonds.

The Sensational Alex Harvey Band are one of the best live acts of their time and are greatly missed.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

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