THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: music review (Page 165 of 479)

KILL FOR THRILLS – Dynamite From Nightmareland

May 15, 2023 /

I guess you can call this a mini LA sleaze supergroup. Gilby Clarke on vocals and guitar, Todd Muscat on Bass (Brent’s brother), and Jason Nesmith lead guitar, (Monkees Mike Nesmith’s son). I think not long after this Gilby was picked for the GnR gig. So, this is their only release, up until now any way.

It sounds exactly like what you’d expect. That big sleaze simple rock n’ roll vibe with a huge hint of the Stones thrown in. In fact, in the opener Motorcycle Cowboy someone is channeling their inner Keef, as that rhythm guitar is so close. Brothers Eyes is also stealing from The Cult this time, as that strummed guitar and groove is really cool. My favourite track is Rockets. The production is really huge on this tune courtesy of Vic Maile. A very commercial sounding song that should have been released as a single, with a great hook and chorus. Honourable mention to My Addiction which mixes the sleaze and punk perfectly.

Not a bad album at all as I haven’t heard this for a few years.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

WILD HORSES – s/t

May 13, 2023 /

A band seemingly doomed from the off with the habits of its two main protagonists, and also band members leaving at an alarming rate. It’s tough getting a sound when things are that fluid.

This album was recorded before NWOBHM hit properly and you wonder if the sound and vibe would have changed somewhat with that influencer all around. There are some very obvious Thin Lizzy influences all over, most notably on Face Down where that twin guitar sound is so Lizzy, Blackmail which Robbo sings the lead, and Dealer which was co-written with Scott Gorham and is my favourite track. Robbo was such a great player back then, it’s a joy to listen to how good he was.

Ultimately though, the material doesn’t quite reach the heights everyone was expecting for Bain and Robbo. There was one more album, and then farewell.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

LITTLE ANGELS – Don’t Pray For Me

May 13, 2023 /

For a while Little Angels were the bright new hopes of the UK rock scene, but as with all decent rock bands around this time they were a victim of Seattle and the anti melody brigade. Fronted by the vocal talents of one Toby Jepson, who I think is now in a band called Wayward Sons, and on the drums is Michael Lee who would go on to drum with Robert Plant and who sadly is no longer with us.

This is the band’s first album, it was released upon the world in ’89 and is their finest work. I managed to see them only once and that was when they were supporting Van Halen. Ironically, if this album came out now it would fit in really well with what is relevant in the rock scene right now.

We start with a bang with the kick ass groove of Do You Wanna Riot. A great opening tune with a killer riff and beat. Kick Hard follows and there is a distinct retro vibe to this one. Favourite track time next with Big Bad World. The intro is very Hot For Teacher by VH with some great guitar. The tempo drives along hard and if this doesn’t get you moving, then nothing will. Huge Born In The USA vibes from next track Kicking Up Daisy, a track that feels as though it was written in home town USA instead of Scarborough UK. Those Brucie vibes continue into Side 1 closer and title track Don’t Pray For Me.

Broken Wings Of Angel opens up Side 2 and its power ballad time with the big album showstopper. The switch is flicked and the rock returns with Bitter & Twisted, a track that is straight out of NWOBHM ten years earlier. Great tune! Promises follows and it is straight out of Zeppelin 4. When I Get Out Of Here is a Really cool track with an early seventies, up tempo, glam vibe. The album closes out with No Solution, another track with a distinctive American feel.

Could things have been different if they appeared say five years earlier? I guess I say that about a lot of bands, but these guys had that little bit of something special.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

WHITECHAPEL – Kin

May 11, 2023 /

Sometimes record companies do pay attention and get the packaging just right. This album is a case in point as the vinyl matches perfectly with the album art and looks stellar.

This is album number eight for Whitechapel and was released in 2021. Now I don’t delve too far in the growl and grunt vocals as it usually drives me nuts, but occasionally a band do it well and mix it with the cleans.

First track I Will Find You is a monster tune and it’s deep in Prog metal territory. The musicality is superb and the switch from dark to clean vocals fits really well. Lost Boy is so fast initially it’s hard to keep pace with the changes, then everything stops and changes pace with the clean vocals kicking in. They do it so well! A Bloodsoaked Symphony starts with a slow evil dirge and the riff is played so low the guitarist must be in Australia. Side 1 closes out with Anticure, a strangely beautiful song with what sounds like fuzzed up acoustic guitars and a clean vocal for the most part.

Over to Side 2 with The Ones That Made Us and again, a riff so low and heavy we are in wooly strings territory. The main verse has a groove that you can actually move to. Alex Rudinger is a monster on the drums, some of kicks are insanely fast. History Silent is another tune that starts with a delicate sounding vocal, and I love the ying and yang between the two. To The Wolves is so fast and intense at the intro it’s hard to keep up with the groove, and this is where death metal loses me I’m afraid. The song is super cool when it slows down and the middle section is killer. Orphan is the last track on Side 2. A slower paced groove with a clean vocal and the vibe feels somewhat dark.

Over to Side 3 and the final side as 4 is the dreaded etched side. After a delicate acoustic intro the heavy slams in like blunt force trauma to Without You, Without Us. The song ebbs and flows between light and dark throughout. The title track Kin closes out the album and for the most part it’s just acoustic keys and vocals, and then the middle eight is killer. This is about as traditional a rock song as these guys do, it’s superb and it’s my favourite tune.

I really like this album a lot and I’m sure a lot of you would to.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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