THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: music review (Page 174 of 479)

LONERIDER – Sundown

April 11, 2023 /

This is Lonerider’s second album, a part time project or full time band? Again it features the vocal talents of FM main man Steve Overland, Free Drummer Simon Kirke, Chris Childs of Thunder, and Steve Morris of Heartland.

This is a very slick sounding, well produced album that carries on where the first album left off. Fantasyland kicks the album off with a great riff, and Steve’s smooth vocals are the highlight, with a seriously catchy chorus. Cross The Border follows and it has a hint of Free, with a very huge southern rock groove going down as well. Undefeatable has that big classic rock feel complete with the big chorus and hook. It’s ballad time next with Harder Love and… well, it’s a ballad. When You Got Nothing feels a bit Bad Co-ish with that dirty riff and chorus. Any Way The Wind Blows closes out Side 1 and it’s a slow country style ballad.

Side 2 starts with Yesterdays News, my favourite track. A very classic British sounding, mid-seventies, rock track with a nice riff and melody. Badlands follows and those southern vibes are really strong here. Great riff and the harmonies are superb. Wild River rides on in, and Nashville is screaming at me with the slide and that country feel. Criminal Minds has a riff that is just different enough to stop Bon Jovi plagiarism shouts going out. Love To Love has that swing and groove that screams Bad Co. Great tune! We close out the record with Long Time Gone, a smooth slick slow tempo brooding piece.

Other than the European AOR anoraks, I’m not sure who this will appeal to as albums don’t get made like this anymore. A very slick, classic sounding album.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

SUGAR RAY – Lemonade and Brownies

April 10, 2023 /

Sugar Ray are a band that crosses genres, they started out as a funk rock band in the mid 80’s. This album is by far their best album, as they went super smooth and slick after this. Rock, punk, funk, and Rap; their sound is a mix of all those rolled into one.

This album is highly entertaining and has a great groove and sound with the guitars high in the mix. After the short intro the record explodes with Rhyme Stealer, a killer rock/ rap crossover with a fat riff and killer groove. Iron Mic carries on with that vibe, with an homage to Mr. Tyson – a seriously groovy track that explodes to mass riffage at the end. Favourite track is Mean Machine. It has a huge, fat, riff and a punky attitude – this track just blasts. There are some killer hip hop grooves and beats all over this album coupled with max riffage, even on throw away tracks like Drive By.

Easily their best album and a great, fun record.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

MAINEEAXE – Going For Gold

April 8, 2023 /

Hailing from York in England, this is MainEEAxe’s second album and for anyone with a good memory they used to be called Trans Am. MainEEaxe are one of those bands that should have done a lot more, as this album kicks ass.

The music is driven hard by the twin guitars of Zeff Stewart and Grant Kirkhope, obviously taking on board the success of US bands like Van Halen. Rock Is The Word gets things under way in fine style with a riff heavy rocker and a superb guitar sound very high in the mix. The Score gets guitar heavy right from the get go and it is my favourite track. Going For Gold is more melodic rock, but again that killer guitar sound hits hard. Big double kicks pound hard before the VH style guitar intro blows in for the arrival of Infatuation. Great tune! Side 1 comes to a close with Ride The Storm, a big fat chord riffing melodic rocker.

Those high gain guitars rip into Side 2 with stomp rocker Get Up Get Down; a great fist pumping tune. Alone Again is next and it’s power ballad time, but at least the guitars are still set to crunch, especially on the solo. Normal service is resumed with Gimme Your Love, an uptempo NWOBHM sounding groover. The album close out with The Best Is Yet To Come, a big Kiss style anthem.

They didn’t do a whole bunch after this and disappeared. Shame, as this a great record.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

THE FOUR HORSEMEN – Nobody Said It Was Easy

April 7, 2023 /

Other than the original EP, which is included as a bonus within this release, Nobody Said It Was Easy is the only album the original band put out. With deaths due to drugs, being sent to jail, and car accidents The Four Horsemen were haunted by tragedy. If you like your your Rock n’ Roll whisky soaked and striped bare then these guys will just hit the sweet spot.

The first two tracks were singles. The first was the title track which gained some great reviews, but the follow up and my favourite track Rockin’ Is Ma Business is the one that got them a lot of attention. A superb four to the floor groovin’ dirty rock n’ roller to get the feet stompin’. I can best describe the band’s sound as something like this: if Rose Tattoo, Status Quo, and AC/DC had a child and it was born down in the backwoods of Tennessee drinking a bottle of JD listening to the Rolling Stones, you might get the picture.

Can’t Stop Rockin’ is a simple alcohol soaked boogie, it’s just a fun song to listen to. Let It Rock is the same groove and chords as Ain’t No Fun by AC/ DC but with added bite. Lookin’ For Trouble is the type of high octane rock n’ roll that you wish DC would still do, but they haven’t done for years. 

Rick Rubin has that knack of getting these type of records to sound so freakin’ awesome it’s as though they are playing in your own home, superb and crystal clear. We need bands like this to come along once in a while when music gets a little top much in love with itself and overblown, just to remind everyone that simple stripped back rock n’ roll is all you need.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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