THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: music review (Page 251 of 493)

ROBIN TROWER – Twice Removed From Yesterday

September 19, 2022 /

This is Robin’s first album, released in ’73 after leaving Procul Harem to go solo. These early Trower albums are pure gold. Great heavy sound and tone to his playing but with real soul and feel, and Jimmy Dewar’s vocals just can’t be beaten. Quite unfairly tagged with being a Hendrix copyist, if the hacks who wrote those comments had paid a little attention to the music that was being played they would have heard that was not the case. Sure, Hendrix was an influence as he was to many, but that was it.

Right from the opening notes of I Can’t Wait Much Longer you know that you are hearing a genius play. Superb groovy tune with a killer vibe. Daydream is my favourite track and is a real slow tune, but the hairs still come up on my arm when hearing this after all these years. Just superb playing! Hannah follows and is another slow paced track, at least at the start, then a killer funky vibe takes over. The guitar sounds so heavy and yet very melodic. Side 1 closes out with the soul/funk of Man Of The World; a short groovy piece.

I Can’t Stand It opens up Side 2 and I love the riff, and Jimmy is singing with a spoken style. You can tell Robin is still finding his feet as a solo artist as he holds back on the solos on this album. The good old standard Rock Me Baby is next up and this version has a dirty swing to the groove with plenty of guitar. The title track is up next and this is the one track I don’t quite connect with. Sinners Song follows and the initial picked riff is quite simple. The groove is quite funky and I really love the middle section. The album closes out with Ballerina and it’s just Robin and Jimmy with the most beautiful delicate piece.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

ROYAL HUNT – Paper Blood

September 17, 2022 /

This is Royal Hunt’s ninth studio album, released back in 2005. They have released seventeen studio albums overall: six live albums and various compilations and singles, but yet they remain virtually unknown out of mainland Europe. North America doesn’t seem to care and that to me is insanity. I would think their brand of prog/power metal would be lapped up, especially with the success of Trans Siberian Orchestra. The band was formed in ’89 by keyboardist and main man Andre Anderson, but is was three years later in ’92 that they released their debut album Land Of Broken Hearts.

Break Your Chains kicks things off with the sound of an orchestra tuning up before the epic keyboard intro bursts into a monster of an opening with pounding drums, searing vocals, and harmonies with maximum riffage on guitar. Phew!!! Not My Kind follows with a nod to Yes with the initial harmonies, then the heavy riff takes over with some epic soloing. Memory is instrumental number one with keyboards taking the main focus. Loving the Hammond at the intro to Never Give Up then the double kicks take over. Superb vocals and harmonies! A very different groove to Seven Days. Slowing the pace down somewhat, a very welcome change in pace. SK 983 is instrumental number two, and the pedal is fast down for this one. Kiss Of Faith is a hands-in-the-air anthemic beast. Paper Blood is next, and it has THAT riff. At least it’s in what context they use it that matters, and the main hook and melody are really cool. Seasons Change is the big power ballad on the album and the solo from Marcus Jidell is huge. Saving the best till last with close out track Twice Around The World. Huge fat riff, big keys, lots highs and lows, awesome solo, and incredible vocals. Superb ending to a great record. Half a point lost for that riff though.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

ALICE COOPER – Schools Out

September 17, 2022 /

It’s hard to describe what an impact the single Schools Out had on a young boy who was just about to turn thirteen. “Schools Out Forever,” “Schools Been Blown To Pieces”. To me, who hated school at the time, this was music to my ears. Yes please, I’ll have some of that! That simple riff with Cooper’s sinister imagery – I was all in.

Unfortunately, the rest of the album does not have the impact of that track. The only other song other that grabs me is Gutter Cat Vs The Jets, with its obvious reference to a certain film. There is still a lot of the LA scene art rock vibes about on the rest of the album that I am not a fan of. Check out Blue Turk, they so are desperately trying to be The Doors. To me Billion Dollar Babies is a far superior record but that one track did all the business and put Alice Cooper firmly on the rock map.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

STEVE VAI – Inviolate

September 16, 2022 /

This is the first Steve Vai album I have heard in a while. I sort of just put him to one side as I thought he was getting a bit out there. I first heard of Steve when he was in Zappa’s band, then when he joined Dave Lee Roth’s band that’s when he really exploded and everyone paid attention. This is Steve’s tenth studio album out of 38, which doesn’t seem a lot but he has done a ton of collaborations. If you’re expecting a full shred fest metal monster then look elsewhere. This is not that type of album, although there are a couple of tunes that groove hard. This is a fantastic record full of great vibes and grooves with Steve really showing how deep his sonic pallet is.

Teeth Of The Hydra is a huge opening number with a very atmospheric vibe, and at times a feeling of fusion with so much killer playing. Zeus In Chains has a more familiar groove with some superb quirky moments and you definitely know it’s Steve as no one plays like that. Little Pretty has a killer funky groove. Man this is such a good track! Candlepower is the one track that I would say is out there!!! Incredible playing!!! Apollo In Color is just nuts as it doesn’t have a recognizable groove for you to grab on to, it changes constantly. Avalancha is my favourite track on the album. The riff is deep and mean with a killer beat and groove, and it’s so many notes from Steve. Greenish Blues gives away the vibe of this track but it’s done in a way that only Steve could do. Knappsack starts with a real burst of energy with drum beats flailing but settles back to some outrageous guitar. The album closes out with Sandman Cloud Mist and it’s just all guitar. I mean what a player!!!

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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