THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: music review (Page 255 of 479)

CROBOT – Feel This

July 18, 2022 /

This is the Grooveman’s 900th Review!!!

Well, it does say on the hype sticker “Dirty Groove Rock”, and you can’t really argue with that. They seem to get better with every release, and this is one hell of a record. Groove has been missing from rock albums of late, and it’s great to see young bands bringing it back.

Electrified gets things under way and boom what a great track, plenty of groove and riffage, with a killer vocal. Dizzy which is my favourite track on the album, it’s a real heavy groover with a monster riff and hook, and chorus to die for. Set You Free starts real slow before the main groove kicks in; a great use of dynamics and power, and the middle eight is awesome. Better Times follows, and this baby really swings with massive riffage and a wicked groove. Golden slows things down somewhat initially, and then we groove again. It has a killer hook and chorus, and Brandon Yeagley sings his ass off. Without Wings closes out Side 1, and starts out slowly but grows into the heaviest sounding track yet, with a beast of a riff.

Living On The Streets really rocks Side 2 into life with a ripping hard rock monster of a tune. Into The Fire is up next, and the retro vibes are strongest on this one, mainly with the riff. Dance With The Dead is the most commercial sounding track so far with a hook and chorus that will stick in your brain. Holy Ghost has an evil riff that will have you bouncing off the walls. Never Break Me has a riff that is the bastard son of My Sharon’s. The album closes out with the epic Staring Straight Into The Sun. And again, a superb use of dynamics with the most beautiful turning; the dirty evil beast that they are. Killer record and they should be the next big break through band.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

GIANT – Shifting Time

July 16, 2022 /

Is this really a Giant album, or an Alessandro Del Vecchio solo album? Del Vecchio has a hand in all but one of the tracks. For those who don’t know who he is, he is Frontiers’ in house guy who they try to shoe in on everything. The only connection with the original band is drummer David Huff, and bassist Mike Brignardello who have zero hand in writing any of the material. So are Frontiers just using a well known name in Giant? Anyway, let’s listen to the tunes.

Let Our Love Win is a pretty good hard rockin’ opener, with a nice vocal from Kent Hill and John Roth on guitar riffing it up. Never Die Young is a really good song, and props to Kent Hill for another superb vocal. Don’t Say A Word is AOR by numbers, not a bad song just very generic. My Breath Away opens with a really nice riff and melody before ballad city takes over. Highway Of Love has a really great opening, and the hook and melody are really good. It’s Not Over is another ballad and it’s heavy on the syrup. The Price Of Love is ballad heavy at the intro, and the power switch is found at some point to add a bit of oomph. Standing Tall adds some much needed balls to proceedings, with a nice riff and funky groove. Anna Lee is the only non-Vecchio track, and it’s yet another ballad. Don’t Wanna Lose You is another ballad; heavy track with a slight interjection of riffage. I Walk Alone close out the album with yes, you guessed it, another power ballad. So it’s a well played album, sounds great, with too much reliance on ballads for me but, the overriding question is, is it a Giant album?

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

TNT – Tell No Tales

July 16, 2022 /

There were three years between the release of the amazing Knights Of The New Thunder and Tell No Tales and in the 80’s, unless you were Def Leppard, that was suicide. Those three years enabled the band to take stock and change their sound slightly to a more melodic rock sound, which suited Tony Harnell’s more.

The riffs are still there though, as opener Everyone’s A Star is carried by an epic riff and groove, with Harnell adding that killer voice. 10,000 Lovers is next up and was released as a single. This song is all about the melody and harmonies but Ronnie Le Tekro still has time to put in a ripping solo. As Far As The Eye Can See carries on with the quality; another epic hook and chorus, and those trouser tightening high notes. Ronnie is such an original player, his tone and feel is incredible. Sapphire is an instrumental piece which starts with a very classical keyboard before some serious over the top fast guitar licks ensue. It’s hands and lighters in the air time with the ballad Child’s Play next. Side 1 closes out with another instrumental piece in Smooth Syncopation, and it’s Ronnie noodling on an acoustic.

Listen To Your Heart kicks things off in Side 2, and it sounds like a beefed up Styx song, especially in the hook and chorus. Desperate Night is straight up riff heavy 4-4 rocker. Northern Lights is another ballad highlighting Harnel’s voice, and is lifted somewhat by a great solo. Another weird instrumental piece in Incipits follows before the album close out with my favorite and title track, Tell No Tales. This is a throwback to the Knights album as this is full of fast speedy metallic goodness. A ripping riff and solo from Ronnie and what a killer vocal from Tony. A monster of an album.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

DREAM THEATER – Octavarium

July 15, 2022 /

A very pivotal album for Dream Theater as a lot changed after this album, culminating in the departure of Mike Portnoy a couple of albums later. This was the last album on their major deal before they relocated to Roadrunner, and the sound beefed as well.

This album and Falling Into Infinity are my two favourite DT albums. I got to witness the band on this tour at Hammersmith Odeon for two nights. On the first, this album was played in its entirety, and on the second night they played Dark Side Of The Moon in full. Not much will ever beat those two shows and I think they plateaued after this.

This is such an incredible album, both in the writing and execution, it doesn’t get better than this in DT world. Take my word for it, this album should live in your home and you should play it often. Every track is epic. From the heavy riff and groove of The Root Of All Evil, to the delicate and beautiful The Answer Lies Within. My favourite track on this album, and possibly my fav DT track of all time, is the 24 minutes of utter Prog metal brilliance on the title track, Octavarium. Words cannot express how I’m affected by this track. From emotional feelings of euphoria and joy, to melancholic sadness at its ending. The band suffered with the departure of MP, as he was a huge part of the creative process, but life goes on as they say.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

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