THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: music review (Page 257 of 479)

G-Force – s/t

July 13, 2022 /

Now, Gary Moore has covered just about every style of music as a guitar player, starting and ending his career with the blues he loved the most. This album was recorded in 1980, and was Gary’s attempt at the flash hot shot guitar hard rock albums that America was starting to pump out after the huge success of Van Halen. In fact, the band supported Van Halen on some shows.

The songs are sort of secondary on this album as it’s all about Gary and the incredible guitar that he plays. White Knuckles is Gary’s answer to VH’s Eruption; a short intense blast of guitar savagery which rolls into Rockin N’ Rollin. One of Gary’s best tracks (and my favourite) is Because Of Your Love; a superb melodic rock monster with a great hook and harmonies, and Gary gives it everything. A song that bubbles under the radar on this album is She’s Got You, where Gary’s playing is just insane. Of course this project didn’t last long and Gary went to being a solo artist with the release of Corridors Of Power, but this is a great album that passes most people by.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

SIMO – Let Love Show The Way

July 12, 2022 /

As far as I’m aware SIMO, the band, no longer exists and it’s now just JD SIMO going out as a solo act. This is the band’s second full album release from 2016, and it is one hot deep blues/funk groove monster.

Opening with a cover of Elmore James’ Strangers Blues is an inspired choice as it adds some serious swing to an old blues standard. Two Twin Woman sees SIMO really letting the slide drive the tune over a somewhat dirty funk blues. Cant Say Her Name is some real deep down south heavy blues with killer guitar from JD. I Lied has a killer riff and this track really grooves. Please is pure old school R’n’B, done southern style. Great song! Side 1 closes out with Long May You Sail and is a heavy psych blues, which the second album heavily draws on.

Side 2 starts up in Allman’s style with some solo slide at the intro to I’ll Always Be Around, after all this album was recorded at Allman’s HQ: The Big House in Macon Georgia. Becky’s Last Occupation is my favourite track on the album as it mixes Zeppelin style heavy riffs with that deep southern groove. I’d Rather Die In Vain is the heaviest track on the album with vocal and guitar mimicking each other. JD just rips it up on this piece. The album closes out with Today I’m Here, and we slow things right down with a nice acoustic country blues instrumental. If you like your blues southern fried and heavy this is for you.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

BURNING RAIN – Face The Music

July 12, 2022 /

The band originally put out their first two albums in Japan in ’99 and 2000. Until Frontiers came along and do what they do well, by resurrecting bands of the melodic rock genre and getting them to record new albums. This is somewhat forced, as  a lot of these bands would never get back together under their own steam. I thought the first two albums were awesome, so I was really pleased that Doug and Keith started recording again.

This is the band’s fourth album released on Frontiers, in 2019. Superb opening track with Doug giving it plenty on the guitar, and a nice uptempo beat. Lorelei is a slower track with a distorted riff and has a killer solo. Nasty Hustle is as the title suggests: a very sleazy LA style rocker. An absolute monster of a riff opens up Midnight Train, and this track just swings. Shelter starts with an acoustic blues vibe until the power gets turned on. Face The Music has another big evil riff with that hint of sleaze. Beautiful Road sounds like Guns N’ Roses until Keith’s voice kicks in. Hit And Run is pure distorted blues, then the switch is flicked and dirty sleazy rifforama takes over. If It’s Love is a blues ballad with a monster solo from Doug. Some mean slide playing at the intro to Hideaway. Save the best till last as they say, and Since I’m Loving You does that. Wild guitar intro leads into a great swinging riff and groove. This album is definitely more sleazy and blues than previous efforts, but I like it.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

TRIUMPH – Allied Forces

July 11, 2022 /

It was 1980 and with the release of album number five, Triumph were cruising.

This was the second album of a run of four that gave the band great success, especially in North America. Some of the band’s best tunes are on this record: Magic Power, Allied Forces, Fight The Good Fight, and Ordinary Man all became killer live songs. Recorded at Metal Works studios (which was set up by drummer Gil Moore I think), this is my favourite Triumph album and Ordinary Man is my favourite track. The band were really good at doing these big build up tracks that started slow, adding power and dynamics as the track progressed, and Ordinary Man was the best.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

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