THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: music review (Page 316 of 482)

TESLA – Shock

February 18, 2022 /

Although having been a band since ’81, it wasn’t until ’86 and the release of their first album, Mechanical Resonance, that the band’s career took off. Although having been a band for all that time, there have been periods of inactivity where they have gone their own separate ways to record solo projects. This is the band’s 11th studio album that came out in 2019, and was produced and co-written by Def Leppard’s Phil Collen. You can definitely tell his involvement on tracks like Taste Like as this could have been a Leppard song – although the main chord progression is a steal from Bad Company.

There is no denying that the band have a knack of writing great songs, and this album is full of catchy sing-a-long anthems. You Won’t Take Me Alive is a great opener as the groove and melody is killer. The title track is an awesome slow groove monster that builds into a huge chorus. Tied To The Tracks has a great riff and stomps along with a nice groove – this what the band are best at doing. I Want Everything has a big Cheap Trick vibe, and Comfort Zone (which closes the album) has that Leppard vibe again. My only problem here is there are a few too many syrupy songs that kill the vibe somewhat, but it’s a great record nonetheless.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

AMERICADE – American Metal

February 17, 2022 /

Yet another one of the “blink and their gone” band’s from the early eighties. They are probably best known for having Dave Spitz (the brother of Anthrax’s Dan Spitz) on bass, who would later go on to play for a version of Black Sabbath.

It’s not a bad album, it’s just that the production isn’t the best and they needed a producer who could help them arrange the songs they had. They come across as a more metal version of Grand Funk, and ironically, it’s a cover of We’re An American Band that is the best song on the album. If this was a demo, I would be impressed somewhat. PJ de Marigny does possess a great set of pipes, and his brother Gerard is a pretty decent guitar player, but the songs needed to be worked.

5.5/10 from The Grooveman.

OPETH – Still Life

February 17, 2022 /

This is the fourth studio album by Opeth, and features the line up that a lot of fans wish was still with us. The whole gothic horror vibe for this album is just awesome. The death metal vocals are heavy on this release, but I always had a problem with calling Opeth death metal as there was always heaps of melody in the music.

The opening track, The Moor, which takes up the whole of Side 1 is one of my favourite Opeth tracks, as the dynamics and the gothic vibe are superb. This was also Martin Mendes first outing as bassist for Opeth, and I think at the time he did not speak much Swedish – so big up to Martin for killer playing on the album. The acoustic driven tracks like Benighted, and the classic Face Of Melinda, are just superb as that folky medieval element is so much a part of the band’s sound that you immediately know it’s them. The stunningly awesome White Cluster closes out the whole album, and Martin Lopez’s drumming skills are at the forefront. You can say this was the template for Blackwater Park, which would come next as they are very similar in structure. I love this album, as I do the majority of the band’s catalogue.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

SAGA – Pleasure & The Pain

February 16, 2022 /

I’m really loving the Saga vinyl reissues – especially the ones that have never been on vinyl before like Pleasure & The Pain. The record company have actually done a specific vinyl mix just for this release and it sounds incredible. This is the twelfth studio album released by the band, and I guess you could say this is mid period Saga where they started to drift in popularity somewhat. They are one of those bands that fall through the cracks when you try to categorize them, as they don’t live in a specific box. This is a very progressive album as musically its very adventurous and all over the map.

I love this album and I had the CD upon release. I love Michael Sadler’s vocals, and on the opening track, Heaven Can Wait, his tone and phrasing is superb. How Do You Feel has a very quirky groove and vibe and is a great track. Welcome To The Zoo has a more standard beat and groove, but lots of different tones and sound to the guitar and keys – great track. Where Is My Money is an instrumental and almost a dance track, with a very EDM feel to the grooves. Side 1 closes out with a reworking of a Saga classic, You’re Not Alone, and has been beefed up somewhat.

A really great version of The Beatles’ Taxman opens up Side 2, and is virtually unrecognizable from the original. You Were Made For Me is an absolute monster of a tune that starts with an off-time groove, until that huge riff kicks in. Gonna Give It To Ya is probably the most Saga sounding track on the record – well, it is if you’re more used to their earlier records. A quick mention to Ian Chricton who is the best guitarist you’ve never heard of. Fantastically Wrong follows and is an odd little number where the heavy vocal lines are separated by quirky instrumental interludes with some killer guitar. The album closes out (not quite) with the title track and it’s an odd medieval acoustic piece. There is actually a bonus track with a cover of Peter Gabriel’s Salisbury Hill.

A really good album from a band that seem to pass people by.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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