THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: music review (Page 323 of 493)

BPMD – American Made

March 1, 2022 /

Sometimes records are made just so the musicians can have fun, and this is just one of those records. A coming together of some American metal friends to pay homage to some old school rock songs – given the metal treatment. Mike Portnoy ex-Dream Theater and a million other projects, Blitz from Overkill, Phil Demmel of Machine Head, and Mark Menghi.

Ted Nugent’s Wang Dang Sweet Poontang is first up and it’s not a bad cover with a decent solo. Toys In The Attic sounds a lot heavier for sure and it’s a fairly copycat cover. Evil on the other hand does sound really good and has been beefed up a lot. It’s quite easy to beef up old ZZ Top songs as they are quite simple songs and sparse, so Beer Drinkers sounds great. It’s not until we get to Blue Oyster Cult’s Tattoo Vampire that we get a song that they have totally given the metal treatment to – it’s the best song on the album. The only song that sounds worse than the original is Van Halen’s D.O.A. It’s not a bad attempt, but the original is just so damn good.

Like I said, it’s a fun record but it’s not gonna change the world.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION – s/t

February 28, 2022 /

Kevin Shirley (who has steered Bonamassa’s career to make him the number 1 modern blues artist) thought it would be a good idea to do a side project with a full on blues rock band. Now, I’m assuming the brief was to come up with a Deep Purple/Zeppelin hybrid, as that’s the vibe that comes across for most of the album.

There are tracks that (melody wise) mirror what Glenn has been doing in his solo career, like the track One Last Soul which has quite a commercial sounding hook. There are also tracks like Song Of Yesterday which could have been lifted from any Bonamassa solo album. The majority of the emphasis though is on the big hard rock numbers like Black Country, Medusa, and the amazing Stand (At The Burning Tree), which is truly an epic song where Jo Bo really lets fly.

There is no better voice in rock than Glenn and he sounds incredible on this record. This is a superb album, and if you love old school big rock records, this is for you.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

JEFF BECK WITH THE JAN HAMMER GROUP – Live

February 28, 2022 /

Bit of an odd album this one. Jeff had just finished recording the Wired album and was set to go out on tour to promote it. He joined up with the Jan Hammer Group to play a show in London supporting Alvin Lee, so this album was recorded and they ended up being on the road for seven months.

This is prime period Jeff, as he is quite new to the rock/fusion thing with the success of Blow By Blow, and he is having a blast playing this to an audience. Freeway Jam opens up the record and is just incredible with Hammer and Beck trading off of each other. Earth is so funky your shoes will groove before you do, and some great interplay with all the musicians. She’s A Woman brings reggae to the mix from the Blow By Blow album, and Jeff is using the voice box (which everyone was using at the time). It also starts the last track on Side 1, Full Moon Boogie, which is a full on jazz/funk workout.

Side 2 starts with a bit of a keyboard fest with Darkness/ Earth In Search Of A Sun. Normal service is resumed with Scatterbrain, again from Blow By Blow, before this album comes to an end with the only track from the Wired album, Blue Wind. I love this point in Jeff’s career and this a really good album.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

FRANCIS DUNNERY – Frankenstein Monster

February 26, 2022 /

Francis was the front-man/guitarist for Prog pop band, It Bites, and he has also played with numerous other musos including Robert Plant, Lauryn Hill, and Santana to name a few.

This is quite a heartwarming record as this material was mostly written by Francis’s brother, Baz, with his own band Necormandus, and he had promised his mother he would re-record them before she died. I suppose you would describe the music as heavy Prog with a very early seventies vibe. I can listen to Francis’s solo material all day, and Once Around The World is one of my favourite albums ever, so when I knew this was coming out I was excited to say the least – and it doesn’t disappoint.

Opening track, Frankenstein Monster, is a great tune with a superb vocal by Francis and some killer guitar. Don’t Look Down is very seventies with a killer riff and groove – I love the extended jam section. Limpet Man reminds of Free as the chords are very Kossoff and have that bluesy feel. Ho Ho Your Sandwiches is my favourite track. I love Francis’ vocals as he seems to be channeling his inner Peter Gabriel – plus his guitar playing is exceptional.

I think the production is spot on as it does not take away from the seventies vibe of the album. The whole album is a great homage to his brother.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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