THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: music review (Page 330 of 482)

U2 – Boy

January 17, 2022 /

This is the 40th anniversary reissue of the band’s first album. Straight from the off with I Will Follow, you get that unmistakable guitar sound of the Edge which became their signature sound. A quite simple use of delay and echo launched the band to mega stardom. Of course there was more to the band than that, but it was such a new and refreshing sound that connected with a lot of people. In a day and age where band’s seem to change members at an alarming rate, and for such petty excuses like the guitarist didn’t like the colour of the singers underpants, this band are still together and still making great music.

I always love first albums. This is the band’s big statement as they had been playing the songs live for a while before they were discovered, and the energy and enthusiasm of recording an album shines through. Other than I Will Follow, I really love Stories For Boys, as the echo on the guitar is almost surf rock Dick Dale style, A Day Without Me, as The Edge really uses the delay and echo to great effect, and the awesomeness that is The Electric Co.

They obviously would go on to record some amazing records, but it’s cool to revisit where it all began.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

JOE BONAMASSA – A New Day Now

January 15, 2022 /

This is the 20th anniversary edition of A New Day Yesterday, that has been remixed, remastered, and re-sung – hence the new title. I remember seeing him on this tour at Southport (of all places), and thinking he was a killer player, but the place was far from full. Oh how things change! He is now the leading light of the blues movement and sells out venues all over the world, and boy does he deserve it! He as worked his ass off over the twenty years since this album was originally released.

This album is a mix of covers and originals, which he has done so well over the years. The covers are not what you would expect with tracks by Rory Gallagher, Free, Al Kooper, and the title track which was a Jethro Tull song. Joe’s version is a stone cold killer with some epic guitar. Of course Joe pays his respects to older blues artists paying homage to Albert King with Don’t Burn Down That Bridge. I have the original of this album, and this does sound amazing. It’s definitely worth buying as you get a bonus side with three extra tracks, with Line Of Denial being the best.

Even with all the heavyweight covers on the album, my favourite track is a Joe original with I Know Where I Belong. It has a great funky groove and swings along beautifully with an epic Joe solo. Joe doesn’t make bad records and this revamp is superb.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

STEELY DAN – Gaucho

January 15, 2022 /

So the year is 1980, and the music world is either rocking its brains out, or its new wave crazy. If you’re Steely Dan however, you are the kings of cool and releasing albums that are sonically so good they sound as though they are playing in your own room. Steely Dan release records that session musicians would release if there were no record labels to interfere. This would be the last album they would release until Two Against Nature in 2000.

The guest list of players is a who’s who of the session world, with the likes of Steve Gadd, Jeff Porcaro, The Brecker Brothers, Michael McDonald, and Larry Carlton – to name a few. I love Donald Fagen’s vocal style, and the way he uses words to tell stories is just sublime. They have been called smooth jazz, which nowhere near does the music justice. It’s way deeper than that, there is a really cool funk undertone to a lot of the tracks. Musically, it’s all about the groove and the swing so Donald can weave his vocals that intertwine beautifully. My favourite tracks are Babylon Sisters, Glamour Profession, and Time Out Of Mind as that’s where everything clicks together for me.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

WISHBONE ASH – Wishbone Four

January 14, 2022 /

It’s quite hard to believe now, but back in the day, Wishbone Ash were on par with Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and Uriah Heep, as they used to sell out tours with regularity. The twin guitars of Ted Turner and Andy Powell were a major pull for me. They have this very southern US vibe to their music, mixed with a healthy dose of rock, and even a bit of folk thrown in for good measure. Pilgrimage and Argus are my two favourite albums by the band, and this doesn’t quite reach the heights of those two, but it still has its high points.

Ballad Of The Beacon is a very folk style piece, but has beautiful vocal melodies and the guitar interplay is fantastic. Doctor is almost a fast boogie, but the guitars are what make this track. My favourite track is the last track, Rock N Roll Widow, which has a very Allman’s vibe to it – they were big fans of the band.

Not a bad album but not their best.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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