THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: music review (Page 354 of 493)

HAWKWIND – Levitation

November 26, 2021 /

Hawkwind are not a band you would associate with technological advancements, yet this album was the first full digital recording. I remember hearing it at the time and being wowed with how clear it was, and it still sounds great today. Also of note, the great Ginger Baker is on drums adding some groove to proceedings. This is my favourite Hawkwind album, I love every inch of this record. The stock space rock they earn their beans with has an added musicality to it this time around. This version, as well as the original album, has a bonus Live at Lewisham double album.

The lead off and title track is one of the best Hawkwind tracks imho with Bakers’ pounding groove, superb bass playing from Harvey Bainbridge, and coupled with Dave Brock’s superb lyrics…winner, winner chicken dinner! The secret weapon on this album is the guitar playing of Huw Lloyd Langton who adds some great leads to all tracks. World Of Tiers steals the Peter Green riff from Oh Well with added spacey keyboards. The very Pink Floyd sounding, Who’s Gonna Win The War, is the big anti war message for this album and it sounds great on the live album. It’s says on the cover “A Headphone Album” and indeed it sounds superb with all the electronic interludes and the instrumental Space Chase sounds superb. Dust Of Time closes out the main album, and like so many Hawkwind songs, it is such a simple arrangement but it’s all the layers that have been added that make this such a cool track.

The live album is from the Levitation tour which I attended, and is a great document for Live Hawkwind at this time. It might be hard to find this version, but just the Levitation album by itself should be easy to find.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

PAUL GILBERT – Behold Electric Guitar

November 25, 2021 /

Paul Gilbert is one of my favourite guitar players. He can shred with the best of them, but his feel and tone are incredible, and he can play any style effortlessly. Mostly known for his playing with Racer X and Mr. Big, Paul has released 18 solo albums and tons of collaborations. This album is from 2019, and if you love guitar this could be your wet dream album. This album has lots of varying styles and has become one of my favourites.

Opening track, Havin’ It, has a fusion feel to it and boy Paul is really ripping it up. I Own A Building starts off in the same vein, but sees Paul playing slide in a way not many others do, and he plays with a great sense of melody. Everywhere That Mary Went starts like a Soft Machine track with Holdsworth playing, then turns to a jazz funk vibe with killer playing. Love Is The Saddest Thing has a Shyboy/Hot For Teacher fast shuffle groove and the playing is just exceptional. My favourite track is A Herd Of Turtles a great funky groove and vibe and see Paul’s sense of humour to the fore with him reciting the lyric in what sounds like a Ringo Starr impression.

All of Paul’s albums are great and they all differ in style and substance, but they all have killer playing and any guitar freak should own at least one.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

BLACK SABBATH – 13

November 25, 2021 /

I’m guessing this record will prove to be the final Black Sabbath recordings as Iommi and Osbourne’s health is not the best. Don’t worry, there will be a million live recordings and demo tracks that have been unearthed in some ex roadies toilet that will come out over time, but for me, this album would be a fitting ending for a once great band. The only sour point with this is the omitting of Bill Ward from proceedings over a contractual situation. You think after all these years that they would have gone out as equal partners, but the great evil one rears her ugly head again. Rick Rubin has done a fine job of keeping the original sound and vibe with updated production, even though it sounds very loud. Brad Wilk is also killer on the pots and pans.

End Of The Beginning sounds as though it’s from those early recordings, and that it was written the day after the sessions for the first album were over – a great track! The single, God Is Dead, follows and is in keeping with Sabbath’s trademark dark subject matter, but this feels more like an Ozzy solo track to my ears, until the mid section where old school Sabbath comes to save the day – this track goes out with a bang. Loners seems to be a rewrite of older material by the rearranging of chord sequences, but it does work well – I’m loving the sound of Iommi’s guitar. Zeitgeist is this album’s Changes, where the vibe and tone go to chill mode. Age Of Reason is a return to normal proceedings as its driven by Wilks’ pounding of the kit and an Iommi monster riff. You think the guy would have been all riffed out after being the creator of some of rocks most iconic moments, but he keeps on pumping them out, and long may he do so. The originators of the doom sound and groove keep their hand in with the riff and vibe to Live Forever which I really like. Damaged Soul has a killer riff and groove – this feels really old school. The album closes out with Dear Father and is the most evil sounding of all the tracks on the album.

I’m sure Rick Rubin had a big hand in the way this album sounded, and I thank him for that as I’m not sure it would have worked if it had been all modern sounding. Anyway, if this is the last Sabbath album then at least it was a good one.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

WARRANT – Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich

November 24, 2021 /

It’s not too shabby when your debut album ends up going double platinum, and a single from said album went to number 1 in the charts. That’s just what happened to this album. In fact, the two albums after this (Cherry Pie and Dog Eat Dog) did really well against the tide of grunge that they were swimming against. There was a lot of talk at the time that the band was put together just to make money and all of the music was contrived. I think that could have been jealousy amongst other bands who were struggling at the time. I do remember Dave Reynolds in Kerrang giving a very average review.

The opening three tracks are a pretty solid opener for any band with 32 Pennies, Down Boys, and Big Talk, all rockin’ tracks that are well played and written. The title track is prime time party rock, as is In The Sticks and Tiding High. There are too many ballads for me on this album to get my full attention though, as that is when I usually zone out.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

« Older posts Newer posts »

Archives

© 2026 THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑