THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: music review (Page 368 of 493)

ONLY CHILD – s/t

October 25, 2021 /

After Paul Sabu released a couple of solo albums under his own name and they didn’t do that well, somebody thought it would be a good idea to build a few bands around him. This is the third of those bands, and I would say probably the best, as it’s a near perfect mix of hard rock and softer AOR – Journey style.

As well as handling all guitar duties, Paul Sabu sings all lead vocals. I was aware of what an amazing player he is, but was pleasantly surprised that he has quite a good voice. Plenty of melodies, hooks, and sing-a-long choruses to keep the most ardent melodic rock fan happy here – and an added bonus of some killer guitar. I Wanna Touch is a standout track, and I’m sure it would have made a great single. Scream Until You Like It is another good track, as you can guess it has lots of suspect lyrics – as was the case back then. My personal favourite is Love To The Limit as it’s a great up-tempo rocker with a great melody and a signature ripping solo from Mr. Sabu.

As a little side note and possibly the most irrelevant thing I’ve contributed, Paul Sabu is the son of film star Sabu.

A really good album and not a bad song here if I’m honest.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

MASTERS OF REALITY s/t

October 23, 2021 /

This is the first album from Upstate New York’s finest. It’s often referred to as The Blue Garden as that is the name of the art piece on the cover. This is a 2012 reissue with a different running order and a bonus live album, Live At The Viper room. Now this band are somewhat of a guilty pleasure for me. I really like their brand of retro blues rock and this was way before it became fashionable.

The track, John Brown, is very reminiscent of Led Zeppelin with the groove and Chris Goss’ voice. Gettin’ High has a superb sleazy blues groove that just swings. Domino is the best song on this record, and I’ll stick my neck out and say it’s one of the best tracks the band ever did. It has an Iommi style riff with a pumping beat, and a fantastic melody and hook that seriously hit the spot. Kill The King is a glorious romp, and an homage to all things seventies. The live album has never been available on vinyl before, and Scott Weiland makes an appearance on Jindalee Jindalie, and there is also an incredible version of John Brown.

A great album. I do believe it’s quite hard to find on vinyl, but if you do find it, grab as it’s a wonderful record.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

TOUCH – s/t

October 23, 2021 /

The very first band to play the Castle Donnington Monsters of Rock Festival, and if you were like me at the time and were thinking how the hell did they manage that?! Then the real reason is quite simple. They had the same management as the headliners, Rainbow, but the rumour at the time was that Mr. Blackmore was a big fan of their brand of AOR. Touch were nothing more than a rebranding of their previous band, American Tears, with the addition of bassist, Doug Howard.

This was something of a flagship album for the AOR crowd as they played on the softer side of the spectrum. However, they did rock out as well, as the awesome track, Black Star, demonstrates. This could almost be a different band as the Queen vibes are strong on this track, as guitarist Craig Brooks brings out his inner Brian May. The lead off track on Side 1, Don’t You Know What Love Is, was released as single, and along with Black Star, it’s the best track on the album.

So one album and they were gone. This was released in 1980, and that was it until this year when 2 albums were released under the Touch name. They are quite a hard band to pin down, and I think this was the reason they never went any further. They are all over the map for the press to get a handle on. However, this is not a bad album and an enjoyable listen.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

ANIMALS AS LEADERS – The Joy Of Motion

October 22, 2021 /

THIS IS MY 500TH REVIEW!!! Thank you to everyone who had read, followed, commented or liked my reviews so far.

This is the third album by these Washington DC based tech metallers, and the first to feature drummer Matt Garstka after the departure of Navene Koperweis. They make one hell of a racket for a three piece and that is down to the two eight-string guitars. The bottom end sound is just amazing and no other band comes close to the technical chops of these guys. They are described as Prog, and I guess that’s as close a term that fits, as there is a lot going on style wise and musically.

I mentioned the low end groove earlier, and the first track Kascade has the most evil of low end grooves for you to shake loose the dandruff to. Lippincott is just off the charts for me. It has so many groovy moments ranging from slap bass funk to the heaviest of djent riffs. Superb track! With The Air Chrysalis you have to stop and just listen to the superb off time grooves that are under the delicate guitar pattern, before the fat crunch arrives. Another Year has an almost Jazz feel to the opening guitar pattern and is a very melodic piece. If you search around you will find a video for Physical Education and I urge you to do so, as the opening riff and groove will just floor you. This is a superb piece of music that will just have you in awe.

Tooth And Claw has the most metal riff and opening from the album, and is just evil sounding as it goes so low. The melodic guitar over the top of it sounds so awesome. Crescent has an unreal groove with the most beautiful melodic guitar over the top. The repeating riff and pattern of The Future That Awaited Me follows, and I would say it’s the most chill track on the album…if that’s possible. Para Mexer is the final track on Side 3, and has a very Latin feel to proceedings -mainly due to the acoustic guitar.

The Woven Web glides us into Side 4, and oh my what a great groove and bass line. This song is just so awesome I’m struggling for words – it’s my favourite track and it gets my vote for best track on the album. Mind Spun is the penultimate track and it’s just crazy. This is such a busy tune as there is so much going on groove and rhythm wise, it’s hard for your brain to focus. The album closes out with Nephele, and that low end is taking a pounding with a superb melodic lead.

If I’m pushed, I would say this is my favourite Animals album as every piece is just epic in its execution. I know this music is not for everyone, but if you’re adventurous in your tastes then give it a whirl.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

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