THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: music review (Page 400 of 486)

SPREAD EAGLE – s/t

July 24, 2021 /

Another band that slipped through the cracks thanks to grunge. I’m sure that MCA had thought they had signed the next Guns N Roses. The similarities are there for all to see, except these guys are better. Singer, Ray West, is the secret weapon – my god what a set of pipes! The guitarist, Paul Bartolo, is way better than Slash and has all the chops. I haven’t played this in a long time and I’ve checked it out on Discogs and apparently it goes for big money, I guess it’s down to the fact that not many were pressed on vinyl.

Broken City is a killer track and what a way to open the record. This band rocks hard!!! Back On The Bitch has very suspect lyrics to say the least, but the music and groove are outstanding. Switchblade Serenade is next up and could be the best yet – with an awesome hook and melody, and the cherry on the top is the awesome solo. More suspect subject matter follows with Hot Sex and the groove is decidedly funky with a killer guitar tone – jeez what a monster track! Suzy Suicide closes out Side 1 and we are flying here folks, the pedal has gone to the metal, and its the fastest track on the record!

Over to Side 2 we go with Dead Of Winter. It has a great slow build opening that leads into a sleazy beast of a tune. Scratch Like A Cat has an almost Aerosmith vibe, but faster and dirtier with a very EVH style solo – there was even a self financed video to this track. Thru These Eyes is the obligatory ballad, well that’s how it starts, but then transforms into a dirty sleaze fest. The band’s self titled anthem is next up and it’s a good old glam stomper. Let’s see those hands in the air🤘🤘. 42nd Street follows and is a short acoustic blues piece that leads into album closer Shotgun Kiss, which is the sleaziest the band get.

IMHO, this is one of the Top 5 glam/hair metal albums and should be a must have for anyone who’s into this type of rock. I know it’s hard to find even on CD, but you won’t be disappointed.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

GRETA VAN FLEET – The Battle At Gardens Gate

July 23, 2021 /

Depending on what you read, Greta Van Fleet are either the saviours of classic rock, or Led Zep copyists. The first couple of releases I would say they were definitely copying Zeppelin, as the vocalist was altering his voice to sound like Robert Plant – hence the voice problems he was having. His normal style is naturally a cross between Geddy Lee and Plant himself. But with this album, they have consciously changed direction slightly and it feels totally natural – and for the first time, I’m really liking what I hear.

From what I can gather reading the lyrics, it’s a loose concept piece based around ancient civilizations and loose biblical references. They still have that classic late seventies sound, but with a killer modern production. The Zep references will never disappear, but now instead of copying them, they be an influence. There is no doubt that Joshua Kiszka has an amazing set of pipes, and he seems to be stretching himself more this time out. In fact, the whole band seem to be out to prove something as the whole album is killer – and is highly recommended by me! Highlights are (and there are many): Broken Bells, Age Of Machine, and The Barbarians – but these are just my picks, I’m sure there is enough variation here to appeal to everyone. Well done Greta Van Fleet for proving me wrong.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

SAVOY BROWN – Looking In

July 23, 2021 /

This is quite a pivotal album in the life of Savoy Brown. After the release and gigs for this album, all of the band (apart from founder and leader Kim Simmons) would leave the band to form Foghat. Foghat would have huge success in the States, and Savoy Brown would soldier on and release a stack of albums, but eventually disappeared from the musical map. The band were part of the late sixties blues boom that would come out of the UK. This album draws heavily from what the Rolling Stones we’re doing at the time with Sticky Fingers and Exile. It’s a shame that the band would fall apart after this, as Simmons had found a great guitarist/vocalist and songwriting partner in Lonesome Dave Peverett.

IMHO, this album is the best the band put out. My personal favourite tracks are the blues/jazz instrumental of Sunday Night, which is very of its time but still sounds great, and Leaving Again, which would be the direction Foghat would head down after the split. If you like the blues rock boom bands, then give this one a listen.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

BIG BIG TRAIN – The Second Brightest Star

July 22, 2021 /

The new darlings of the Prog brigade, well, at least to those who like their Prog in a more traditional way. The old Prog fans are not very open minded to experiment within their beloved genre, so band’s that give a nod to Genesis, Yes and Caravan, always get maximum love. To me, Big Big Train’s early albums were paying maximum homage to those bands, and over time (and line up changes), they have expanded their sound and changed somewhat. Don’t panic, it’s still very Prog, but there is a very classic rock and folk quality to proceedings now.

If this band has passed you by, then you maybe amazed to know this is their 11th studio album. The instrumentation and writing is second to none, and the production is crystal clear, which is so important for music like this. This album is a mix of new songs and old reworked material from Folklore and Grimspound, which take up Side 3 and 4. This is a traditional Prog fans wet dream. So if you are a lover of early seventies Prog, then you will love this.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

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