THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: music review (Page 434 of 486)

FREE – Fire And Water

April 27, 2021 /

The band that launched a million other bands, and a style copied by many. Formed in ’68, they burned bright for 5 years and disbanded in ’73. Kossoff went on to form Back Street Crawler, and would die in ’76 due to complications from drug use. Paul Rodgers would go on to form Bad Company with mega stardom. This simple little blues combo was how they started, and this, their third album, was one of the best. Rodgers’ soulful vocals, and Kossoff’s guitar were the trademark of the band, but they also had a killer rhythm section in Andy Fraser and Simon Kirke.

It’s hard to believe this album is over 50 years old, it still sounds so fresh. Opening track, Fire And Water, is a tour de force of the band’s style – a true classic in every sense. Fantastic vocal from Rodgers – a blue print for the blues rock bands that followed. Oh I Wept is a slow blues groove tune, and again lifted by the great guitar playing and vocals. Remember follows and is carbon copy (style-wise) of the previous tune. The absolute awesomeness of Heavy Load closes out Side 1, and it has a superb almost gospel blues feel to it.

The often copied (but not bettered) Mr. Big opens up Side 2. Killer song, killer riff. It’s such a simple song – but what a delivery! Don’t Say You Love Me is next and slows the pace right down. This song is all about the feel – with a stunning vocal from Rodgers. The album closer (and everyone’s favourite) is All Right Now. What can you say about a track this iconic?! This sign of a great tune is that it sounds as good now than when it was recorded 50 years ago. Yet another one for the everyone should own one bin.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

PINK FLOYD – Animals

April 27, 2021 /

To me, this is the last great Pink Floyd album. It’s the last album where they were a band, and not a Roger Waters dictatorship. I was never a fan of The Wall as I thought it was overblown self obsessed nonsense from Waters. Sure, there were some good songs on subsequent records, but this is the last true Floyd album. This was released in ’77 and was the 10th Floyd studio album. It was a concept album based social and political unrest in Britain in the mid-seventies. Two of the songs were actually leftovers from Wish You Were Here and reworked/renamed: Sheep and Dogs – they just happen to be the best two tracks on the album. This is prime time Floyd – huge overblown songs that go on forever, deep lyrical content, and killer production.

There’s only two tracks on Side 1, the short intro piece Pigs On The Wing, and Dogs. Dogs is such a huge song that if you switch off in the middle, there are virtually no reference points to remind you what song it is. Again, beautifully written and played – lots of room for the music to breath.

Side 2 starts with Pigs (three different ones) a Floyd classic. Lyrically there are lots of veiled (and not so veiled) digs at establishment figures of the time. Also, some great guitar from Gilmour to lift the song to another level. The last full length track on the album is one of my favourite Floyd tracks ever, Sheep. It starts with a beautiful Fender Rhodes intro from Rick Wright, with a subdued bass line played underneath – very reminiscent of One Of These Days. One of the most up-tempo songs the band recorded, and again, some great playing from Gilmour. The album closes out with the bookend piece Pigs On The Wing (Part 2).

There’s no denying the genius of Pink Floyd as a band, but it all started to unravel when Waters thought he was the band. It’s a shame when band’s fall apart like this. At least we have the music.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

VOIVOD – Dimension Hatross

April 26, 2021 /

Other than poutine and tourtiere, VOIVOD is Quebec’s best export to the world. Born in the early eighties at the end of the first wave of thrash – it’s always amazed me how they never became bigger. This album and the one after (Nothingface) are classic metal albums that I would recommend any metal fan to own.

There is a lot going on within the music. We go from basic thrash, to punk, to speed metal, and we venture off even into progressive territory. This album is a concept album based around the exploits of the band’s mascot, Korgull. Bands like Meshuggah name check them as an influence, and there are a myriad of other acts that site them as an influence as well. They were once even called the Frank Zappa of metal, and I sort of get that musically. No song breakdown here as it’s just a great metal album of the era. Huge riffs, clever time changes, crushingly heavy in places, and there are no hooks or melodies for you to sing along to – just great challenging metal.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

AVERAGE WHITE BAND – Feel No Fret

April 26, 2021 /

I am forever amazed that this bunch of hairy-kilt-wearers from Scotland can produce such amazing funky soulful music. This is the seventh full length album the band released, and it came out late ’78/early ’79 depending on where you are in the world. The band are driven along by the amazing talents of Alan Gorrie and Hamish Stuart, who share vocal duties and write most of the material.

When Will You Be Mine gets things underway and sets the tone for the rest of the album. Grooves a plenty to make you get up and dance – a fantastic opening tune! Please Don’t Fall In Love has that distinct Philly soul groove, and is another killer tune. The Hal David and Burt Bacharach classic, Walk On By, is next but done in an almost funk/reggae beat – a fantastic rendition. The title track, Feel No Fret, closes out Side 1 and is an absolute beast of a tune. The underlying groove feels a bit like Exodus by Bob Marley, but seriously funked up. Another killer tune!

Side 2 starts with Stop The Rain – another funked up Philly soul sound. Atlantic Avenue was the song that got all the attention upon release, as all the critics raved about it as it was released as a single. Ace Of Hearts follows, and is slightly disappointing – its not as strong a tune as everything else. Too Late To Cry is the slow smooch tune of the album as the groove is a lot slower. The album closes out with Fire Burning and it is a full on disco experience.

Not quite as outstanding as earlier releases as Side 2 lets the album down somewhat, but it does contain two band classics.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

« Older posts Newer posts »

Archives

© 2025 THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑