THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: music review (Page 436 of 493)

VENGEANCE – Take It Or Leave It

May 9, 2021 /

Outside of their native Holland, this band’s main claim to fame was having Arjen Anthony Lucassen (Ayreon) as the their main man and founder, and he was there up until the band split up in ’92. This album was released in ’88, and is pretty much standard hair metal with a European slant.

The opening track is a decent opening track and rocks hard. The next track, Code Of Honour, is slower and suffers from having a kid’s choir singing part of the chorus – it’s just ok. Rock N Roll Shower follows and has a stock party rock riff and is not a bad tune. Take Me To The Limit rips in with a killer riff and some double kicks, and then descends into standard rock territory. Engines tries to be Van Halen’s Hot For Teacher, and is a nice metal instrumental with Lucassen showing everyone how good he is as a guitar player. This music is a million miles away from what he does now.

Side 2 starts with Hear Me Out, and its back to glam city we go with big chants and everything. Women In The World has the big acoustic intro before a very Scorpions style rocker breaks out. Looks Of A Winner is the most American sounding of all the tracks – you can tell the market they were aiming for. Last track, Ain’t Gonna Take You Home, actually had me thinking they were going to break out into Doctor Doctor by UFO – until the big chorus kicked in and it’s definitely Friday night rock night crowd pleaser.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

THE PINEAPPLE THIEF – Dissolution

May 9, 2021 /

I’ll admit to being late to the party on The Pineapple Thief, as I wrote them off as being Porcupine Tree wannabes. Even Gavin Harrison has joined them on the old pots and pans. He has also established himself as Bruce Soord’s main songwriting partner. I think I was a bit harsh in my assessment, as I think I came to the conclusion just on the similarities in the voices of the main protagonists.

This is actually the 12th studio album from the band, and the second with Gavin. This is a concept album based (if I’m correct) on the way social media and technology lead to the dissolution of society as we know it. The album starts with a brooding piano piece, Not Naming Any Names, a very eerie opening. This leads into the more upbeat, Try As I Might, which brings the band into play and is a really good modern Prog song. Threatening War is a similar composition with a really cool middle section. Uncovering Your Tracks runs along similar lines to the previous two tracks, and the side closer, All That You’ve Got, is a more up-tempo groover of a tune – the strongest track so far.

Side 2 starts with Far Below, and I’m getting the message that this is the band’s trademark sound – even though the guitars get turned up towards the nod of the song. I’m going to go back to my original assessment. I suppose you can call it Porcupine Tree Light, as that’s what springs to mind constantly. Pillar Of Salt takes the mood down several notches, and is an engaging acoustic piece. Next up is the albums epic piece and 11 minutes of White Mist. Musically, this song is all about Gavin’s drumming, as it steers the song through all its twists and turns, along with Bruce’s guitar chunk. All modern Prog bands have the big epic number on their albums as it’s in the Prog 101 handbook. The album closes with Shed A Light, and leaves us in a more upbeat happy note. A pretty good album while not being outstanding.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME – Automata I

May 8, 2021 /

I’ll admit to loving this band, as I find them quite refreshing in their approach. They are celebrating their 21st anniversary this year. It’s very hard to pin them down musically as they cover multiple styles and genres within songs, but tech metal seems to fit what they do quite accurately.

This album is Part 1 of a 2 album set that released separately in 2018. The concept behind this masterpiece is “what if you were able to view the dreams of others” like broadcasting them to the world. 6 tracks clocking in at 35 minutes. First track, Condemned To The Gallows, basically introduces the dream scenario with the music, which is all over the map with deep chunky grooves, soaring vocals, and the usual great guitar playing. The relatively short, House Organ, is supremely heavy and leads into the Side 1 showpiece, Yellow Eyes, which takes the listener through a myriad of styles, but the playing from all concerned is stellar.

Millions opens up Side 2 and has a serene opening with an earworm vocal before heaviness returns – it is a real progressive track. The short connecting piece, Gold Distance, ushers in Side 2 showcase track, Blot. There is not a spare second of time that is wasted and not filled with awesome notes that fly forth from all involved. This is one of my favourite BTBAM tracks as it has everything that I love about this band. This is Prog metal heaven. It’s worth the price alone. The only thing is it’s over way too quick. Automata II anyone???

9/10 from The Grooveman.

ROSE TATTOO – Assault & Battery

May 8, 2021 /

Australia seems to hold the copyright to shit kicking barroom rock and roll bands like this. AC/DC seemed to unlock the door for all of them. The difference here is that Rose Tattoo looked the part of the barroom brawlers they sing about. Another comparison with the DC guys is that this album is produced by Vanda and Young, as were DC’s early albums.

This is hard rocking blues from the streets of Melbourne, and they played it like they lived it, so much so that 7 former members have died. The songs are all very similar in format – it’s just varying speeds of the beat that differentiate the tunes. All The Lessons, Assault & Battery, Magnum Maid and Manzil Madness are personal favourites,, as these songs kick hard. That’s when it works the best for me – when Pete Wells’ slide is smoking. As a little side note, singer Angry Anderson was more famous in Britain for singing a wedding ballad that charted and was part of the soap opera Neighbours.

Anyway it’s not a bad record and it does exactly what it says on the tin.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

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