THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: music (Page 345 of 454)

STEVE HILLAGE – L

September 15, 2021 /

This is Steve’s second full length solo album, and was released in ’76 after a stint with the cosmic hippies, Gong. This album was produced by Todd Rundgren in the US. There are only six songs on the album, three of which are covers. One of which is Donovan’s Hurdy Gurdy Man which is better than the original, it has a killer solo from Steve. The whole album has that space hippy vibe to it with a huge dose of Krishna thrown in, and was probably recorded whilst high on copious amounts of chemicals.

Hurdy Gurdy Glissando is very trippy and groovy and has a superb repeating bass line and some great guitar. You want to know where Ozric Tentacles got their inspiration from, look no further than here! Electric Gypsies feels as though we are back in the late sixties, especially with the harmonies. Om Nama Shivaya is a modern take on a traditional Indian piece. The 11 minutes of the album centrepiece, Lunar Musick Suite, is next and it’s a full on prog/jazz fusion experience – with a lot of hippy thrown in. The album closes out with a cover of George Harrison’s It’s All Too Much, which is a great rendition with a very odd snare drum sound.

This is one of my mood albums that I put on when I am already chilled.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

ANVIL – Metal On Metal

September 15, 2021 /

There was a point in time when Anvil were gonna be the next big thing – especially after this album was released. They kept up the momentum with the next release, Forged In Fire, and then they slowly went down and down until they disappeared off the map. It could have had something to do with the gimmicky bondage gear and playing guitar with dildos, or the very sexist lyrics, but who knows? I’m sure most of you will have seen the Anvil documentary and how heartbreaking that was, but that’s what the music business is like for nearly all bands.

Anvil, and this album especially, were an influence for lots of metal bands of the time – even Metallica namecheck the band – and it’s not hard to see why, this is a killer record. First track and the title track is one of my favourite tracks from this period. The main riff is simple but oh so effective, and that head just wants to bang. An ode to the Japanese monster Mothra is next, and the speed quickens and the metal is a pounding. Stop Me is a about backstage lust and sees rhythm guitar player, Dave Allison, handle vocal duties instead of Lip’s crazed warblings. I love the guitar tone on this one. One of the best metal instrumentals is next up with March Of The Crabs, and I’m sure Maiden were an influence for this one. Side 1 closes out with Jackhammer, and what a killer track with a superb pounding groove and fat chugga riff.

Side 2 opens up with Heatsink, and we continue where we left off with another great track. A bit of variation next with Tag Team, as the groove slows down before Scenery comes in with its slowed down Crazy Train riff – these lyrics are seriously cheesy. Tease Me Please as a very NWOBHM riff and groove with a large hint of Mr. Nugent thrown in. The album closes out with 666, and this is Anvil at their best. Super fast speed metal with the dark devil demon subject matter instead of the porn star lyrics.

Side 1 gets 10/10, but Side 2 gets 8/10 from The Grooveman.

ACCEPT – Too Mean To Die

September 14, 2021 /

Since the bands reformation in 2010 with Mark Tornillo, the band have been releasing better albums than they ever did with the small angry one as their frontman.

This is the band’s 16th studio album, and the 5th with Tornillo. The only original member left is Wolf Hoffman as everyone else has been jettisoned along the way. I am glad to inform you all that the quality is still high with the tunes and production, which again has been handled by Andy Sneap – no matter what he produces gets a fantastic sound. Riffs riffs and more riffs that’s what Mr. Hoffman is good at, and there are lots of them all over this album. From the opening grooves of Zombie Apocalypse, to the end screams of Samson And Delilah, this record is choc full of good old heavy metal. My favourites are (and there are a few) Too Mean To Die – a monster sounding track with an awesome riff and groove, The Undertaker – which I would say is a classic Accept track, with a slow intro that builds with a dirty mean riff, Symphony Of Pain – a classic old school metal romp, and the perfect close out track, Samson And Delilah. I’m not sure how Wolf Hoffman keeps churning out the riffs, but long may he do so.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

STUCK MOJO – Here Come The Infidels

September 14, 2021 /

Declaration Of A Headhunter is one of my favourite sounding metal albums as the guitar sound and groove is crushing. But fast forward to 2016, and the band has basically become a Rich Ward solo project. When I first heard of the band it was upon the releases of their first album, Snapping Necks. I saw it advertised as groove metal and I ordered it on that alone. Groove it most certainly did, and mixed with the rap style vocal from original frontman Bonz, for me it was a winning formula.

This version of the Mojo still has the rap vocal, but with new boy Robbie J Fonz spitting the rhymes. Rich Ward’s guitar and riffs still drive everything though, and I’m glad that hasn’t changed. When this band smoke best it’s on tracks like Rape Whistle and Charles Bronson, where the monster riffs and grooves are huge. I’m not sure there is a heavier rhythm tone anywhere. There are moments that are pure classic rock, like the guitar break in Verbal Combat, that I’m not sure would have appeared in earlier Mojo records. There are also very commercial moments like Tambourine which should have been released as a single on MTV or some other station – it’s one beast of a hard rock track. Destroyer would not be out of place on a full on Rap station, well at least until the fat monster guitar kicks in. I Am Legion is the best track for me. This track just freakin’ smokes, the guitar riff and groove are killer, and Robbie J’s vocals are awesome and worth the money for the record alone.

With Fozzy being the main focus of Mr. Ward’s attention, I’m not sure there will ever be another Mojo record, which is a shame as I’d rather listen to these heavy grooves than the made for money nonsense that is Fozzy.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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