THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: music (Page 351 of 454)

APRIL WINE – Harder Faster

September 1, 2021 /

Now this might come as a surprise to none-Canadians, but this was the band’s 8th album released in ’79. This was the first time I had paid attention to the band, as previous efforts were a tad poppy and a bit weak for my tastes.

It was the lead off track, I Like To Rock, that got my attention and they were even asked to play the very first Monsters Of Rock festival in the UK. They were 4th on the bill after Saxon and before the Scorpions. The very radio friendly, Say Hello, was the second single from the album and did a lot better in North America than it did in the UK. There is a brief section in Tonite that rocks, and Ladies Man does rock harder as well, but other than I Like To Rock, it’s a very AOR record. There is a very strange choice of a cover that closes out the record, with King Crimson’s 20th Century Schizoid Man. It’s an ok rendition, but I would be interested in finding how they chose that one.

I don’t think this album has aged that well and the production is a bit flat, but it’s still an enjoyable album.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

OPETH – Morningrise

September 1, 2021 /

Old Opeth don’t bare much resemblance to the band you see today. Their sound has developed way beyond the death metal band they set out to be. This is the bands’ second release from ’96, and the only surviving member from this release today is Mikael himself. It’s not a total growl fest, as there are still the lighter moments with clean vocals. There are also some acoustic and progressive elements to the music as we get more of today. After the release and tour for their previous album Orchid, the band were rehearsing and writing constantly and went quickly back into the studio to record this beast. There is a definite progression between the two records and the progressive elements are more focused here, but the riffs are still dark and aggressive. Mikael’s deep screams are amazing, and how he switches to cleans in a second is unreal.

My two favourite tracks are Nektar, and Black Rose Immortal, both taking up a side each. The riffs and the dynamics of these two songs is a step above the rest of the album IMHO. I’m a big fan of Opeth, and when you go back and listen to the older records, it’s great to see how they have evolved and progressed. This is the RSD release in shiny blue vinyl and it sounds crystal clear. A fantastic pressing.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

PORCUPINE TREE – House Of Blues Los Angeles 2003

August 31, 2021 /

This has been available as a download for quite some time on the band’s Bandcamp page. Now, with the acquiring of all their own catalogue, they are releasing everything through their own Transmission label. For a band that has been done for nearly 11 years, they put out quite a lot of product. Mainly reissues and remixes, but occasionally we get nuggets like this. A limited release on shiny blue vinyl to go with the title, this is without doubt a superb album.

The album was recorded on the In Absentia tour when the band were supporting Opeth. The In Absentia album was the beginning of the heavy riffs and grooves entering the band’s music, and would last for two more albums, until The Incident, where the vibe changed and would be the last studio album they recorded. If you don’t own any Porcupine Tree, then hurry and go and buy this before they are all gone.

The choice of songs from the old catalogue, as well as the In Absentia new material, fit together perfectly. I love the way they put in songs that were not on the album proper, as Futile was only originally on a promo CD. Gravity Eyelids shows the new direction really well, encompassing the fat riff heavy grooves with the beautifully angelic pieces. The version here of Russia On Ice is just sublime and one of my all time favourite PT tracks.

Porcupine Tree are one of the world’s best kept secrets and urge everyone to to add some to your collections.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

ACCEPT – Balls To The Wall

August 31, 2021 /

At the time, most of us who loved Restless & Wild (especially the speedy Fast As A Shark which received awesome reception that track received from fans and critics alike) thought the next album would be more in that vein. The band had other ideas of course, and they carried on with the Judas Priest style that they had been busy crafting. The band chose to produce the album themselves, and it was a definite step up as the sound is very big and loud.

The title track, and first track on the album, was released as a single and did well all over the world. It became the band’s anthem and signature tune. London Leatherboys caused a bit of a stir in the US with the homoerotic themes, but only in some states. If the track Fight It Back was the first track you ever heard by the band, you would swear that you were listening to Judas Priest as the similarities are obvious – well at least until Udo’s vocals kicked in. Head Over Heels is the track I like the least as it’s just generic plod and nothing special. Losing More Than You You’ve Ever Had uses the same riff and groove pattern as Princess Of The Dawn, at least until the chorus kicks in.

Love Child opens up Side 2 with some standard chugga riffing that reminds me a bit of the Scorpions musically, but apparently this caused a stir in the US also due to the lyrical content. Turn Me On is the type of simple track that I like. It’s got a very simple fat riff and groove that repeats over and over – it gets the head a bangin’ and the toe a tappin’. Losers And Winners follows and the main riff is nearly a direct lift from Priest’s Steeler. They obviously changed the main chorus and bridge for fear of being sued, but it’s a tad too close for me. Guardians Of The Night is another slow chugga riff, and doesn’t quite do it for me as the chorus is an bit to cheesy. The album closes out with Winterdreams and is a very un-Accept track as we are in ballad territory. It’s a decent song, but Udo’s voice does not fit the song.

This album sums up all Accept albums with Udo on vocals, in that they are all really patchy. Sure there are some great tracks, but there are also a lot of dust ones to. The band would fold in ’96, only to resurface in 2010 with a new singer in Marc Tornillo, and would release arguably their best album in Blood Of The Nations. More of that later.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

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