THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: thunder (Page 3 of 3)

THUNDER – The Thrill Of It All

July 2, 2024 /

Album number four for Britain’s favourite melodic rockers, and it’s more of the same R’n’B tinged hard rock that they do so well. But, as with all their records, there are always a couple of tracks that don’t quite cut it. If you took all the best bits from all of their albums, then you would have one hell of a record.

There is no doubt that Danny is one of the best vocalists out there and I’m sure he could sing the phone book and it would sound epic. Tracks like Don’t Wait Up, which normally would just be okay, are lifted by the wonderful tone and feel to his voice. However, Pilot Of My Dreams and Something About You are really great songs that don’t come around too often.

Cosmetic Punk is just superb, it’s my favourite on the record. It’s a killer old school R’n’B riff sped up with an awesome groove that is so infectious and guaranteed to get you up and groovin’. The last side is given over to four rousin live renditions of tracks from the record.

I’m not sure if we will get any more Thunder records and tours as Danny is not too well since he has had a stroke. I wish him well.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

THUNDER – All The Right Noises

January 25, 2023 /

Thunder are a band that that have been around since ’89. Born out of the ashes of Terraplane, they are a band I haven’t totally got to grips with. They can write some of the best rock tunes out there, but they’ve never released a killer record from beginning to end. I am amazed they never cracked America, their music is tailor-made for that market. Anyhoo, let’s dive in to their thirteenth album.

Just to prove my point, they lead off with Last One Out Turns Out The Lights, a monumental monster of a tune. Superb hook and chorus that will have you singing it for days. Absolute killer track and I’m loving the horns. They follow that with Destruction, a very heavy blues, really slow, and dirty. Great vocal from Danny and the ladies singing bv’s are superb. Sticking to that blues vibe with the acoustic driven Smoking Gun. This is all about Danny’s vocals, which are just superb. Not a bad side of tunes that’s for sure.

Going To Sin City has a huge AC/DC vibe to it, mainly due to the riff and the guitars. Whether that’s intentional or not, you’ll have to make up your own mind. A pounding bass and kick drum announce the arrival of Don’t Forget To Live Before You Die, it has a big Zeppelin vibe in places for sure, especially the big guitar riffs. I’ll Be The One feels a bit like a Bond movie theme tune. Again, a killer vocal from Danny and a superb solo from Mr. Morley. I love the main opening riff to Young Man, a big southern rock feel to this one with a just hint of T.Rex.

Here it is folks, the Faces-style tune that they put on every album. I guess they have a love of that barroom rock n’ roll. It seems that this album is quite nostalgic and patriotic, and sees them harking back to better times. St. George’s Day is all about that, with the undertone of Britain falling apart. Who says hard rock bands don’t have a social conscience? Force Of Nature starts with an acoustic riff that is very familiar indeed. It really comes alive when the power is turned on. Great tune! The album closes out with Millionairess, a tune that feels as though it was born in Muscle Shoals. A very cool Deep South groove.

I think this is one of Thunder’s best efforts, but doesn’t quite make the 10.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

THUNDER – The Greatest Hits

December 1, 2021 /

I have always been astonished that Thunder never cracked America as their brand of blues rock is absolutely tailored for American audiences. This album is perfect for the likes of myself, as it says on the label “All Killer No Filler”. Thunder have been responsible for writing some of the best melodic rock songs ever, it’s just that they have never managed to write that perfect record and there was always at least one track that didn’t quite cut the mustard for me. So to get a package like this with all the classics spread over a triple album is perfect for me.

From the first single, Dirty Love, to The Thing I Want, this it a stunning selection of songs that I think I am safe in saying that everyone should own one of these. There are so many classics here, but my favourites are The Thing I Want, River Of Pain and I Love You More Than Rock N Roll. Those three alone, if released as singles to American rock radio, should have done it for them. Was it bad management or just plain bad luck? Who knows!

10/10 from The Grooveman.

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