THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: vinyl collection (Page 23 of 449)

NEW FRONTIER – S/T

August 5, 2024 /

A great AOR album that would go down a treat on AOR Sunday, but I’m guessing not a whole lot of people have heard of them. This album came out in ’84 and was built around the talents of multi instrumentalist Monty Byrom who had previously been in Big House and Billy Satellite. There was another EP that appeared in ’88, but that was it.

New Frontier were on a small label (Mika Records). whom I guess never had much of a promotional budget to push the band. It’s a shame really because there are some great commercial pop rock songs that given the right push could have done really well. Under Fire, American Dream, and the superb American Blues are killer songs. American Blues is my favourite on the album with its killer groove and beat very reminiscent of Don Henley; how this wasn’t a smash, I do not know. Love the horns!

There are so many of these bands that flew just below the surface of awareness. If you like a good AOR album then seek this one out it’s really rather good.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

INTERVALS – Memory Palace

August 5, 2024 /

It’s great to see the upturn in interest of Intervals. They are getting endorsement from Wolfgang Van Halen with a support slot on some of his headline shows.

This is album number five for the band and Aaron Marshall has knocked it way out of the park on this one. Super cool use of keys, samples, sound design, and programming alongside the heavy grooves and Aaron’s killer playing. I love every second of this masterpiece and I have probably played this more than any other album in a long while.

Mnemonic has to be one of the best tunes I have heard in forever. It’s like listening to a dance song but for metal tech kids. The grooves and rhythms are just epic and the playing is so melodic but insanely good. Galaxy Brain is very similar but with added depth and chunk to the mix. I was trying to get my head around this whole concept of Memory Palace and the thing that keeps popping into my head is “if music was a video game.” Not sure if that makes sense, but it’s the best my aging brain can do.

Go and listen to this on iTunes or Spotify and then go and buy a physical copy from those nice people at Sheet Happens. It will be the best decision you will make this year.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

MSG – Universal

August 5, 2024 /

Michael Schenker is another artist I left behind and not bothered with after a few below par records. I think he had spread himself too thin as the amount of records he has put out is astronomical and the quality of songs suffered as a result. Of his solo material, the first MSG album and Assault Attack are my favourites, they are just great records.

Now, I had heard the song Emergency on one of my down the rabbit hole nights checking out music through Apple and I thought maybe it’s time I checked out what Michael has been up to. It’s not as good as those two albums I mentioned, but it’s a solid and enjoyable release. Ronnie Romero handles the vocals and his style suits Michael’s music really well.

Highlights are the already mentioned Emergency, which has a great riff and melody, the uptempo track Long Long Road with its very busy riff, and Wrecking Ball with Ralf Scheepers on vocals which is my favourite tune. Quite a simple riff, a four to floor groove, and Ralf giving balls to the vocal and song.  

As I said it’s been a while and this album feels as though it was recorded back in the good old days.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

VYPER – Afraid Of The Dark

August 5, 2024 /

As far as I’m aware, Vyper only recorded this EP and the album Prepared To Strike (which I have reviewed earlier), which the track Diamonds is from.

The title track opens up the EP in fine form with a kick ass LA style glam anthem and is definitely my favourite here. Diamonds takes references from NWOBHM as THAT riff rears its head again at the intro. Time Flies has the double kick beat of Motorhead’s Overkill but with way more over the top guitar noodling and a sleazy metal vibe. Great fun tune! All too soon the four tracks are over as Daddy’s Girl closes out the record with a Ratt-style rocker.

I remember that conversations with the record companies took place about replacing LP’s with EPs as the main format because it would be easier to keep the quality of the songs higher. I sort of get that point for bands like Vyper, but I do like the album format. Anyhoo, these are a fun four tracks that I haven’t heard in a long while.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

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