THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: vinyl community (Page 13 of 469)

SMASHED GLADYS – ST

December 27, 2024 /

You don’t hear of many glam/sleaze bands from Toronto, but that’s exactly where Smashed Gladys started. Managed for while by none other than Gene Simmons, there were high hopes for their female fronted sometimes Kiss soundalikes.

Sally Cato’s raspy throaty delivery is perfect for this dirty sleazy rock ‘n roll. You would swear that the song 17 Goin’ On Crazy was a Kiss song. Everything about it screams Kiss, the melody, the main hook, and even the groove. Revol Teen is a perfect mash up of old school Kiss and AC/DC. Simple riff and groove, but it hits the spot. Sadly, Sally Cato passed away in 2020 but at least she had her 15 minutes.

Definitely a fun party rockin’ record.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

CONEY HATCH – Postcard From Germany

December 27, 2024 /

One of Canada’s best melodic rock bands who seem to fly under the radar compared to all the others. They are not the most prolific that’s for sure, they only released three albums in the 80’s, album number four appeared in 2013, and they put out two live albums. This is the latest one from 2023 and it released as part of RSD.

Although this is live, the album opens up with two studio tracks: It’s About A Girl and Heavens On The Other Side. One track with Carl Dixon and the other with Andy Curren on vocals, both proving what great songwriters they are.

I’m a huge fan of the first two albums and they are featured heavily in this set. We Got The Night kicks off the live portion and what a killer uptempo groover to get the crowd going. They follow that with She’s Gone, and that is what makes this band so cool. You get the more straight groover first, then the weirder Andy Curran tune slides on in. I LOVE the Curran tunes because there is that slight dissonance to them which bounces perfectly off the clean groove of the Carl Dixon tracks.

This is a really cool freakin’ album chock full of killer tunes and it’s worth buying for the Side D alone with Don’t Say Make Me, Devils Deck, and Monkey Bars. Surely the bands best three tunes (what about Fallen Angel?).

Definitely no overdubs here and it sounds superb. Go on treat yourself!

9/10 from The Grooveman.

HAWK – S/T

December 27, 2024 /

Yet another one and they’re done band from the Sunset Strip, who briefly caused a buzz but ultimately went the way of a lot of bands and just became a footnote in history. This is the brainchild of guitarist Doug Marks (who also had a Metal Method Guitar school, which ran in tandem with the band), he composed, arranged, and wrote all the lyrics.

Of note here is that Matt Sorum is the drummer on the album. However, there were plans to play live with Bulletboys Lonnie Vincent and Scott Travis of Racer X and now Judas Priest, but it all fell apart. Believe it or not, the band never played live.

The cover gives the impression that this is a glam band, but it’s more of an old school metal band with a Dio-esque vocalist (David Fefolt) and a wild over the top guitarist. Considering this is low budget and self financed, it’s not bad at all and holds up well. My favourite tune is Side 2 opener Battlezone, and going against tradition it’s more of a power ballad and quite an epic sounding tune.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

BLACK SABBATH – Cross Purposes

December 27, 2024 /

I thought these Tony Martin fronted Sabbath albums would never get the reissue treatment. As with most non-Ozzy material, they seem to get forgotten and brushed aside. This is my favourite album with Martin on vocals. It first came out in ’94 with his second stint with the Sabs. Very reminiscent of RJD with his phrasing and tone but with a more melodic element as well.

Iommi is still the riff meister he always was and he comes out with some belters on this album. I Witness is about as good as it gets in the Iommi iconic riff category and one of my favourite tracks. The riff and groove to Psychophobia seems to be taking references from Seattle and Martin’s vocal with a hint of Roger Daltry in there.

Virtual Death is pure old school Iommi at his most evil sounding. There are even elements of groove here with Back To Eden. A great swing to the main groove and Iommi is riffing up a storm. That feel continues with The Hand That Rocks The Cradle. A slow build up to the funkiest groove that the Sabs have ever put to wax.

I know a lot of people passed on this version of Sabbath and are actually discovering these records for the first time. How lucky are they?

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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