THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: vinyl community (Page 218 of 493)

EUROPE – Walk The Earth

January 9, 2023 /

It’s quite easy for people to write Europe off as a one song wonder, and a lot of rock fans do. The Final Countdown was massive and rightly so, it’s a good tune but it was like a poisoned chalice for the band, just like Survivor with Eye Of The Tiger. The band called a hiatus after their Prisoners In Paradise album, and no one knew if that was it. Well, in 2004 the band got back together for their Start From The Dark album, and ever since then they have released some of their best work with a slightly harder edge to the songs, Last Look At Eden is one of my favourite Europe albums.

This album was released in 2017 and it’s an awesome record. Walk The Earth sets things off nicely with that harder edge that I mentioned, and there is a Deep Purple vibe to the song mainly due to the Hammond organ. The Seige follows and I love the riff and groove, we are almost in Prog metal territory here. Kingdom United is very similar, a killer classic feel to this one with a great solo from John Norum. Joey is singing in a lower register on the album, which suits the material very well. Pictures could be from a 70’s Bowie album (a very eerie comparison indeed), a very emotive tune and you can hear the frailty in Joey’s voice a very epic sounding tune. Side 1 closes out with Election Day, an uptempo romp with a very quirky riff and the Purple comparisons are very strong.

Wolves opens up Side 2 with a very modern sounding guitar riff and groove. A slow paced tune but with that epic feel, and the solo is killer. GTO is very old school as it’s about fast cars and the open road, the vibe and groove are also very mid-seventies. A huge, fat, dropped, and tuned riff opens up Haze, and this is my favourite track. A very classic sounding tune with that heavy retro vibe. Beast of a tune! Whenever You’re Ready is just a straight up four to the floor classic rocker. The album close out with Turn To Dust. A classic power ballad where lyrically it’s looking back on life and pointing to the fact that we all have the same end. A great production by Dave Cobb giving the album a modern edge to a very classic sound.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

AL HARLOW – Now

January 7, 2023 /

I’m sure a lot of you will have heard of the band Prism. They had a US hit with Don’t Let Him Know in ’81, I think. Well, Al is still a member of that occasional gigging band, and this is his solo album released in early 2022. Al also released an album under the Harlow name back in ’77, so it’s not his venture out on his own.

So, what does Mr Harlow sound like out on his own? Well it’s mostly songs written in the pop/rock vein. There is one track on the album co-written with Brian Adams and Jim Vallance called Way Of The World, which is what you would expect, a big ballad. Lots of early sixties vibes through a lot of the album, and I Believe, which was mixed by Mike Fraser, is a perfect example of this. My favourite track is He Don’t Live Here No More which has a really cool bluesy vibe, and I love the guitars on this one. I great little record and you just don’t hear tunes being made like this anymore.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

BLACK STONE CHERRY – s/t

January 7, 2023 /

This is a reissue of the band’s 2006 debut album, on the great Music On Vinyl label. Black Stone Cherry are one of the earliest retro vibe bands, and one of the best.

The album opens up with Rain Wizard , a ripping track with a monster riff and groove with just a hint of Soundgarden in there. Blackwoods Grove follows with another fat huge riff, and this track really swings. Lonely Train starts with a real busy groove and that main riff sounds so simple but sooo cool. The hook and chorus are huge! Maybe Someday has a serious 70’s groove going down, especially the main riff. Epic stuff! When The Weight Comes Down follows and the main chords are very punk rock in feel, I’m really loving Chris Robertson’s vocals. Crosstown Woman is bringing the heavy with the drums and guitar at the intro. Killer vocal and I love the whole groove of the song. Shooting Star closes out Side 1, and I love the phased guitar opening, the guitars sound huge on this one.

Hell And High Water opens up Side 2 and this is the most commercial radio-friendly tune so far. Great track! A cover of the Yardbirds’ Shapes Of Things follows and it’s almost unrecognizable from the original, it’s played with a lot more energy and is a great dirty rock groove. Violator Girl is next and it’s also my favourite track. It’s all about the riff and groove. I play this tune a lot! Tired Of The Rain is the most chill track on the album, with added B3 by Reece Wynn’s. Big riffs and chords announce the arrival of Drive with a full blast vocal from Chris. The album closes out with Rollin’ On, another very commercial sounding track, again with Reece’s B3 for flavour. A great album and would be a worthy addition to anyones collection.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

HONEYMOON SUITE – Racing After Midnight

January 6, 2023 /

This is the third album from Niagara Falls’ finest. After the huge success of The Big Prize, the pressure was on with this release and the record company gambled by not using Bruce Fairbairn, and going for Ted Templeman instead. As with everything Ted is involved in, this sounds superb with an awesome production.

This album was aimed straight at the US radio market with four huge singles being released from it. The biggest being Love Changes Everything, which is such a cool song, and Looking Out For Number 1, both very slick tracks. For some reason Cold Look was only released in Europe, I thought that would have been a hit in the US.

They still know how to rock with tracks like Love Fever, but with a more commercial vibe and groove. My favourite track is Other Side Of Midnight, a great uptempo rocker with a superb hook and chorus.

This is what a great producer does and Ted is one of the best. Sure, the songs are awesome but that sprinkle of awesome makes a good album a great album.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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