THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: vinyl community (Page 220 of 493)

BLACK ‘N BLUE – s/t

January 4, 2023 /

Black ‘n Blue were formed in Portland Oregon back in ’81, and this was their debut album, released in ’84. They had some success in the US where singles like Hold On To 18 and I’ll Be There For You were MTV staples, however by ’89, and after only four albums, they were done. Tommy Thayer is the only member who still has a high profile gig with Kiss.

I really like this album as it has that youthful energy and don’t give a shit attitude. The Strong Will Rock is a kick ass opener and School Of Hard Knocks is even better with a hybrid AC/DC/Def Leppard groove, and a great chorus. Autoblast is my favourite track on the album. Double kicks pounding from the get go with a killer riff and some great guitar from Tommy. Possibly the band’s best known song is next: Hold On To 18. That Def Leppard comparison is very evident on this tune, especially with that gang sang hook and chorus. Side 1 closes out with Wicked Bitch, a Friday rock night special. Big sing along tune with the call and repeat of the title.

Side 2 opens up with Action, a cover of the Sweet classic. Not a bad representation by any stretch, but the original is so good that it’s hard to top it. Show Me The Night follows and it has a very strong late 70’s hard rock vibe to it. Great song with a killer riff and groove. One For The Money is a classic 80’s hair metal rocker with that pounding four four groove and the sing along hook and chorus; it’s textbook. I’m The King could have been a NWOBHM contender, especially with that opening riff and beat. Great tune! The album closes out with Chains Around Heaven and nope it’s not a ballad, it’s anthem time! A huge fat riff and the big hook and chorus, we go out with a bang.

This is my favourite album of their’s, as it’s obvious the record company interfered after this. To me, this is what the band were all about.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

KISS – Creatures Of The Night

January 3, 2023 /

I’m not the biggest Kiss fan if I’m honest, and I don’t have many of their early albums. I only own Destroyer and the live album, as I always thought they were all flash and very little substance. Take the pyro and make up away and what have you got?

After the failure of The Elder, the band were at a crossroads and struggling. Enter one Vincent Cusano, aka. Vinnie Vincent the man who saved Kiss. I know that is a very unpopular opinion, but that’s the truth as I see it. He gave them a serious kick in the ass, which is what they needed and this album put them on the right path to being even bigger than they were before, and their next album Lick It Up was a classic. Vinnie isn’t even credited as playing guitar on this album, and only gets three song writing credits.

I’m going for one of the Vinnie tunes as my favourite, which is Killer, even though War Machine is a close second. This copy is the half speed master audiophile release, and it sounds very crisp and clear. There is not a lot of tracks taken up from the original recording so this should and does sound great.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

LILLIAN AXE – Waters Rising

January 3, 2023 /

I guess you can say this is a comeback album as it was released eight years after their 1999 album Fields Of Yesterday, which was released on the small UK independent label Z Records.

A very heavy opening with the title track, it has a dark sounding riff and groove. Antarctica sounds even heavier with a nice low end groove and riff that sounds evil. Nice to hear the melody and harmonies are still there with the vocals. Become A Monster carries on that evil vibe with another d-tuned riff. Quarantine is my favourite track. A superb psych-style riff and melody, I just love the whole groove of the thing. It’s ballad time with I Have To Die Goodbye, although I do like that little folk vibe they have going on, I’m glad that the heavy does kick in towards the end. Fear Of Time has a weird heavy Queen vibe going on, in a good way. The more melodic side of Steve Blaze comes out on Until The End Of The World, a tune to get all the melodic fans drooling.

Fields Of Yesterday is next and that melodic/aor vibe continues with a mainly acoustic driven tune. Thirst has a very odd sounding riff and sees the band channeling their inner King Crimson. The 2nd Of May has almost a progressive vibe going, and Lillian Axe sound like no one else on tunes like this. Deep In The Black has a killer intro, with both with guitar and vocals possessing a very dark vibe. A very epic piece! The album close out with 5, an instrumental with a killer evil groove and some serious over the top guitar. Great album closer.

Lillian Axe are a metal band, but that term doesn’t do them justice as there so many different vibes going on in their music.

9/10  from The Grooveman.

KICK AXE – Rock The World

January 2, 2023 /

I’m not sure how many other rock bands came out of Regina, Saskatchewan but I’m pretty sure Kick Axe have to be the best. After the relative success of their debut album Vice, the follow-up Welcome To The Club was a bit of a let down, so Rock The World was a bit of a do or die album. Of course we all know now that they disappeared after this, but would resurface agin in 2004.

The album gets off to a blistering start with the full on beast that is Rock The World. It’s definitely one of their best tunes. Killer tune. Next up is a cover of one of the most iconic tracks in rock and that is The Chain by Fleetwood Mac. They actually do a really good job and I like the slightly faster groove, and the solo is killer. Red Line is a straight up four to the floor rocker that hits the spot. Devachan follows and is my favourite on the album. Think of a more melodic version of Manowar crossed with Dio, and you may be somewhere near. I have to say, Larry Gillstrom on guitar just rips. Great player! Side 1 closes out with Warrior, a heavy boogie with a great groove and the vocals and harmonies are awesome.

We Still Remember kicks off Side 2 with a groove similar to The Strokes, and the middle section is superb. A ripping intro to Great Escape, pounding double kicks and wailing guitars. Just what we like! A change of pace with Medusa, a quirky tune that has some amazing vocal harmonies and great guitar. Back to the pound with The Dark Crusade a no nonsense rocker, and again the harmonies are killer. Then, into the final tune with Magic Man. I guess it’s as close to a ballad as this band get. George Criston’s vocals are amazing on this one.

I’m not to sure why this band weren’t bigger, maybe they were just too different. Who knows? Great album.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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