THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: vinyl community (Page 232 of 493)

BOOTSY – World Wide Funk

November 30, 2022 /

A lot of Bootsy’s albums involve a lot of funkin’ around, if you pardon the phrase. A lot of gibbering in and in between tracks. I’m pleased to report the emphasis here is on the tunes and the grooves, although he does disappear to the planet Bootsy on occasion.

World Wide Funk opens up the album and I’m glad to say all funks are blazing with a killer groove and added Buckethead noodling. Bass Rigged System is actually what it says. Three bass players, Bootsy, Victor Wooten, and Stanley Clarke giving it plenty with a Prince-style groove. Pusherman slows the pace slightly but it’s a deep and dirty groove. Thera-P closes out Side 1 and that really dirty groove keeps on a comin’. Love the vocal on this!

Hot Saucer opens up Side 2, and why wasn’t this released as a single? A very urban vocal and melody welded to the funkiest of grooves. Heaven Yes is a very laid back R’n’B groove. Ladies Night is a rap/funk crossover. Candy Coated Lover is a 70’s old school soul funk vibe. Snow Bunny sees a return to that heavy Prince style groove. Hi On Heels is my least favourite track on the album. A real slow urban groove doesn’t float my boat. A Salute To Bernie is next, and it’s a a bit of a throw away tune. Boomerang closes what is a quite an average side, and it’s the best song on the album. It has a killer superb funky groove that’s different to everything else on the album. The final side, other than Worth My While, is really stellar. Come Back Bootsy has that loose funky jam vibe ,with some great guitar from Eric Gales. The close out track Illusions is a monster rap/funk crossover and is my favourite, with Chuck D on vocals and Buckethead on guitar. This would have made a killer single album.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

ROYAL HUNT – Clown In The Mirror

November 29, 2022 /

Another superb reissue from the Night Of The Vinyl Dead label, their quality is top notch. This time it’s the second album from Denmark’s finest, Royal Hunt. I have mentioned before the amount of Euro bands that don’t mean a whole bunch in North America, and Royal Hunt are definitely are one of them. They are classed as progressive metal but they lean way more to the melodic side and come across as a heavier Kansas, well on this album anyway. The band revolves around main man and keyboard maestro Andre Andersen, and the majority of the songs are driven by the keys.

A huge pomp intro starts off the album in a very grandiose way that leads into opener Wasted Time, a great and very melodic track. On The Run mixes the pomp of the keys with an over the top operatic harmonies, and the double kicks driving all the way. Definitely my favourite track. Third Stage reminds me of Yngwie with huge classical overtones. Here Today Gone Tomorrow starts off at a killer pace and grooves hard.

They would change vocalists after this album, bringing in the great DC Cooper and I can see why as Henrik Brockmann’s vocals are the weak link on the album. Great music though!

8/10 from The Grooveman.

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY – Blind

November 29, 2022 /

Let’s go all the way back to ’91 with what is COC’s best album. This is a killer reissue, as not only do you get the album but you get a whole albums worth of demos and B-sides. The liner notes are a superb read as well, they actually asked Chris Cornell to join the band prior to the recording of this album. Before this album they were more of a hardcore band and there are elements of that here, but ultimately this is quite a technical metal record with some killer grooves.

Dance Of The Dead is quite simple with a basic descending riff, but it’s a really cool song with hints of Sabbath. In fact, those Sabbath tones are sprinkled liberally throughout the album. Break The Circle has a hint of hip hop with the groove and vocal.  My favourite track is the brutal Vote With a Bullet, such a dirty riff and groove that just bounces along. This is the 30th anniversary reissue and it’s rather excellent.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

IT BITES – Once Around The World

November 28, 2022 /

I bet when It BItes had a hit with Calling All The Heroes from their first album, that Virgin thought they had struck gold. I would love to have been in the room when the execs got a playback of this beauty. Produced by Steve Hillage, this is a modern prog masterpiece. Yes, there are songs with a great pop sensibility like Midnight and Kiss Like Judas, but they are tinged with these big prog arrangements.

Cards on the table time, this is one of my favourite albums ever. An absolute killer selection of tunes with melodies that send goosebumps all over your body. The production and arrangements are freakin’ amazing, there is not a bad second on the whole album. No one sings like Francis, a truly unique individual with an amazing voice and a killer guitar player as well.

Eight songs of pure joy and delight with melodies and harmonies oozing from every groove, but it’s the closing masterpiece of Once Around The World that is my favourite song. It feels like an homage to every classic prog band that has gone before them, but with a twist all of their own. A superb album that sounds huge and you should definitely add this to your ever expanding collection.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

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