THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: vinyl of the day (Page 52 of 450)

GREAT KING RAT – S/T

March 25, 2024 /

Now, this is a very classy kick-ass rock record. Anything rock that came out of Sweden at this time was just so good. This album was released back in ’91 and was their debut. One more album appeared in ’99 and that was it until a reunion in 2017. The members have gone on to appear in numerous Swedish bands since, from Talisman To Hammerfall.

Bright Lights opens up the album and what a belter of a tune it is. It’s got a killer riff and groove, and I love Leif Sundins vocals. Good Times carries on that groove and vibe with some great playing from Pontus Norgren on the geetar. Woman In Love has that heavy funk groove that Aerosmith do so well. I love the middle section! Ball And Chain is a straight up four to floor groover and that hook and chorus is huge. Take Me Back is a power ballad that would put Brian Adams to shame.

Follow The Rains kicks off Side 2 with a killer heavy blues groove, some tasty slide, and a HUGE hook and chorus. The blues gets way down and dirtier on One By One, especially with that traditional intro and it’s gets my vote for favourite tune. Such a great song with a monster hook and chorus! Dirty Old Man Stomp is a beefed up and riffed up Faces-style rocker with a very cool middle eight. Calling For My Angel is a return to that dirty funk blues groove that they do soooo well. The album closes out with Top Of The World, the nearest this band got to a commercial tune. Play this once and you will be singing that hook and chorus all the time.

A killer album by a great band that should have been a huge… that’s if anyone outside of Sweden paid any attention.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

BONFIRE – Knock Out

March 25, 2024 /

Album number four for the ever solid German rockers, Bonfire. Whereas most bands of this ilk disappeared with the great grunge unpleasantness, Bonfire have carried on consistently releasing quality albums right up until 2020’s Fistful Of Fire.

The album is all original compositions, apart from a cover of Billy Squier’s massive hit The Stroke, which I’m guessing was chosen because Mack produced both records. Now, with a song that huge you either have to do something out of the box and original or just don’t bother, and basically this is a note for note copy, but not as good. The middle section is okay with the heavy chords and maybe that’s what they should have done with the rest of the song, to beef it up a bit.

Frankly, their own songs are more than adequate and the having a good time vibe is what they are good at. Dirty Love is a fun rocker tune with a great groove and huge vocal harmonies. Shake Down is another tune with the same vibe and groove. and it is just a great rock song. Side 2 opener Hold You is a fun track. That Def Leppard vibe works really well and you could argue that Mack is using that Stroke beat and groove again here. When they rock out they are a really great band and Down And Out does just that, it’s my favourite track on the album.

A very underrated band that deserve more credit than they get.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

RONNIE ATKINS -Trinity

March 25, 2024 /

I first heard this in a Disc Union whilst I was in Tokyo last year and was sad to hear that there was no vinyl. Thankfully that has been rectified and it’s now a very welcome addition to the collection.

This is Ronnie’s third solo effort, although he is primarily known as the vocalist for Danish rockers Pretty Maids. When you consider Ronnie is battling lung cancer, this is a fantastic vocalist performance. This is definitely a hard rock album, but with hints of AOR creeping in occasionally.

There is bags of melody to keep the AOR crowd happy like Paper Tiger and If You Can Dream It but as usual, it’s the rockier tunes that really lift the album for me. Like, Godless which has a very strong euro metal sound, pounds a long at a decent pace with Chris Laney delivering fat riffage and a great solo. My favourite track however is the epic sounding, Raining Fire. Ronnie delivers a great vocal performance with lots a of melody amid the epic riffage and grooves around him.

I do hope Ronnie gets a reprieve as I look forward to hearing more from him.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

AXE – S/T

March 25, 2024 /

This is the debut album from the Floridians, Axe, released back in ’79. Most of the rock world was going in a more heavy direction around this time but Axe were unleashing this pomp rock monster. By listening to these songs, they were heavily influenced by Styx on this album. They became more commercial and radio friendly around the release of Offering, but this is a bit if an underground classic in AOR circles.

I would go as far to say that Yes were an influence on the album as well, because keyboards play a prominent part throughout the album. The whole vibe around the album is very uplifting and there are none of those nasty evil chords to darken matters. Highlights for me are opener Life’s Just An Illusion, which is the best song on the album. It’s got loads of melody and vocal harmonies with a great hook and chorus.

Hang On is another great uptempo pomp monster. These guys sure know how to write a ditty. The Springsteen flavoured Back On The Streets is a close call for favourite tune and Doing The Best That I Can has a very familiar main vocal melody that I’m sure the Yardbirds used on Shapes Of Things. My only down point for the whole album is the drum sound. They sound so flat and lifeless.

Although it does sound a tad dated, it’s not a bad album at all.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

« Older posts Newer posts »

Archives

© 2024 THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑