THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: vinyl records (Page 162 of 491)

DARE – Out Of The Silence

July 6, 2023 /

This is the debut album from the ex-Thin Lizzy keys player and all round sidekick, Darren Wharton’s band Dare. Instead of Oldham, you’d think they were from the west coast USA.

Very slick and polished AOR is on the menu for this record my fellow rock n’ rollers. Although the music is clear and crisp, the tracks seem to all blend into one after a while and you wish the foot would press the pedal sometimes, and I am drawn to the tunes with a at least a bit of oomph. Under The Sun is one of those tracks where at the least the power goes up a notch and Vinnie Burns gets a chance to play a little. The other track I really like and gets my vote for favourite tune is Heartbreaker. A very familiar sounding hook and chorus, and at last we have a riff-driven tune.

I know I’m sounding like a Debbie Downer here and that’s not really fair because if you love AOR then you will lap this up.

7/10 from The Grooveman.

BONFIRE – Point Blank

July 5, 2023 /

This is album number three for these German melodic rock maestros. Well, technically it’s record number eight as the band changed their name from Cacumen to Bonfire just before the recording of Don’t Touch The Light.

This is a great album produced by Michael Wagener who gives the songs that little touch of gold that he does on most of the albums he was involved in. Other than mainland Europe, Bonfire didn’t break through as well as they should have especially with this album as it’s a melodic rock gem.

It has well crafted songs, with patented huge hooks and choruses, and snappy little solos when required. That’s all you need! I’ll pick my favourites as the album’s a bit of a stormer. Waste No Time has a superb hook, and the riff and groove are guaranteed to satisfy. Your Back is my overall favourite track as I love the fast uptempo groove and the guitar playing is so good.

If you come across this on your travels I suggest you snap it up.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

MASTODON – Once More Around The Sun

July 3, 2023 /

Album number six for Atlanta’s finest, released back in 2014. I’m a huge fan of Mastodon as there is no one else sounding the way they do. The concepts for each record that they create are on a different scale to all that’s gone before.

Although this album is more of a straight up (for them) rock record there are themes to be tackled, and the title track is (from what I can tell) about addiction and alcohol abuse and it’s a subject close to members of the band. I don’t want to dwell on that subject too much as I find the music very uplifting, and in High Road with the huge monster riffs and melody it is just joyous. How can Crimes At Midnight sound so evil and yet beautiful at the same time? A quite complicated riff leads into some huge riffing and the back and forth vocals between Troy and Brent works so well. Definitely my favourite tune. Aunt Lisa is another favourite as the groove and busy riff are so cool. That, mixed with Brent’s psychedelic vocal style is awesome.

This album wasn’t loved by the critics when it came out and some of the reviews were really bad. I just don’t get that at all. If you take this as a piece of music by a band that you’d never heard before you would be drooling as was I. Bands are free to move on in what ever direction they choose and if that doesn’t please you then fair enough, but to expect a band to stay and make the same record over and over again just to make you happy is not the basis to give a bad review.

Great record and highly recommended.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

ANIMALS AS LEADERS – Weightless

July 3, 2023 /

This is the instrumental trio’s second album, released back 2011 and they are one of the best technical progressive metal bands out there. They take rhythms and grooves places that no one even dreams of. This album was the first to have real drums by Navene Koperweis, as the first was all programmed beats. I love all of this record and I play it often.

Sonically, your brain is scrambled from the most delicate pieces, to insane time changes, and the heaviest of grooves that you can’t fail to enjoy. It’s very hard to pick a favourite so I’m going to pick two. Odessa is a heavy groove paradise that makes me smile constantly with joy at how amazing these musicians are at creating something so beautiful in a genre not known for its subtlety. Weightless is the track I will pick because the way everybody is playing a different groove blows my mind.

Great album played by insanely talented musicians.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

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