THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: vinyl records (Page 255 of 491)

APRIL WINE – Animal Grace

September 8, 2022 /

To the rest of the world, Harder Faster is April Wine’s most popular album. Hey, it got them on the original Monsters Of Rock festival at Castle Donnington, so they must have been doing something right. Canada, however, knew them from way back, and were known for more poppier tunes like Bad Side Of The Moon and You Could Have Been A Lady. So, was Harder Faster a one off?

This album came out in ’84 and was three albums after Harder Faster. I would say, yes, they had reverted back to a more poppy sound with only a couple of hard rockin’ references. Hard Rock Kid is one of them but it could have been so much more, and Rock Tonite, which is head and shoulders above anything else on the album and is my favourite.

I find this album a bit if a mish-mash, and it feels like they are trying to please everyone instead of concentrating on what they were good at.

6/10 from The Grooveman.

HAREM SCAREM – Weight Of The World

September 7, 2022 /

This is album number seven from Canada’s best kept secret, Harem Scarem. They have released 13 studio albums as themselves, two albums under the name of Rubber, plus numerous live and compilation albums – and there are still rock fans who don’t know who they are! Their first two albums are melodic rock classics that everyone should own.

This album first saw the light of day in 2002, and this is a 2019 Frontiers reissue. The title track kicks things off – the first thing that grabs you are the harmonies and the hook. Killing Me out does its predecessor as the vocals and harmonies are just superb. Outside Your Window has a very different groove – I love the guitar on this one. All I Want Is Everything has another killer solo from Pete Lesperance – who has to be one of the most underrated guitarists out there. He always plays what the song needs in such a beautiful way. They are kings at writing the syrupy ballad, and This Ain’t Over is definitely one of them. There is a short instrumental piece that closes out Side 1. It sort of frustrates me a bit as they could have done so much more with it.

The overall vibe of this album is somewhat poppy, and they were criticized for this at the time – hence the Rubber side project. You Ruined Everything feels like a tribute to Cheap Trick who are the kings of power pop. Charmed Life has a super cool groove and riff in the verse, and the chorus is super catchy – it’s my favourite on the album. More power pop vibes with If You, and I can see why they made the two Rubber albums – they seemed to have tapped into something. See Saw is a really interesting instrumental that shows what a great player Pete is. This is no shred fest though – its pure melody – even when the pace picks up. Voice Inside has a great uptempo beat and groove, and the key changes and middle eight are killer. The album closes out with End Of Time and it’s ballad city – they do them so well though that it’s hard not to get drawn in.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

Q5 – Steal The Light

September 7, 2022 /

Other than making one of the finest hard rockin’ albums of the eighties, Q5 were mostly known for having the inventor of the locking tremolo system in their ranks, namely one Floyd Rose. There was one other album after this, When The Mirror Cracked, which didn’t reach the heights of this monster. Then due to fighting within the band, they were done, but they leave behind one of the finest albums of the period.

The album kicks off with the heavy, Missing In Action, with its fast paced groove and great riff and solo. Lonely Lady is a lot more melodic with the hook and chorus, but the riff and groove is very Maiden with it’s gallop. The title track is up next and starts with some spacey guitar, before we settle into that slow chugga riff. I love the hook and chorus on this one! The close out track on Side 1, Pull The Trigger, is my favourite on the album. It’s full of big riffs, and with the anthemic vocal, it’s a nailed on winner.

Side 2 kicks in with the very AC/DC style riff of Ain’t No Way To Treat A Lady. A great fun tune that should have you up and groovin’. In The Night feels a bit Sabbath with the start up riff and is quite a slow paced tune. Come And Gone is corny ballad city, and other than the solo, it’s meh. Rock On has a very dirty sleazy riff and groove. Then the album closes out with Teenage Runaway, and it’s another fun AC/DC style romp. It’s a shame they never made it of the starting gate, as they were a decent band.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

PANTERA – I Am The Night

September 6, 2022 /

I wish the surviving estates of Dime and Vinnie would get together and get these four early albums to come out as remasters, and stop the endless bootlegging of these titles. The market is definitely there for them. I love these early albums as it shows the influences they had, and man they could play anything. This was the last album to feature Terry Glaze on vocals before Phil would sing in Power Metal.

Hot And Heavy is just wild and Dime’s playing is incredible – see if you can spot the Van Halen riff he throws in. I Am The Night is pure Judas Priest, and we know how much the brothers loved them. Killer descending riff from Dime and pounding kicks from Vinnie. Onwards We Rock is next up and has a super cheesy lyric, but Dime is the saviour with an amazing solo. D.G.T.T.M is a Dime showcase instrumental. Side 1 comes to an end with my favourite track, Daughters Of The Queen. It’s all about the riff and Dime’s guitar sound. Quite a simple song but that guitar sound!!!

Down Below opens up Side 2 and it’s pedal to metal double kicks all the way. Oh and lots of Dime! Come On Eyes is not that great lyrically but who cares when Dime is just ripping it up. Right On The Edge has a huge pounding beat with Dime riffing Priest style. Valhalla has a killer riff with double kicks all the way but the vocals are a bit weak on this track. There is a Primal Concrete Sledge feel to the middle section. The album closes out with Forever Tonight. I guess this is as close as Pantera gets to a ballad, but which Ozzy track does it remind you of? I do love these early albums, I’m biased in that way, but they are a fun listen and Dime was such a great player.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

« Older posts Newer posts »

Archives

© 2026 THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑