THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: vinyl records (Page 385 of 491)

SPARKS – Propaganda

September 13, 2021 /

This band had a big impression on me when I was a young very impressionable school boy back in ’74. The release of Kimono My House, and especially the single This Town Ain’t Big Enough For The Both Of Us, blew my tiny little mind. If you can, watch Edgar Wright’s awesome docufilm The Sparks Brothers as it tells the tale of this amazing band. They sort of operate in a musical world of their own. Every now and then that world seems to align perfectly with what’s happening at the time.

This album was the follow up to Kimono and was also released in ’74. That’s what bands did back then – not like today when you can wait 5 years for your favourite band to record an album. I would dare suggest that Sparks are one of the ultimate Prog rock bands as they change styles and sounds and constantly evolve. Yes it’s pop, but not as we know it. As The Beach Boys did before them, they tried to innovate within a format that can be throwaway at times and has a very fickle audience.

My favourites on this record are the superb Never Turn Your Back On Mother Earth, and Something For The Girl With Everything – both are superb mid seventies pop tunes with great arrangements, but they sound as though they could be from the now.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

KIX – s/t

September 13, 2021 /

I know Midnite Dynamite and Blow My Fuse were big albums for the band, but to me, this is their best album. It shows the band as their true selves – before record company nonsense kicked in. A cross between glam/power pop and good old rock n roll, this is one fun record. I bought this as a cold buy and had never heard the band before – I just liked the cover and the song titles.

I was super stoked when I first dropped the needle on the record as first song, Atomic Bombs, is a great fun up-tempo rocker. Every song is just pure gold and has that big feel good vibe. Love At First Sight has a killer groove and sing-a-long chorus and should have been a single. Heartache is an ode to young lust. Poison is a monster glam/sleaze track with a killer beat and groove, and has an awesome solo – plus a great call and response section. The Itch closes out Side 1 and reminds me of AC/DC with the guitar sound and main riff.

Side 2 kicks off with the band’s signature song, Kix Are For Kids, and a fun fast old school rock n roll romp it is. Contrary Mary follows and is Faster Pussycat before they were a thing. This album came out in ’81, and I would say this album was an influence on quite a few bands that came after. If I had to choose between this and Crudley Motts first album, I would go for this every time. Better songs, better playing, better frontman, and a way better guitar player. Anyway back to the record. Next up is The Kid, which starts with a solo guitar piece before the full on stomp glamfest kicks in. Last track is Yeah Yeah Yeah, and I know it’s cheesy as hell, but I love the simplicity and the fun vibe of this track – even though lyrically it’s not very PC.

So this record is not gonna change the world, but if it doesn’t put a smile on your face and happy feeing in your soul, then you are in need of therapy.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

JONI MITCHELL – Ladies Of The Canyon

September 11, 2021 /

I’ll admit to not being a big fan of singer/songwriter music in general, and I don’t have a whole lot of it in my collection, but there is something about Joni Mitchell that is so serene and beautiful that I cannot resist, especially the early albums.

This is part of the Reprise years box set and it sounds fantastic, but to me it always has done. They have done a superb job on all the packaging for each album. They have recreated all the albums in their original covers complete with heavy card. So this is Joni’s third album, and makes reference to the area of Laurel Canyon where all the muso’s gathered to jam and write. Quite a lot of my favourite Joni tunes are on this record namely Conversation, Woodstock, and Big Yellow Taxi. If you are feeling stressed or a bit low, this is the perfect album to loose yourself in and chill (as are any of her first four albums).

One of Canada’s greatest musical exports to the world, and I’m not sure we will see such a burst of creativity again.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

OZZY OSBOURNE – Speak Of The Devil

September 10, 2021 /

You will not here Sabbath songs played better anywhere. This is in no small part due to the amazing guitar of Mr. Brad Gillis. Yep, that guy from Night Ranger. After Randy died, and after a few false starts, Brad was the guy that finished the Diary tour. On two nights at the Ritz in New York, Ozzy decided to play a best of Sabbath set and record it for posterity – and this ladies and germs is it. There was a big argument between Oz and Sabbath at the time, probably due to Sharon being Sharon, and this was Ozzy’s big FU to his previous band.

There is no point in me going through the songs, as everyone will have heard them countless times. All I will say is these are the best versions I have heard of these songs, as Gillis, Sarzo, and Aldridge give them a much need shot in the arm. Brad’s guitar is on the verge of feedback constantly, and the way he controls that whilst playing some killer leads is just awesome. He never overplays, it’s just what the songs need. A fantastic album.

10/10 from The Grooveman.

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