THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: vinyl records (Page 395 of 491)

SAGA – Worlds Apart

August 19, 2021 /

Released in ’81, this is Saga’s 4th studio album, and as soon as the needle hits the grooves you know it’s Saga – they have such a distinctive sound. The album is produced by Rupert, who was flavour of the month at the time, and the sound is spectacular. Rupert was working with lots of synth bands like The Thompson Twins at the time, and that sound mixed with the rock of Saga, works really well.

On The Loose is the big hit from the album and opens us up. Great track with a superb melody and chorus – it’s a typical Saga tune. The following track is Times Up and it’s a very eighties synth pop track, and Hines’ influence is evident. For me, what makes this band special is the interplay with the keyboards and the killer guitar playing from Ian Crichton. On the next track, Wind Him Up, this is delivered to the max – with the added bonus of a superb melody and hook. Amnesia is next, and again, it has that eighties pop feel to it. It doesn’t quite work for me as a song, but the instrumentation is good. Framed closes out Side 1, and it could be part two of the previous track as the feel is very much the same. The vibe is lifted somewhat by some killer playing from Ian Crichton.

The Interview opens up Side 2, and it reminds me of a heavier Styx. This side also sees two of the band’s “Chapters” based songs, namely number 5, No Regrets, and number 8, No Stranger. These songs told the tale of a young Albert Einstein and were spread over the band’s first 4 albums – they keep the band’s Prog credentials intact. Not the best album by the band, but still a good album.

8/10 from The Grooveman.

CIRCLES – The Last One

August 18, 2021 /

This is the Australian Tech Metaller’s third full album release, and I think the first to feature new vocalist, Ben Richter. The band deal in crushingly heavy riffs and grooves, and beautiful emotive vocals – with the occasional screamed sections. They have been around since 2010, and latched on to the whole Djent movement. The comparisons are obvious; from the polyrhythmic drumming, and the deep fat palm muted riffs. Similarities between Tesserract are abound, as the vocal styles are very similar, but I would say that Circles occupy a heavier space as Tesserract are moving away from the heavier stuff.

This is album feels as though it’s a huge step forward as the quality of the song writing and the playing has moved up a few gears. Ted Furuhashi’s playing is incredible on this album, and he is one of the genre’s unsung heroes. Tracks like Winter, and the beautiful Arrival, see Ted really stretching out. The heaviness of the Djent is strong on this one. Album closer, Alone With Ghosts, is one of my favourite tracks from this whole genre. I would gladly have paid for this track alone. Hopefully they will still be around to release more music, as they have been a tad quiet of late. Great band!

9/10 from The Grooveman.

QUEEN – II

August 18, 2021 /

Another album from my early teenage years that had a big impact on me. After hearing the single, Seven Seas Of Rhye, I was hooked – mainly due to the amazing guitar of Brian May. I think you can trace back my infatuation with all things guitar, to Brian and Ritchie Blackmore – and a bit later on with Zal Cleminson. The pure majestic sounds that Brian coaxed out of his homemade guitar, was mind blowing to a young (and very impressionable) me. Of course, Freddie was this larger than life character with this incredible voice. Watching them on Top Of The Pops was life changing for me.

This album is split into Side White, which is predominantly all Brian songs, and Side Black, which is all Freddie. It’s very noticeable on this record that the pop leanings of future Queen releases had not yet made an appearance, and the overall vibe of this record is part Prog and part hard rock. The mix of the two is present in the opening track, Father To Son, which is perfect Queen for this time in their career (and Brian does let rip on this track). White Queen on the other hand is a very progressive sounding track, and you get the feel as though the original idea behind this album was for it to be a concept piece. Some Day One Day has the same feel, except it has an added folk medieval vibe. Loser In The End is Roger Taylor’s contribution to proceedings. It’s a very odd sounding piece, even though I do love Rogers voice.

Side Black is a much more heavy affair, and the opening track, Ogre Battle, is one of the best early Queen tracks. You get the first glimpse of those beautiful layered vocal harmonies that the band were famous for, plus this is a showcase for Brian. The brilliance of producer Roy Thomas Baker is at its best on The Fairy Feller’s Master Stroke, as the band were using everything in this track – he did well to keep it all together. The rather short piece, Nevermore, follows and is just basically Freddie and a piano. My favourite track on the album, The March Of The Black Queen, follows and is as epic as the band get. The delicious over the top vocal harmonies lead into a very dramatic song, with some great playing from Brian and the WEM Copycat was in full use. One of those tracks that only Queen could get away with is next with Funny How Love Is. It has the full Phil Spector treatment. Seven Seas Of Rhye closes out the record, and to me, is just awesome!

I lost interest after A Night At The Opera as it all became a bit too soap opera and cheesy for me.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

CONCEPTION – State Of Deception

August 17, 2021 /

Conception are responsible for releasing two of my favourite albums from the progressive metal genre: In Your Multitude, and Flow. After the release of Flow, Roy Khan left to join US band Kamelot. This, in my opinion was a huge step backward as they were nowhere near the quality of Conception, but (what do I know?), he stayed with them for nearly twenty years. Tore Ostby went on to form Ark, with the amazing Jorn Lande. Then after twenty years, Khan left Kamelot and Conception was back up and running with the release of the EP, My Dark Symphony, and then recording this beauty, State Of Deception.

So after all these years, can the band still cut it? Well, the answer is a resounding: YES! Roy Khan’s vocals still sound as epic as ever, and Ostby’s guitar sound and riffs are better than ever. Waywardly Broken is what I’ve been missing for all these years. Huge fat guitar sound and that voice! No Rewind is as epic as I remember. Super epic riffs and complicated grooves is what I like, and this track delivers huge. If you are a lover of the grandiose operatic style of tune, then The Mansion will be right up your street. Lovers of old Conception won’t be disappointed with She Dragoon, as it feels like a track from In Your Multitude, with that deliciously twisted riff that only Ostby can do.

Is this record on par with my two favourite releases? Honestly, I would say no, but those two albums are exceptional releases and this is a really good album – it just doesn’t quite reach the heights of those two. Hopefully they will carry on, as my musical world is much better for having them in it.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

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