THE GROOVEMAN'S COLLECTION

REVIEWS FROM MY VINYL COLLECTION

Tag: vinyl (Page 18 of 50)

GOJIRA – Magma

March 6, 2021 /

Heavier than a heavy thing on a heavy train to heavy town. This album is supreme heaviness wrapped in a blanket of awesome. This is the sixth album from the French tech metallers. They appeared roundabout the same time the djent offshoot was taking root and they were lumped in with those bands, but there is way more going on here.

The first track, The Shooting Star, is quite a left turn for the band as its very Sabbath sounding both in vibe and feel, and with a clean vocal. Second track, Silvera, starts off in familiar territory – with supreme heaviness before the melody interjects to add clout to proceedings. The Cell proceeds to melt your face off with some epic double kicks and monster heaviness, before down-tuned grooviness ensues. Stranded starts with big chugga’s and swell pedal weirdness and is the heaviest track yet. Side closer, Yellow Stone, is just a small bass instrumental to fade out.

Over the flip we go and the title track, Magma, bursts forth and is a mixture of fat heaviness and psychedelic vocals and vibes. Pray follows with some epic thunderous beats with rhythmic chugga’s, and monk like chanting before supreme heaviness takes over. Only Pain proceeds to pound my brain into submission with epic drumming from Mario Duplantier. Low Lands starts with some fantastic off-groove drumming, before the almost Pink Floyd-esque vocals start – a great mix of heavy and hippy. Last track, Liberation, is another weird instrumental piece.

If they had put the two small side closing pieces together, and added another song, this would have been a 10 album. A great album by a great band. In the somewhat tired genre of metal, they are a shining light.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN – Couldn’t Stand The Weather

March 6, 2021 /

Along with Bowie’s Let’s Dance, and the release of the Live At The El Mocambo, this was the album that launched Stevie into the cosmos. We had heard murmurings in the music press about this hot shot guitar player from Texas, but nothing could prepare us for the sheer power of Stevie’s playing. Sure he had all the Hendrix licks and moves down to a tee, but his style was all his own. Listen to the almost chicken pickin’ workout of Scuttle Buttin’ to see what a great style he had. The first time I heard Stevie was on the Let’s Dance video and I was blown away. There is something about a three piece that you just can’t beat. It’s all you need: guitar, bass, drums and vocals – that’s as pure as it gets. When Stevie changed the format himself by bringing in keys and horns, it was never the same.

Other than live performances, this album was as good as it got for me. This album is a mix of originals and covers dear to Stevie. The second track, the title song from the album, is a self penned tune and has the Hendrix blues mix that would be his trademark – a great song it is. The first cover is The Things I Used To Do, a blues standard written by Eddie Jones, which shows what command SRV had over his tone and sound. Hendrix’s Voodoo Chile closes out Side 1 and would become a showcase in the set whenever it was played live. Stevie doesn’t mimic Jimi, he makes it his own.

Side 2 opens with the Doyle Bramhall written Cold Shot, which is an awesome tune and was released as a single. The Jimmy Reed classic Tin Pan Alley is next – Reed was a big influence for Stevie. The album ends with two original: Honey Bee, a classic shuffle, and Stangs Swang a triad jazz piece that shows Stevie’s versatility as a player. No one trick pony here.

This is another in the series of everyone should own one.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

PAT TRAVERS – s/t

March 5, 2021 /

Not long after leaving Canada and moving to London, Travers secured a contract with Polydor records, and this was the first album of that contract. A mixture of originals and covers, it a good solid album that showcases Pat’s great playing skills. I managed to catch him on this tour to promote the album in a small club in my hometown. That’s where Pat has to be seen, the live performance was always killer expanding the songs from the albums.

Opening track, Stop An Smile, is a song that was written back in Canada and fleshed out here. A solid opening track with some tasty playing. The same can be said of second track, Feelin’ Right, another good tune with great vocal from Pat. The first of the covers is next, Magnolia by JJ Cale, and it slows things right down. You forget what a soulful voice Pat has. Side 1 closes with a Travers classic that he still plays today, Makes No Difference. A great tune with a couple of well placed groove and key changes to take it up a notch – plus a nice solo.

Side 2 starts with another cover and crowd sing-a-long favourite, Boom Boom Out Go The Lights. Another cover next with the Chuck Berry classic, Mabelline, and the final cover, Hot Rod Lincoln, which is just a novelty piece. The final two tracks are originals. As My Life Flies, a fairly standard song with some nice key changes to keep it interesting, and Medley Parts 1 and 2. A nice way to end the album, with an instrumental opening for Part 1 that changes into a funky groove for the second half, and then back to a killer instrumental section before the song ends.

Not a bad first attempt, and the second album would be a monster record.

7.5/10 from The Grooveman.

FRANK MARINO – The Power Of Rock And Roll

March 5, 2021 /

There are four Frank Marino albums that are off the charts awesome. This one, Juggernaut, What’s Next, and the Live album. Forget about the fact that two of them were titled Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush – basically it’s the same thing, “Mahogany Rush” was dropped after the What’s Next recordings. No mention of the Hendrix nonsense as I touched on that in the review of the Live album. What I will say is I’m surprised and amazed that more guitarists don’t cite Frank as an inspiration. The only person that does is Zac Wilde. As I have mentioned before, Frank is an absolute monster of a player and he is up there with the very best for me.

We start things off with a couple of Frank-standard rockers. Some healthy solos are thrown in for extra points in the title track and Play My Music. Then track three, Stay With Me, rockets into the stratosphere with some killer playing, the first of the 5 all killer no filler tracks on the album. The close out track to Side 1 is Running Wild, and you just have to hear the playing – it’s other worldly. I’m sure there is a kitchen sink in there somewhere.

Time to take a breather before Side 2 kicks in with Crazy Miss Daisy. Another patent Marino rocker with another killer middle section. Go Strange is next, and is one my favourite Frank tracks. There are lots of textures and grooves happening on this track. Just freakin’ awesome! You run out of superlatives to describe his playing. Young Man is next and the pace drops slightly with a straight up rocker. Last track, Ain’t Dead Yet is my favourite Frank tune. This one has everything times ten. The ending is epic, you feel as though you’re in a war zone.

Big shout out to the band, Frank’s bother Vinnie on rhythm guitar, Paul Harwood on bass, and Jim Ayoub on drums for holding it all together. Another definite buy album. It loses half a point for Play My Music.

9.5/10 from The Grooveman.

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