CD Albums - Reviews by Quad5point1

CD Albums - Reviews by Quad5point1

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Member	Item		Review/Comment
Quad5point1 8th Oct 2021		CD Album Grannie - Grannie (2021)	Review Although owning the 2012 Record Collector re-issue of this album I have never been able to play it because my equipment is in storage. It was great to stumble across this _very_ limited release on CD and finally get around to hear what it was like. The music overall is quite good but I wouldn't rave about it as it all sounds very amateurish and this is no doubt down to how it was recorded in the first place. The band though, with a proper producer and more time to record these songs might well have been a very different matter. It has the makings of some great sounds and in particular the guitar player who sounds like he had the talent to take it even further. His playing on this album has the sound and feel of Kim Simmonds on the Savoy Brown album Looking In which is one of my personal favourites. So all-in-all a worthy effort and one defintely for the Savoy Brown fans out there. I would give it 7/10 for the effort and it's just a pity they couldn't have taken it further. 6 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
Quad5point1 1st Jul 2021		CD Album Lynyrd Skynyrd - Lynyrd Skynyrd (2021)	Review There's an awful lot more to Lynyrd Skynyrd than Sweet Home Alabama and Free Bird much of which can be witnessed on this concert footage shot in 1976 at Knebworth. For me the star attraction of this disc set has to be the concert footage. The only other time I saw this was on BBC's special 15 hour event called "Rock Around The Clock" on 27th August 1983. It was part of a phone in vote which won and was subequently aired. Free Bird is a great track but at this concert it was the pièce de résistance. Filmed at sunset during the summer of '76 (which was one of the hottest summers I ever remember) this version of Free Bird is so full of energy you felt exhausted by the end of it, an absolutely stunning performance which is still talked about to this day, I would've just loved to have been there, now with this Blu Ray edition and Home Cinema I can get the next best thing to being there. This is one not to be missed, BUY IT! 1 person found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
Quad5point1 29th Jan 2021		CD Album Jon Anderson - Olias Of Sunhillow (2021)	Review Esoteric Recordings is proud to announce the release of a new expanded and re-mastered 2 disc edition of the classic debut solo album by YES vocalist JON ANDERSON, “Olias of Sunhillow”. Released in July 1976, the album was a conceptual work recounting the story of an alien race on a journey to find a new world following volcanic destruction on their home planet. All music on the album was written and performed by Jon Anderson and the recording took place at Anderson’s Buckinghamshire home studio whilst Yes were on hiatus following the tour to promote the album “Relayer”. Initially recorded on an 8-track tape machine, the arrangements were then re-recorded on to a 24-track tape machine. The album saw Jon perform the music entirely alone, teaching himself to play keyboards and acknowledging the influence of such legendary musicians as Rick Wakeman, Patrick Moraz and Vangelis on his work. Indeed, it was even rumoured Vangelis performed on the album, something the maestro would deny in interviews. “Olias of Sunhillow” was released by Atlantic Records in the summer of 1976 in an elaborate gatefold sleeve designed by David Fairbrother-Roe and was a top ten album in the UK. This Esoteric Recordings edition has been newly remastered from the original album master tapes and fully restores the stunning original artwork and also features a booklet with a new essay and exclusive interview with Jon Anderson. Over the ensuing years the excellence of the album has led to many calls for the album to be remixed in a 5.1 Surround Sound format. Alas, despite extensive research, the multi-track masters of the album cannot be found. However, this expanded edition of “Olias of Sunhillow” features a DVD featuring a high resolution 96 kHz / 24-bit re-master of the stereo mix and also includes a high resolution 5.1 Surround Sound up-mix derived from the original stereo master tapes as an additional feature. (From the Cherry Red Website ) 3 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
Quad5point1 20th Nov 2019		CD Album Collective Soul - Blood (2019)	Review I've been listening to these guys since 1993. Their albums have always been new and fresh and never boring. I never thought that they would get any better than Collective Soul [2009] but again they pulled yet another rabbit out of the hat. Ed Roland never fails, his songwriting ability never ceases to amaze. The musicians are all simply stunning. In Ed Roland's lyrics there appears to be a consistent thread of spirituality, this is most likely coming from his background. Their father was a Southern Baptist minister which influenced their spiritual background; however, Ed has cited that Collective Soul is not a Christian rock band. Being brought up in the ways of the church myself (until 1969/70 when I found King Crimson and Black Sabbath) I can't help thinking that if churches could get closer to what these guys are doing then I for one would probably start attending again, until then I'll just have to keep listening to this amazing band 4 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
Quad5point1 21st Jun 2019		CD Album Cliff Richard - Every Face Tells A Story (2002)	Review I have to agree with MR B PAGE. This album for me has everything. Great songs, great production values and above all great performances. Apart from tracks 12-15 which are extras and not on the original album except track 12, this is truly a gem of an album. If you can look past the obvious religious conotations you'll find some amazing vocal performances especially as MR B PAGE points out from John Perry and Tony Rivers and some truly wonderful vocal performances from Cliff himself. For me this was Cliff at his peak and has never bettered it. Well worth the money to experience. 10/10 from me 5 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
Quad5point1 28th Mar 2019		CD Album Tear Gas - Tear Gas (2019)	Review For me this has to one of the greatest Prog Rock albums from the 70's. Released in 1971 this was the follow up to their first album Piggy Go Getter. The first album was a complete non runner and then this almighty beast came along and changed my perceptions on heavy rock forever. I remember buying this and taking it home on the bus. I was 17 at the time and thought I'd heard it all but I can hand on heart say this album just blew my head off. Looking at it in the shop I remember puzzling over it because it was on Regal Zonophone, the label for pop music, The Move, Joe Cocker, Blue Mink and the Boppin' Elves themselves Tyrannosaurus Rex. In my mind I associated the label as being kind of experimental and thought that it might be worth giving a go. When I got home I got it on the turntable and whacked up the volume, not really recommended for this album as the Bass is so mighty it nearly blew the cones out of my speakers along with the windows. I was surprised to read on the liner notes that Zal Cleminson never had a strong singer and that's what Tear Gas lacked, If you're reading this Zal, I'd have to completely disagree with you, the vocals on this album are amazing. I played in a rock band in Belfast (Lead Singer, Harmonica, Acoustic 12 String) and our band learned 4 tracks from this album and they always went down a storm. Needless to say when people asked who the original band was, nobody had ever heard of them and by that time the album had been deleted and was extremely hard to come by. They were like a cross between Sabbath, Purple and Zeppelin. If you've never heard this album I would give your ears a treat and go buy it, £9.99 on Amazon Prime at the moment. 7 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
Quad5point1 31st Jan 2019		CD Album Paul McCartney - Press To Play (1986)	Review For me this had to be the worst album McCartney ever committed to tape. I couldn't find any redeeming factors about it at all bar the title song Press which is at best mediocre. I know McCartney went through a phase of bringing in other established stars to work alongside and I truly thought the partnership with Eric Stewart would've been a good one based on his work with 10cc but this album just left me cold and wondering where McCartney's head was at when he recorded it. To this day it has remained on the shelf unplayed and unloved for 33 years. For me there is only one thing good about it and that was the cover picture for the sleeve. The album covers photograph was taken by George Hurrell, using the same box camera that he used in Hollywood in the 1930's and the 1940's. Hurrell was renowned for his photographs of movie stars of the 1930's and 1940's like Clark Gable and Greta Garbo, to which the album's cover was meant to pay homage and for me it was only thing that worked. Other than that it's definitely one you're not missing if you don't have it and I certainly wouldn't go out of my way to buy it. 8 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
Quad5point1 8th Jan 2019		CD Album Paul Brady - Paul Brady Live At Rockpalast (2015)	Review Anybody who has a desire to see Paul Brady at a stage in his career when he changed direction completely should own this. The DVD footage as far as I'm concerned is pure gold. I had the good fortune to see Paul around the time Hard Station was released when he was recorded by BBC Northern Ireland at the Students Union in Queens University for broadcast in Northern Ireland. It was one of the best gigs I have ever attended and I'm nearly sure the line-up on this DVD was the same one I saw that night. The atmosphere was electric, the music was rocking and the band were really on top form. This is as close as I'm ever going to get to re-live that magical evening as I doubt the tapes were retained by the BBC , which is such a shame. It should be brought to the attention of the "Missing Presumed Wiped" investigators alongside the Fruupp concert recorded at The Kings Hall, Belfast, and the Taste concert recorded at The Ulster Hall, Belfast, when Rory decided to wind up Taste and go out on his own. As for this DVD, if you like this period of Paul Brady's career you won't be disappointed. BUY IT!!! 6 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
Quad5point1 11th Jan 2018		CD Album Various Artists - Happy Days: 26 Fun Hits From The Sixties (1995)	Review This disc has the usual disclaimer about re-recorded tracks only this time it isn't tucked away on the inside of the cover inlay where you wouldn't see it until you got home and opened it, It's actually on the CD Tray Insert where you can see it hiding in plain sight. All the tracks have been re-recorded except tracks 3 & 20. The rest of them are abysmal and not worth listening to. Another one for the shredder. Total rubbish!!! 4 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
Quad5point1 11th Jan 2018		CD Album Various Artists - No1's Of The Sixties (1988)	Review This disc has the usual disclaimer about re-recorded tracks tucked away on the inside of the cover inlay where you wouldn't see it until you got home and opened it. All the tracks seem to have been re-recorded except track 5. The rest of them are abysmal and not worth listening to. They even managed to slip in 3 tracks from the 70's ??. Another one for the shredder. Total rubbish!!! 4 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
Quad5point1 11th Jan 2018		CD Album Various Artists - 60's The Groups (1988)	Review This disc has the usual disclaimer about re-recorded tracks tucked away on the inside of the cover inlay where you wouldn't see it until you got home and opened it. All the tracks seem to have been re-recorded except tracks 7, 10 & 13. The rest of them are abysmal and not worth listening to. Total rubbish!!! 4 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
Quad5point1 27th Dec 2017		CD Album The Beach Boys - Greatest Hits (1987)	Review Tracks 1,2,3,5,6,7, & 8 all sound like very early mixes of the songs. Track 4 is an instrumental in the Tijuana Brass style, Track 9 is an instrumental with the saxophone taking the lead vocal part and track 10 is also an instrumental. Not the greatest CD ever compiled as it's title would have you otherwise believe. 5 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
Quad5point1 17th Sep 2017		CD Album Various Artists - The All British Top 10 1961 (2013)	Review I know there's been some discussion on the forum recently about derisory ratings on some of the CD's posted and I pretty much agree with what's being said, that is until I heard this. Firstly I would have to say that these tracks are re-recordings done by the original singers with not neccesarily the original musicians. I have given all the tracks on this double CD a rating of 1 except for the Gerry and The Pacemakers tracks which I gave a 4, the others got a 1 simply because there is no zero to select. This CD set is a complete travesty and in my opinion should never have been made. Midi backing tracks are very evident on it and the vocals of all the pensioners involved are terrible. It makes you wonder what they were paid to do this. Worst of the bunch has to be Herman's Hermits, Eric Burdon, Denny Laine, Billy J Kramer and the one who gets the biggest Raspberry is Karl Denver, absolutely atrocious. If you ever find this and pick it up drop it immediately!!!. Just off now to send this one through the shredder 5 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
Quad5point1 9th Sep 2017		CD Album Soundtrack - Best Of Kevin Costner (1992)	Review Apart from the fact that Kevin Costner appeared in all the films he has absolutely nothing more to do with this other than that very tenuous link. No artists are listed for the music and I'm not surprised, it is really really woeful. Very much in the style of a keyboard playing midi files from a floppy disc. One to avoid at all costs 5 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?
Quad5point1 22nd Jun 2017		CD Album Various Artists - 101 70's Rock Anthems (2017)	Review I suppose for the money this isn't too bad a collection of 70's material although there are are a few songs as far as i am concerned definitely don't fall under the title of "Rock Anthem", for example songs by Rod Stewart, Stealers Wheel, Hudson Ford, The Motors, 10CC and Sparks hardly qualify for Rock Act of the year. On the other hand it's great to see bands like Budgie getting an outing on a compilation but just a pity there's only two tracks from them and nothing from their debut album. Once again we are treated to Free playing All Right Now, maybe it's just me but I'm fed up to the back teeth hearing this song and having to go out of my way to skip it everytime it comes on or changing the radio when some lazy DJ from the 70's thinks he's doing us all a favour by playing it, it's about high time somebody had the gumption to pull this song and limit it to maybe one or two plays a month rather than 5 or 6 six times a day. This band has some really brilliant material to trawl through but their singles are just a yawn.Like I said at the top, for the money, you can't be bad to it, only £5, just slightly under 5p a track 5 people found this review helpful. ✔︎ Helpful Review?