The Mood Groove - Some Left, Some Stayed - Album - Rock'n'Reviews - Music first (2025)

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The Mood Groove is an American band formed by excellent musicians whose names you will find at the end of the article. Some Left, Some Stayed is the band's second album but the musicians have a long experience and a great musical culture. For example, we find the powerful guitar playing or compositions of JK Northrup on albums of King Kobra, Great White, Foreigner, XYZ, Terry Ilous, Liberty'N'Justice, Ted Poley, Fiction Syxx as well as solo.

The album has fourteen titles. After an intro of presentation, we attack with the very heavy Loop Out with modern sounds, always very melodic. Excellent singing performance by Ed Balldinger and the rhythm changes are extremely pleasant. We draw the influences towards Frank Zappa (main influence of the album) but also towards a funky rhythm (ah this bass sound!). Old Myth Hippie leads us to more jerky rhythms but also to melodic guitars once again and always funky. Ed Balldringer knows how to vary his voice, which here becomes more sensual and raucous.

Video of Loop Out by The Mood Groove

Peace of Mind gives pride of place to a solid rhythm and Ed Balldringer shares the vocals with the drummer Glenn Hicks. There is Glenn Hughes' influence in this Peace of Mind. Very pleasant. JK Northrup's solo is very technical. Then I have a very special attraction for the sublime and solar Transistor Bath House where the voices are shared by four singers. Funky rock fans this title is for you. To be listened very loudly. And what a solo once again. JK Northrup showing himself a master of slide guitar. We pass (Intermission) to focus on the very heavy Ominous Anonymous Enemy Anemone Anomaly, a strange title oscillating between big guitars and huge rhythmic and melodic. Frank Zappa listens with an attentive ear. And a monstrous solo from our friend JK! Change of style with Suicidal Jesus who is very bluesy, In a ZZ Top and Billy Gibbons style. Ed Balldringer is perfect here. His voice rises, falls, almost cries. A David Coverdale's vocal influence here ? All against the backdrop of throbbing keyboards and splendid slide guitar parts.

Video of Peace of Mind by The Mood Groove

Video of Ominous Anonymous Enemy Anemone Anomaly

The rest is pure listening pleasure. Some Sum is sexy, funky. The Hart / Hicks rhythm is monumental. The country Parkway Atheist reminds me a bit of Led Zeppelin's Hot Dog. Amusing. The violin part is very nice. Numb Tongue, Stiff Lip could have been part of David Lee Roth's Eat 'Em And Smile albumSteve Vai era. It moves well and Ed Balldringer shows himself capable of taking a different tone. The keyboard / guitar exchanges are superb. We see that The Mood Groove took pleasure in recording this album with the funny (Roll The Credits) and the vocal Repo The Wonder Dog which close this festive album.

Heavy, funky, big rock, bluesy, Some Left, Some Stayed is an album with multiple influences. But the musicians, all exceptional, do not just copy but they innovate thanks to their multiple talents.

Vidéo of Transistor Bath House by The Mood Groove

Some Left, Some Stayed on Spotify

1- (Welcome To The Show)- MC’d by Doug Thomas of Sacramento’s Classic Rock Radio Station, “The Eagle” 96.9

2- Loop Out- Verse and Pre Chorus Lead Vocal by Ed Balldinger, Intro and Chorus Lead Vocal by Randy Scoles

3- Old Myth Hippie- Verse Lead Vocal and Acoustic by Ed Balldinger, Pre Chorus Lead Vocal by Glenn Hicks, Chorus Lead Vocals by Randy Scoles

4- Peace Of Mind- Verse Lead Vocal by Ed Balldinger, Pre Chorus and Chorus Lead Vocal by Glenn Hicks

5- Transistor Bath House - Verse and Pre Chorus Lead Vocal by Ed Balldinger, Chorus Lead Vocals by Ed, Paul, Randy and Buddy Davis.

6- (Intermission)- MC’d by Doug Thomas of Sacramento’s Classic Rock Radio Station, “The Eagle” 96.9

7- Ominous Anonymous Enemy Anemone Anomaly- Lead Vocals by Ed, Paul, Randy and JK

8- Suicidal Jesus - Verse and Pre Chorus Lead Vocal by Ed Balldinger, Chorus Lead Vocal by Paul Holdgate, Eric Ragno Keyboards, additional Vocal by Buddy Davis

9-Parkway Atheist- Vocal by Ed Balldinger, additional guitar by Bad Pastry, fiddle by Gal A. Mimus

10- Some Sum- Lead Vocal by Ed Balldinger

11-Numb Tongue, Stiff Lip- Lead Vocal by Ed Balldinger, Bridge Lead Vocal by Randy Scoles, Eric Ragno Keyboards

12- (Roll The Credits)- MC’d by Doug Thomas of Sacramento’s Classic Rock Radio Station, “The Eagle” 96.9

13- Repo The Wonder Dog- (feat. The Salamander Choir Boys)

14- Repo The Wonder Dog- (feat. JJ Brown Vice and Ed Balldinger) foot note, JJ is Ed’s Grandson.

All songs written by JK Northrup and Ed Balldinger

Produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by JK Northrup at Alien Productions Music Studio- Carmichael, CA. www.jknorthrup.com

The band :

JK Northrup- Guitars, Backing Vocals

Ed Balldinger- Lead and BackingVocals, acoustic guitar on “Old Myth Hippie”

Larry Hart- Bass (Montrose, Northrup Band, King Kobra, Shortino-Northrup, Fiction Syxx)

Glenn Hicks- Drums, Lead and BackingVocals ( Northrup Band, King Kobra, Shortino-Northrup)

Guests:

Eric Ragno- Keyboards (Fiction Syxx, The Babys, Graham Bonnet, China Blue)

Paul Holdgate- Lead and Backing Vocals (Montrose)

Randy Scoles- Lead and Backing Vocals (Montrose)

Steve Brown- Backing Vocals (Montrose, Oleander)

Diana Short- Backing Vocals (Red Sky Sunrise)

Buddy Davis- Backing Vocals