Some albums can only be described as treasures. Eric Clapton and BB King collaborating on the album ‘riding with the king’ is one such record, a rare collection of beautifully rendered blues cuts that sparkles with a joie de vivre that is quite impossible to cynically replicate if the passion is not there to start with; and now we have a similarly motivated album, a group of musicians forming a band together out of mutual respect and using the opportunity to not only cover some classic songs, but also to pen four new efforts and even to unearth an unrecorded piece written by Stephen Stills. It is Stephen, of course, who, alongside guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd and keyboardist Barry Goldberg, has formed The Rides, a stunning blues combo whose debut album, ‘can’t get enough’ covers tracks from artists such as Muddy Waters, Iggy and the Stooges and even Neil Young with a verve and love of the material that threatens to surpass even some of the venerable originals. Quite simply, ‘can’t get enough’ is a treasure that will have blues fans foaming at the mouth with glee.
Opening very much as they mean to go on, ‘Mississippi Road House’ is a Delta Blues stomp that hits a mean stride from the off with Stephen Stills sounding on the form of his life as the band grinds out blues riffs that surge and crackle with vitality. That it is one of the original tracks on here makes it all the more special, and it is one hell of a way to kick off a record. ‘That’s a pretty good love’ is a short, sweet track that swings like an illicit, prohibition-era party with its toe-tapping piano and Shepherd’s smooth, soulful vocals before Stephen returns on vocal duties for another original track, the gnarled, beautiful ‘don’t want lies’ which does much to evoke the melodic spirit of Crosby, Stills and Nash, the band falling into line behind Stephen as he pours his heart and soul into a song that feels utterly timeless. The guitar work is exquisite, the atmosphere smoky, like a blues bar after hours as the last regulars in the joint finish their whiskies before stumbling out into the cleansing rain, and the production (handled by Jerry Harrison) couldn’t be bettered.
Covering iconic tracks is often a risky affair, but as the band comes storming in on the evergreen ‘Search and destroy’ (Iggy and the Stooges), the blackened nihilism of that blistering rock and roll track is swapped out for Kenny Wayne Sheppherd’s lust for life, love and music and the result is a hard-rocking, blazing reworking of a classic that places the band’s own unique stamp on a track that more-or-less predicted the career arc of bands such as Mudhoney. ‘Can’t get enough of loving you’ sounds like a collaboration between Tom Waits and Eric Clapton with its grizzled vocal and gospel undertones – it’s a masterpiece, a stunning piece of music that taps into a deep well of emotion with its soaring guitar work and impassioned vocals and it’s a strong highlight of an album, the quality of which never dips below exceptional. ‘Honey Bee’ (Muddy Waters) is a lengthy blues workout that will undoubtedly prove to be a high point of the live show, and, as with the other covers here, The Rides pull off the seemingly impossible feat of making such powerfully recognisable work their own, Barry Goldberg’s faultless piano work an integral part of what makes the song swing with such authentic power.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is the band’s blistering rendition of Neil Young’s ‘Rockin’ in the free world’, the Rides turning in a taut, energetic performance worthy of Crazy Horse themselves, and Stephen Stills sounding powerful, confident and infused with the blazing light of the rock ‘n’ roll spirit. It’s a daring tune to tackle and that the band do so with such aplomb highlights just how much power and authority these veteran musicians have. Neil Young fans have no cause to worry, The Rides treat the track to a supercharged display of raw power that will leave listeners slack-jawed in admiration. ‘Talk to me baby’ (Elmore James) sees Kenny return to the microphone for another swinging number that more or less demands movement whether you are so inclined or not. It’s not so much the brilliant performances that grab you so, but rather the love for the music that floods out of the speakers. This is a record that sparkles with a sense of joy, as if each one of the musicians is so utterly lost in the moment that the feeling somehow translated itself onto the recording. It’s quite impossible to ignore, and listening to ‘can’t get enough’ is like receiving a huge shot of adrenalin, each track sending the blood surging through the veins, revitalising the senses and leaving the listener feeling like nothing is impossible. There are few records which possess such magical power and it marks The Rides debut out as an utterly essential purchase.
Of the final two tracks, ‘Only teardrops fall’ is a haunting, majestic soul track that taps into the same emotional vein that made Smokey Robinson’s ‘tracks of my tears’ resonate with so many fans. The final track is of particular interest because it is a previously unrecorded gem that dates back to Stephen Stills’ Buffalo Springfield days. For long-term fans of either Stills’ work in general, or Buffalo Springfield in particular, this is a particularly special piece of music and it does not disappoint, the band blazing away behind Stephen at his most confrontational, articulate and energetic and for a moment it’s as if the clock has turned way back and Stephen is standing there, his long flowing hair tailing behind him as he rages with the power of a young man, new to the music world and crackling with the excitement of an uncertain career still to come. It’s the perfect finale to an album that has the power to move even the most apathetic of listeners with its stunning musicianship and sublime performances.
This album is an unqualified treasure. It crackles and sparkles with an energy that few modern performers can dream of, let alone replicate. The musicianship is simply stunning throughout and Jerry Harrison must be commended for having captured the whole thing so brilliantly. This isn’t a record for blues fans or rock fans, nor is it an album for fans of Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Stephen Stills or Barry Goldberg, this is an album for people who still believe that music can be a life-affirming work of art, a celebration, a call to change and a force for inspiration. It’s a record that you can listen to a hundred times and still hear something new, a record that will leave you feeling more alive, more inspired and more optimistic and it is essential for all of those reasons. Don’t miss out on this album, or on the shows promised in November, this is music exactly as it should be, passionate, poetic, perfect – The Rides have crafted a masterpiece.
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