An unexpected delight, ‘can’t get enough’ was the first outing of Stephen Stills, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Barry Goldberg as The Rides. Each a respected artist in their own right, together the noise they made was sublime and covers of Iggy Pop’s ‘Search and destroy’ Neil Young’s ‘Rocking in the free world’, remarkably, served to enhance the qualities of the band as they took those oh-so-familiar classics and made them very much their own. Now back with a new record entitled ‘Pierced Arrow’, the Rides look set to consolidate the successes of their first, wonderful album over ten songs that explore the many facets of the blues. Stephen Stills has been heard to describe the band as the “blues band of his dreams” and, on the strength of these songs, it’s hard to argue.
The album opens with the bluesy groove of ‘Kick out of it’, Stephen’s gnarled voice sounding as warm, rich and comfortable as ever over a loose jam of gritty guitar and tinkling piano. The first thing to note is how comfortable these musicians sound in each other’s company, ego clearly remaining an irrelevance in the face of making such great music. Sweet and soulful, ‘kick out of it’ sets the tone for the album perfectly. Smooth rock ‘n’ roll is the order of the day with ‘Riva Diva’, a track that sounds like the Stones in their prime, solos skittering across the surface and the ivories taking one hell of a pounding as Barry Goldberg attacks them like The Killer himself. In contrast, ‘Virtual world’ is a ballad that draws on CSNY and classic Neil Young (think ‘Harvest’) to conjure up the sense of confusion that surrounds so many people in a modern world characterised by virtual connections. The interplay between the guitars here is frequently breath taking, and yet it remains understated and never showy – just one of the reasons The Rides are such an impressive act. Another piece of smouldering blues, ‘By my side’ has plenty of soul, not to mention a melody to die for, although it’s the solos, deftly delivered with feel rather than fury, that shine brightest on the track. The first half of the album concludes with the shuffling beat of ‘Mr Policeman’. A spritely track, it gives plenty of space for airy solos and it never fails to get feet tapping with its swift pace.
The second half of the album kicks off in classic Dire Straits mode with ‘I’ve got to use my imagination’, the sort of track that cruises on palm-muted guitar, sweet soul backing vocals and, of course, effervescent soloing. Indeed, the track, for all that its overall vibe is relaxed, offers some of the album’s most incandescent fret work. The sort of blues track you could easily imagine extending into infinity in a live set (and being applauded all the way), ‘I’ve got to use my imagination’ is an album highlight and the perfect introduction to the many powers of the Rides for anyone whose misfortune is not to have heard them to date. It’s back to gritty rock ‘n’ roll on ‘Game on’, a track that harks back to the band’s debut album and ‘roadhouse’ with its punchy guitars and taut beat. The pace is maintained for the Jerry Lee Lewis rush of ‘I need your lovin’’ which cuts a rug on the dancefloor, and you can be sure that the smiles were wide in the recording studio when the band laid down this track. There’s such vitality in the music, it’s impossible not to be caught up along with it. It’s back to the late night blues for the Gary Moore-esque ‘There was a place’ a beautiful song awash with emotion and stunning guitar work. The album concludes with the rolling trad blues of ‘My babe’, a track that you can imagine sitting comfortably at the heart of Clapton’s award-winning unplugged set with its warm shuffle and playful feel. It’s the perfect closer to the album, leaving the listener exhilarated by the musicianship and brightened by the light vibe the band conjure.
The Rides aren’t looking to reinvent the wheel and nor, you feel, should they be. These three musicians are each masters of their field and this collaboration serves as celebration of their own musical prowess and of the genre that is the blues. It is a life-affirming, very human journey that eschews the fast-pace and impersonal nature of the modern world and pays tribute to the many artists who have walked the path of the blues over the years. The Rides don’t question their muse – they know enough to roll with it and see where it takes them and, on this their second album, their muse does not fail them. Stephen, Barry and Kenny play together perfectly and you can feel the chemistry between them sparking as they lay down another solo or cause time to freeze with a melody that breaks the heart just ever so slightly. This is the blues as it has always meant to sound and it is another triumph for the band. Roll on album number three.
