Thursday, May 26, 2016

The RIDERS: "Pierced Arrow"

Rating: RR
Label: Provogue/Mascot 2016
Review by: Urban "Wally" Wallstrom

Mustang Sally. Have you heard it all before? She would most definitely smile, nod and agree. This is all very second rate 'Mustang Sally' to my ears. Bog average Blues rock performed by top notch musicians? Not even a true legend like Stephen 'Friggin' Stills, can save this record from sounding like not so fun and dusty roadhouse music in a since long deserted place.

Tracks such as "Kick Out Of It", "Riva Diva", "I Need Your Lovin", are your worst blues nightmare come true. Excellent guitar work, but oh-so boring arrangements and songwriting. Actually. I absolutely love the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young sounding tracks such as "Virtual World", where the singer/songwriter style goes straight to the heart.

It's just the uptempo Blues tracks that are duller than dull. You've heard it all before and you can find it each and ever night at your local pub. Sure. They don't have excellent musicians such as Kenny Wayne Shepherd or Barry Goldberg. But, Mister Sister and Brother Mother are still belting out the same kind of snooze-blues. I'm sure it's enjoyable to watch live on stage while drinking those twenty beers or more. Yours truly? I would rather just listen over and over again to the pure magic of "By My Side" and especially "Virtual World". Final verdict: Great ballads (Stills is still a master at those) - not so great uptempo rockers.

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