Description
Label Review.
2017 album. Comeback record from the Oxford quartet who split in 1996. ‘Weather Diaries’ is Ride’s first album since then.
As Andy Bell took creative control of the band for their third album, the underratted ‘Carnival Of Light’ (1994) which saw them move away from their ‘shoegaze’ sound to a more classic rock direction, their label Creation, found serious and instant success with Oasis. Ride suddenly found themselves out of favour with their label. After recording their fourth album, unofficial frontman of the band (courtesy of his amazing fringe!) Mark Gardner quit the band and the Creation was left with a record and no band. It still came out (fans took it to No.21 in the UK albums chart) and Ride slipped into history.
Bell formed ‘Hurricane #1’ who found modest success with their first album (1997) but their second album sunk with little trace and after retiring the band, he joined Oasis on bass and stayed with them until they split in 2009. Gardner and drummer Lawrence Colbert formed ‘The Animalhouse’ who released one album in 2000. They too found little success and split. Ride briefly reformed in 2001 for a documentary and issued a jam which came out on a limited CD.
Despite numerous denials about Ride reforming particularly after Oasis split, Bell joined Liam Gallagher in his new band ‘Beady Eye’ who recorded two albums. After they finished in 2014 the way seemed clear for the Ride reunion to finally happen which was announced in November 2014.
They have played their cards correctly this time. After touring the old favourites and finding their chemistry again they hit the studio. Three tracks have been streamed so far which suggests they have picked up from their second album; dusting off their old effects pedals and melding them to a bright and clean production. The Bell/Gardner vocal blend is still intact. The best track heard so far which demonstrate this best is ‘All I Want’.