River Detectives - King of the Ghost Train Ride
by Benjamin Howarth
published: 20 / 3 / 2011
Label:
Select Label
Format: N/A
intro
Ben Howarth examines Scottish duo the River Detectives' third and final album from 2005, 'King of the Ghost Train Ride'
The River Detectives were Sam Corry and Dan O’Neill, a songwriting duo from Motherwell in Scotland who played together from 1985 to 2009. The pair shared lead vocal duties, with Corry playing guitar and O’Neill the drums. Their heels were firmly in the mud of classic rock, but their instincts wereto write pop songs - with a splash of an Oasis B-side here, a dash of late-period Prefab Sprout there, a sprinkle of Elvis Costello and then a quick squeeze of Squeeze. The end-effect of 'King of the Ghost Train Ride', their 2005 third and final album, is a pleasant collection, which reminds me a bit of 80's stalwarts Deacon Blue. While it wouldn’t be wrong to say that this album was largely based around the sounds of the past, or to say that the songwriting breaks no new ground, any doubts are won over by the band’s good taste and charm. I have to confess that when I played this album for the first time, I was beginning to write it off as a bit dated after a few tracks. The jaunty ‘Blue Collar Love Song’ convinced me that I’d been a bit unfair, as its catchy blend of country-blues and Springsteen stadium rock had my girlfriend and I nodding along nicely. Its followed up by another strong track, ‘I Love Your Love’, which politely borrows the chords from Jackson Browne’s ‘These Days’. Devotees of art-rock need not bother themselves with the River Detectives. These songs are defiantly uncool, and if the lyrics are not especially insightful, the instrumentation is always carefully chosen, meaning the songs far outclass the typical pub-rock fare. For example, the title track - a gentle acoustic ditty - benefits from a backing of stand-up bass, mandolin and fiddle while ‘Capetown to Glasgow’ is part-folk and part 60's-pop. Warm and fuzzy, the album’s best track, ‘Some Kind of Love’ sounded like ideal background music for the happy ending to a gritty Northern drama. An entertaining listen.
Track Listing:-
Picture Gallery:-
most viewed articles
current edition
In Dreams Begin Responsibilities - #15- On Being Dignified and Old aka Ten Tips From Jah Wobble On How To Be Happy.The Church - Interview with Steve Kilbey
Simon Heavisides - Destiny Stopped Screaming: The Life and Times of Adrian Borland
Secret Shine - Interview
Vetchinsky Settings - Interview
Repomen - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Flaming Stars - Interview
Near Jazz Experience - Interview
Sami Sumner - Interview
Jack Roscoe - Interview
previous editions
Heavenly - P.U.N.K. Girl EPDwina Gibb - Interview
Trudie Myerscough-Harris - Interview
Oasis - Oasis, Earl's Court, London, 1995
Joy Division - The Image That Made Me Weep
Joy Division - The Image That Made Me Weep
Jimmy Nail - Interview
Beautiful South - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
Allan Clarke - Interview
Barrie Barlow - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Kula Shaker - Natural MagickIan Hunter - Defiance Part 2: Fiction
Lewis 'Burner' Pugh - Bullets for Bread
Hillbilly Moon Explosion - Back in Time
Inutili - A Love Supreme
My Life Story - Loving You is Killing Me
David Cross Band - Ice Blue Silver Sky
Smalltown Tigers - Crush On You
Beyonce - Cowboy Carter
Ty Segall - Three Bells
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart