published: 28 /
1 /
2008
Label:
Deep Elm
Format: CD
Dreary-sounding emo-rock on debut album from American-based act Ride Your Bike
Review
Having firmly established themselves as one of my favourite labels a while back, Deep Elm then rather depressingly signed a wave of dull imitations of the most successful emo-rock bands. Concurrently, they also seemed to mislay most of the bands that I did like from the label.
However, their description of Ride Your Bike seemed promising, so I thought I might give them another chance.
A four-piece band, its central figure is Mike Getches, who has written all the songs on this album. He built those songs around the adventures of two fictional childhood friends, first drifting apart and then slowly finding one another again.
The most promising aspect of the band comes, however, from the instrumental flourishes his band provides. Although remaining within a conventional indie-rock mould, there are flashes of horns, and other deft touches, which ensure the band sound more mature than most of their peers.
And yet, this is not an especially good album. With a consistently whiny tone, most of the songs are simply rather dreary, and have not provided me with the inclination to listen to them again.
Track Listing:-
1
We All Have Our Own Shoes
2
We Couldn't Walk With Such Noise
3
Sticks And Stones
4
Dug In Deep
5
Faster
6
This Car Is Hot As Hell
7
Knack For Faith
8
Sense Of Things
9
So If We
10
Coat Rack
11
And Just Like That
12
The Time We Took Those Chances (bonus track)