Ride – ‘Interplay’ album review: a consummate return
THE SKINNY: In their first studio album since 2019’s This Is Not A Safe Place, Ride remain loyal to their associative sound while throwing in some attractive instrumental flourishes. Although the group maintains its unmistakable identity throughout most of Interplay, the 12 tracks take the listener through a range of emotions, with several compositional deviations to maintain allure.
As always, guitarist Andy Bell shows his prowess as one of the true greats among Britain’s impressive army of legendary indie guitarists. Remaining faithful to Ride’s baptism in the fires of shoegaze, much of the rhythm work is fuzzy and ill-defined, but Bell brings intermittent form to the mirage with incisive lead runs.
With six studio albums in the locker, band leaders Bell and Mark Gardener bring enough to the table to keep seasoned fans on their toes. Dramatic stylistic overhauls can threaten artistic dignity and well-earned fanbases, but the group explores new pastures with consideration and moderation. Most notably, the final two songs focus more heavily on electronic sounds, offering variety and balance to the album.
Interplay is a consummate celebration of Ride’s journey to date, visiting sounds of the 1980s that inspired them, the anthemic shoegaze scapes of their early masterpieces and the more sample and synth-infused compositions of their 21st-century releases. At times, the album is bold and imposing, at others dejected and foreboding, but at just under an hour in length, not a second is wasted.
For fans of: 1990s indie rock, obscure IPAs and BBC Radio 6.
A concluding comment from Alan Partridge: “Like Oasis but with a much better attitude. I’ll have to reserve a spot in the CD rack for this one.”
Interplay track by track:
Release Date: March 29th | Producer: Ride and Richie Kennedy | Label: Wichita Recordings
‘Peace Sign’: Ride begin the record in a powerful and positive manner. In a style warmly reminiscent of their formative material, the song prevails with a mirage of sound and some accentuating solo work by Andy Bell. A fast tempo and synth chords give the track a modern, pop-conscious aspect. [4/5]
‘Last Frontier’: This song will sound particularly great on stage. Ride are often considered a key proponent of the shoegaze wave, but compared to such bands as My Bloody Valentine, it’s not so obvious until you experience the live show. In ‘Last Frontier’, we enjoy some nice dynamic shifts between the wall of sound phases and vocal breaks. [3.5/5]
‘Light in a Quiet Room’: The influence of Leicestershire neo-psychedelia pioneers Spacemen 3 is apparent in this one. Droning synths set the scene for ethereal lyrics that confront mortality after the ignorance of youth: “I never took any good advice / I rode my luck for most of my life / I didn’t think that the same rules applied / I never thought that I would ever die”. [4/5]
‘Monaco’: Despite their strong cult status and an association with the “alternative” genres, you can always rely on Ride to pump out discerning pop tracks. In one of the album’s most infectious and energising moments, the lyrics serve bread at an instrumental banquet of high production value. It can be difficult to get such a busy track right. [4/5]
‘I Came to See the Wreck’: In a continuation of the album’s bold and accessible numbers, we take a dark yet highly atmospheric turn. The gothic progression meets some fittingly anxious lyrics: “I thought I heard a voice crying out, ‘We’re here to be forgotten, to be forgotten.'” [4/5]
‘Stay Free’: I remember a great song by The Clash with the same name. If it is a nod to the punk era classic, it hides it well. Ride’s similar message of individualism is one of the album’s more subdued moments, driven by spacious piano chords and acoustic strums. However, towards the close, orchestral textures build towards an effective climax. [4/5]
‘Last Night I Went Somewhere to Dream’: Rapturous melodies twinkle in between isolated chords that give the song a rapturous quality. Once again, the instrumentals do much of the legwork, leaving the lyrics to fulfil a purpose without too much in the way of thematic depth. [3.5/5]
‘Sunrise Chaser’: Almost danceable, this colourful offering benefits handsomely from a funky rhythm that Bell highlights with his lead work. In stark contrast to earlier tracks like ‘Light in a Quiet Room’ and ‘I Came to See the Wreck’, ‘Sunrise Chaser’ is as optimistic as the title suggests. [4/5]
‘Midnight Rider’: Another anthemic highlight, ‘Midnight Rider’, drives with a confident air, but an industrial sound evokes the gloomy oppression of nighttime. It’s a delectable slice of guitar rock that finds nuance in some interesting effects on the lead break. [4/5]
‘Portland Rocks’: I’ve never been to Portland, but it certainly rocks. In a nice summary of the sound Ride have established over the past three decades, the song is viscous with layers of crashing guitars and harmonious vocals. This will, no doubt, be another highlight on stage. [4/5]
‘Essaouira’: For the final two songs on the album, Ride embrace electro, pushing the guitars to the background to focus on some brilliant production work. Vocal samples complement an electronic rhythm before Mark Gardener sings of leaving his body on distant shores, supposedly those of the titular Moroccan city. This track is the longest on the album, but it certainly doesn’t drag its heels. [4.5/5]
‘Yesterday is Just a Song’: Comparatively shorter than the other tracks, the concluding track is an enjoyable bookend. A macabre, droning ambient progression warps and rotates while ruminative lyrics remind us, “What’s in the past is gone / Yesterday is just a song.” Perhaps this message encourages us not to dwell on songs, but I will certainly return to these ones! [4/5]
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