AN IMAGINARY COMPILATION ALBUM : #356: RIDE (2)

A GUEST POSTING by ERIC from OAKLAND

RIDE “b-sides and album tracks” ICA

I’ve been digging through my RIDE collection lately and thought about doing an ICA, so I went back to read RIDE ICA 004 (004!) and realized that it’s already pretty damn great. When I think of RIDE there are some tracks that simply cannot be left out (Leave Them, Chrome Waves, Vapour Trail, Dreams Burn Down) and they are all there.

So in the spirit of my Weddoes ICA (ICA 339) I decided to do a kind of RIDE alt-ICA, if you will. None of these tracks were the A1 of a single, or radio play favorites (at least not on college and modern rock radio out in California). So that means none of the usual suspects, and no Chelsea Girl, Daydream, Unfamiliar… you get the idea. I also tried not to overlap the 1st ICA so they can complement each other (spoiler alert, I failed, twice). It’s a chance to showcase just how deep the bench was on all their records.

SIDE A

Drive Blind (Chelsea Girl EP)

Dance with the one that brought ya. It was this track off their debut single that hooked me. An obvious highlight of all live shows, I wonder if this couldn’t have been the lead track on the EP. It certainly feels more in keeping with what came after.

Sennen (Unfamiliar EP)

It’s tempting to include 3 Today Forever b-sides. The TF EP exposes the thinness of this concept. How can you consider the other 3 tracks on this EP “B-sides” when it’s as close to a perfect 4 song EP as you are gonna get.

Mouse Trap (Going Blank Again)

Ride dip their toe in math rock territory and blow the roof off. I often wonder what would have happened if they pursued this direction over the classic rock feel of their remaining 90s work.

Nowhere (Dreams Burn Down EP)

Big song with a big concept that pays off big time.

Polar Bear (Nowhere Album)

Epic. Great for singing along to in the car at ungodly levels.

SIDE B

Home is a Feeling (Weather Diaries)

Gorgeous track off Weather Diaries. Clearly the band had more to say. Almost 30yrs after their debut they released a fantastic album.

Stampede (Twisterella EP)

This one starts off pretty unassuming. I wonder if that’s why it didn’t make the album. However as it progresses it grows into something with a lot more complexity. The chorus is a great sing-along that sticks in my head.

Close My Eyes (Chelsea Girl EP)

We’ve all been there…

Cool Your Boots (Going Blank Again)

Even a stopped clock…There’s a wistfulness to this track that gets me every time. And then at the end when they start playing with dropping beats, it just kills me.

Today (Unfamiliar EP)

I was reminded of the genius of this tune at the reunion shows. There’s just something elegant about the construction: a simple concept that is worked to the point of perfection.

You will notice some records aren’t represented. There’s nothing from the 3rd or 4th records, or the most recent. The only reason for that is simply that I don’t have them on vinyl (yet). Also, nothing from the Like a Daydream EP. It’s not that they aren’t great, I just don’t get that ‘above the rest’ feels.

I thought about being cheeky and including Grasshopper. I remember back in the day fans would yell out “Freebird!” at shows to try to get them to play it (ask your dad). I only remember it happening once. At the time it seemed like such an over the top move of self indulgence, but as I get older, I find myself returning to it quite a bit. It’s the space and patience of the track that get me now.

Here’s a mix of the ICA:   RIDE Imaginary Compilation Album

Eric from Oakland