Artist: Willie Nile
Album: American Ride
Bitrate: 239kbps avg
Quality: EAC Secure Mode / LAME 3.98.4 / -V0 / 44.100Khz
Label: Blue Rose Records
Genre: Rock
Size: 74.00 megs
PlayTime: 0h 40min 55sec total
Rip Date: 2013-06-07
Store Date: 2013-06-21
Track List:
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01. This Is Our Time 2:47
02. Life On Bleecker Street 3:25
03. American Ride 4:53
04. If I Ever See The Light 3:08
05. She's Got My Heart 3:10
06. God Laughs 3:14
07. People Who Died 3:52
08. Holy War 4:03
09. Say Hey 2:56
10. Sunrise In New York City 2:51
11. The Crossing 3:13
12. There's No Place Like Home 3:23
Release Notes:
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While Willie Nile has been producing high quality rockinÆ albums, off and on,
since 1980, he didnÆt get on my radar screen until his 2011 The Innocent Ones.
In my exuberantly affirmative BlogCritics review of that exuberantly affirmative
release, one of the adjectives I used was ôinfectious.ö That term partly meant I
was infected with the hopes there would be more new music coming. At the time, I
had the same sort of feeling I had when I first heard Born To Run. ItÆs not
often I get excited about a new discovery anymore.
I was far from alone. To avoid being locked into corporate label squabbles,
during 2012 Nile funded the production of American Ride using a successful
fan-based PledgeMusic campaign. The plan was to release the album independently
this past April. ThatÆs the review copy I have. However, Loud & Proud president
Tom Lipsky heard the album and approached Nile about doing a major label
distribution deal. The result was American Ride being pushed back to late June
with the first big label support NileÆs had since his disappointing Arista days.
Loud & Proud made a few other changes. The cover art for American Ride was
redone. Judging from the track list on my copy and what is posted online, many
tracks were re-organized. For example, on the independent version ôThis is Our
Timeö is the opener, the Loud & Proud version apparently kicks off with the
title song. I have no problem with ôAmerican Ride,ö but when I heard the first
lines of ôThis is Our Time,ö I knew NileÆs new album was going to be more than
infectious. By the time IÆd heard all 12 songs, I knew this collection was even
better than The Innocent Ones.
In whatever order you hear the songs, American Ride features Nile on vocals,
piano, and guitar, as well as co-producing with Grammy winner Stewart Lerman.
HeÆs supported by his live bandùguitarist Matt Hogan, bassist Johnny Pisano, and
drummer Alex Alexander. Innocent Ones alumni who came along for the ride
included Lerman, Frankie Lee (who co-wrote four tracks this time around), and
EaglesÆ guitarist Steuart Smith. I canÆt help but think all hands on board had a
great time plugging in their parts in the studio. Whatever life force drives
Nile, it sounds contagious.
ItÆs dangerous to compare these songs with those by other folks who came before,
but itÆs clear Nile draws from and is re-invigorating a very rich tradition. For
example, the travelogue in time and place begins with ôAmerican Rideö with
touches of folk rock in a light Springsteen/Dylanesque mode. Nile co-wrote the
title song with The AlarmÆs Mike Peters. ôLife On Bleecker Streetö has Ray
Davies-like descriptive imagery of residents on the street, but the lyrical hard
times are belied by the party atmosphere of the music.
Speaking of The Boss, the piano of ôIf I Ever See the Lightö is pure E Street
Band in a triumphant anthem about punching the singerÆs fist through that
metaphorical light. On the other end of the spectrum, ôSheÆs Got My Heartö is a
simple love ballad where his lady has her motherÆs smile, her fatherÆs eyes, and
the singerÆs heart. What if God was one of us? NileÆs ironic answer to that is
in ôGod Laughs,ö co-written with Eric Bazilian of The Hooters. In a similar
vein, Nile gets punkish with Jim CarrollÆs ôPeople Who Die,ö recorded as a
tribute to both Carroll, who passed away in 2009, and to NileÆs late brother
John.
With a guitar nod to ôAll Along the Watchtower,ö Nile sings ôGod is great, but
youÆre notö in the obviously angry, topical ôHoly War.ö Up yours, Jihadists
everywhere. Then, ôSay Heyö does what the Stray Cats might have done if they had
more players onstage, including choruses supported by a jazzy horn section. The
jaunty ôSunrise In New York Cityö gets pushed back to near the end on the new
version, but itÆs a cakewalk of happy good morning music whenever you hear it.
Appropriately, the ride slows down with ôThe Crossing,ö a ballad soliloquy
honoring those who made it to the other side for libertyÆs sake. I picture
Washington crossing the Delaware, but thatÆs perhaps my interpretation. Finally,
everything comes full circle with vivid imagery of the folky ôThereÆs No Place
Like Home.ö ItÆs a Pete Seeger kind of sing-along where Nile tells us Dorothy
got it right.
Trust me, trust me, trust meùyouÆre going to want American Ride in your life.
Unless you really prefer gray dour days listening to wrist-slashing music only a
Satanist would love, Willie Nile is not only the medicine for what ails you, but
he may well get you pumped up to go out and challenge all things earthly,
spiritual, and metaphysical. Remember that nameùWillie Nile. Pre-order it, pop
it in, turn it up, and spread the word. ItÆs his time.