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Dec 10, 2015 Ride By Lily Moayeri

Ride marking the 25th anniversary of its seminal album, Nowhere, has a two-pronged effect: it’s hard to believe over a quarter of a century has passed since the term shoegaze was first coined, and, just how much that ages those who were there from the start-Ride included. Groups that pioneered this effects pedal-friendly, wall-of-guitars sound are enjoying a renaissance of sorts, reforming and touring their butts off, Ride being no exception. Accompanying this is the reissue of Nowhere, Nowhere25, which comes in a CD+DVD format plus a booklet penned by singer/guitarist Andy Bell, or a limited edition double vinyl which includes two prior EPs: Fall and Today Forever. Both versions take the original album and expand it to 15 songs.

Ride commandeers the psychedelic niche in the shoegaze framework. As such, they don’t forsake melody in favor of noise, and that has stood the group in good stead. While the audio portion of Nowhere25 evokes memories as well as defines the template current musicians still follow, it’s the video portion that tugs at the nostalgia strings. The baby-faced members, two of whom-Bell and Mark Gardener, currently the grizzliest in the group-look like they’ve never needed the scrap of a razor, have an intensity and focus in their performance that is tangible. The gig in question is from 1991 at London, England’s Town and Country Club and the footage has the feel of a fan-captured-by-phone quality. Grainy, a little shaky, and dark, these seemingly detracting characteristics only add to the visceral reaction Ride’s pure dedication to the music evokes. The group is so wrapped up in their songs, it’s like each musician is playing only for himself and his band members, which instead of leaving the audience out, sucks them into the same vacuum.

The filming, although having an unprofessional, if appealing, feel, is actually done very meticulously by James Deegan who has an understanding of the group’s aesthetic having directed four of their previous videos. Shot on 16mm color, Super 8, and black and white, it has only this year been converted to digital format. Gardener himself mixed the audio portion of the DVD. The remaster of the music was done in 2001 at Abbey Road.

For the fans that purchased Nowhere‘s 20th anniversary reissue in 2011, which included a live CD from the group’s performance at the Roxy in Los Angeles in 1991, Nowhere25 is absolutely worth adding to the collection. (www.ridemusic.net)

Author rating: 9/10