Don Ray
Band have managed to capture the magic of the country rock sound,
more closely related to the style of Charlie
Daniels, but turning up the badass factor just a little bit. Led by the
band’s namesake member, Iowa born Don
Ray, the band was formed after years of
hanging around the music scenes in Texas and Nashville playing drums and
singing for local bands. Don finally decided he wanted to break free and write
his own stuff.
Since the bands formation, (which also includes guitarist Gary Dales, keyboardist Jonathan Armstrong, bassist Jeff Offutt and drummer Josh Birkhimer) they have released
three albums under the Don Ray Band
name. Debuting in 2009 with On Top of
the Heap, then following that with 2010’s Lonesome Rider and finally 2012’s Full Throttle. On earlier this month, Don Ray Band compiled the seven collective best tracks from these
three albums along with three new tracks and released them all on the newest
release by the band, Kickstands Up.
Since this is a compilation album, I’ll speak more of the
three new tracks, all of which start off the album, beginning with the album’s
title track, Kickstands Up. This
track starts off with the Americana sound that the band has made themselves
known for by their fans, with an almost inspirational mixture of instruments
flowing at a nice pace while Don sings a song that mixes his love for his
country and his love of riding down the open road. Don’s voice is in as fine
form as in all of the bands tracks; his style sounding like that of a country
singer, but not a modern “pop” country singer, but rather a serious singer who
wants to be taken seriously above anything else.
The next track, The
Ride, changes style on a dime, with a very funky bass beat, almost sounding
like Red Hot Chili Peppers southern rock
style. The funky beat remains throughout the song, but as the chorus hits, the
Chili Peppers sound diminishes into another great free feeling riding song. The
third and final of the new tracks, Eagles
and Buffalo, takes the bands badass sound to a new level, with the baddest
(yes I know that’s not a real word) of guitar intros heard so far on the album.
The song remains to be yet another inspirational sounding track by the band.
The lead guitar playing of this song, just like all three new tracks, is terrific
and doesn’t sound a bit out of place, keeping the southern rock sound alive in
every track.
From the 2010 sophomore album, Lonesome Rider, we’re given the title track Lonesome Rider, which is definitely bands best riding tune, and the
bluesy ballad Gone Nowhere. Finally
the album ends with the lone selected track from the bands 2009 debut On Top of the Heap, that song being
probably the finest of Don Ray Band
tracks; The High Road. This song
shows the band at their most raw, playing a more blues rock sound than a
country. I mentioned My Rush being a
roadhouse jam of a song, but it has nothing on The High Road.
It’s easy to hear the transition in the band’s music. From
the blues rock driven sound of their debut (which includes other very blues
influenced songs such as I Might Just
Say Goodbye and Perfect Ten).
Then the transition to the bands sophomore album which added a bit more country
but kept the hard rock beat to their songs such as Monday Morning News. Then the bands third album, where the band
continues to come in to its own, with songs such as the four included on this
album. The new tracks on this album only add to the signature sound that Don Ray Band have made for themselves
after the long wrong they’ve rode to get this far. Let’s be thankful that it
doesn’t look like the band is going anywhere.
ALBUM HIGHLIGHT
“Eagles and Buffalo” – It’s not easy
picking a highlight from a compilation. I decided it would be best to pick the
highlight of the new tracks, because picking a highlight from the whole album
would be indirectly proclaiming it a highlight by the band in general and not
just this album, which is something I am not prepared to do. Eagles and Buffalo however is the highlight
of the new tracks because it displays the best example of the direction the
band has taken. The inspirational Americana sound of the band mixed with the
not-to-be-messed-with hard rock sound that the band has always been known for.
FINAL RATING
8 (Out of 10)
Track List:
1.
|
"Kickstands
Up"
|
4:11
|
2.
|
"The
Ride"
|
3:11
|
3.
|
"Eagles
and Buffalo"
|
4:53
|
4.
|
"Daniels
And Caine"
|
3:39
|
5.
|
"My
Rush"
|
3:33
|
6.
|
"Lonesome
Rider"
|
5:00
|
7.
|
"This
Is Our House"
|
3:36
|
8.
|
"Full
Throttle"
|
3:30
|
9.
|
"Going
Nowhere"
|
3:33
|
10.
|
"The
High Road"
|
3:05
|
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