Ride: Nowhere (Import, Colored Vinyl) Vinyl LP

It's impossible to overstate how important this debut LP was when it was originally released in October 1990. Nowhere was the pinnacle of a year in which Ride was already responsible for three of the strongest EPs Creation Records had released to date. Epic opener "Seagull" bares a resemblance to "Eight Miles High" by The Byrds, but shot through with the kind of overloaded guitar madness found on Dinosaur Jr's SST releases or Isn't Anything by My Bloody Valentine (Loveless didn't exist yet!). If you want to call it shoegaze, that's not wrong, but there's so much more here than mere atmosphere. Ride's sense of melody and strong vocal harmonies should appeal to anyone interested in psychedelic music or alternative rock, and these things set them apart from the glut of bands around at the time. Rather than bury the vocals, or the drums, they somehow achieve an equal balance between clarity and chaos. Though the recording is more raw, and the music more raucous, the lyrics are direct and emotional enough that parallels can even be drawn with emo bands that followed. Closer "Vapour Trail" is simply one of the most beautiful melancholic songs ever recorded. Mixed by Alan Moulder, whose golden touch helped define the sound of UK guitar bands in the early 90s, Nowhere set a high standard that many bands, even Ride themselves, tried to live up to for years to come. Every bit as essential as Loveless or Souvlaki.

• seminal 1990 debut album
• translucent blue colored vinyl
• UK import
• housed in emobssed gatefold jacket w/ printed insert
• digital download included
  
• limited edition
• original release year: 1990
• music label: Wichita 2022

reviewed by V. O. Blivion 11/2022

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