Digitally remastered edition of tis 2001 collection from the British Shoegazers. Ride were a British alternative rock band that formed in 1988 in Oxford, England, consisting of Andy Bell, Mark Gardener, Laurence “Loz” Colbert, and Steve Queralt. The band were initially part of the “shoegazing” scene and remain perhaps the most popular band of that genre.
- 2×12" translucent red coloured vinyl
- gatefold jacket
- limited to 5000 copies worldwide
Review
“It wasn't exactly fashionable to be a Ride fan in the early '90s. In
certain nooks of the universe, wearing a Ride T-shirt meant you had to walk with
your fists clenched, ready to defend your decrepit taste in music and do the
pouncing before you got pounced upon. Often, you had to endure the taunts of
your peers and the remainder of those who agreed with or were influenced by the
majority of the British press who decided – shortly after praising the band
for their genius – that they were ultimately a crap band. When it came to
shoegaze, they weren't My Bloody Valentine, were they? As their tastes and
influences changed and they began playing more "proper” rock & roll, they
failed to write anything as anthemic as “Live Forever,” right? Well to hell
with all of that. In the nooks of the universe where it is okay to wear a Ride
shirt, Nowhere is on par with Loveless for its own peculiar rush of swirling
psychedelics and more prominent vocal hooks; Going Blank Again trumps Teenage
Fanclub's Bandwagonesque because it exudes more power and focus; and
1994's Carnival of Light, with its roots in the Byrds and their ilk, is viewed
more as prophecy than heresy. A copy of OX4: The Best of Ride is all you need
for your defense now. Boasting a solid representation of each of Ride's albums,
the band-selected compilation proves once and for all that Ride was one of the
finest of the early '90s, they were capable of crafting brilliant melodies just
as easily as their influences and competitors, and they never repeated
themselves. So wear your Mark Gardener fringe with pride, blare “Unfamiliar”
as loudly as possible, and keep Tarantula forever blocked from your
memory." A Kellman – Allmusic.com