Ride comes with a strong pedigree, being born in
southern California while being raised in the heartland of Idaho before being
invited to Music City, U.S.A. by none other than legendary producer and player
Tommy Sims (Bruce Springsteen, Jonny Lang, Garth Brooks) to write and record.
With Sims’ tutelage, Ride was exposed to a whole new side of Nashville, a side
that would have a large impact on the budding artist.
“I was blown away by the level of musicianship I was
exposed to,” he shares. “I was all at once inspired, humbled, and motivated.
But I knew that if this was the type of music being created in Nashville, this
was where I was meant to be.”
He took quickly to the town and the town took to him
as well, seeing his already solid talent increase and grow, his name and work
becoming more well known. It even garnered him the chance to work with blues
star Jonny Lang, the two collaborating with Sims to pen the track “Breakin’ In”
for Lang’s latest album.
But Ride was focused on his own music and his debut
captures the man in a nutshell: fun loving, lighthearted, upbeat, and immensely
talented.
“That Girl” opens the record up, a bright, danceable
guitar groove leading the way while Ride steps into the track with rich, smooth
vocals a sound that recalls touches of Maroon 5 and Dave Barnes. His delivery
is solid throughout and the hook keeps the toes tapping before bridging into
the danceable playfulness of “All Over Again.” Again, solid soul undergirds the
proceedings with a chunky arrangement that are bright and breezy. “Come On and
Dance” will have you doing just that, Ride tapping into his old school soul for
some classic tones, thumping bass notes merging with a smooth and sunny
keyboard fill while the artist croons out his lighthearted lyric.
But it’s “First Day of Summer” which really helps to
make this a great summertime listen. With guest work from Beta and Fyutch, Ride
delivers a track that is pure summer with shiny tones and a danceable
arrangement. There’s a nostalgic element to the track, something which is
reinforced even more on the music video which features a plethora of 80s
related throwbacks from the “Back to the Future” DeLorean, Day-Glo colors, and a
riffing guitarist who rocks a classic Stryper shirt. If it sounds like a lot of
fun, that’s because it is and with his foils Beta and Fyutch providing a solid
contrast, Ride works it like it’s his.
“Hold Me Closer” closes the EP out for Ride and
again finds the artist digging deep into the past to showcase a silky soul
ballad. The beat is perfectly gentle and the arrangement full of emotion and
polished instrumentation as Ride delivers great lines like “I can hear the melody/But I can’t play the
song/Once upon a time I knew the words/Nowadays I’m struggling/Just to sing a
verse.” But, chances are, once Ride’s music has got its hooks into you, you
won’t have any trouble singing along.
There’s a good reason that Matty Ride was tapped to
come to Nashville to kickstart his young career and his debut EP showcases the
solid talent and potential resting in the young artist. Smooth, polished, and
ready for action, Ride takes listeners on a delightful romp through summer love
and invites you to come along.
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