Review: Bob Seger - Ride Out
By Tony Cardwell, Contributor
[Capitol; 2014]
Score: 5.5/10
Key Tracks: “Detroit Made,” “You Take Me In”
What would one expect from the first Bob Seger release in eight years, an LP that Seger himself said could be his last? A rebirth? Experimentation? If you were hoping for a brand new sound from Bob Seger on this record, you would be sorely disappointed--Ride Out is classic Seger. But is that really a bad thing? Nope.
Ride Out has its share of “We’ve Got Tonight” ballads, classic rock staples like “Her Strut” and a whole bunch of mediocre filler. Holistically, Ride Out is just another Bob Seger record: classic guitar grooves, passible lyrical content and Seger’s voice, which surprisingly hasn’t changed all that much since 1976.
A handful of covers start Ride Out, most notably John Hiatt’s “Detroit Made.” “Detroit Made” plays host to a classic country influenced guitar that Middle America will inevitably fall in love with. The groove has some serious legs, consistently surprising with every listen.
One could expect Seger’s up-tempo songs to dry out a bit on his seventeenth record, but the man still has an ear for some satisfying electric guitar and for that, Mr. Seger, we thank you.
That style of classic country/blues guitar can be found all over this album, but the later grooves and solos aren’t nearly as satisfying as the riffs on “Detroit Made.” For example, original composition “Hey Gypsy” keeps the same bluesy riff throughout the entirety of the song. The same can be said for “The Devil’s Right Hand,” a cover of a Steve Earle tune, which has the same type of annoying repetition as “Hey Gypsy.”
However, that isn’t to say the songs would have been saved with a more engaging instrumentation; the songs really fall off with lyrical delivery and content. “Adam and Eve” basically repeats the first book of Genesis and the lyrics are almost cringe worthy.
“God made the ocean / He made it blue / He told us don’t eat / Forbidden fruit.” The song goes back and forth with Seger trading obvious lyrics with Laura Creamer, a Silver Bullet Band alumna. It’s worth mentioning the acoustic guitar and banjo picking are annoyingly repetitive as well.
Ride Out thankfully does pick up on its back half. The songs there are very reminiscent of the ‘70s Seger we all know and love. “California Stars” is basically the countrified rendition of “Hollywood Nights” and is decently satisfying. Seger really opens up when he gets to “All of the Roads” and “You Take Me in.”
If “Against The Wind” was about trekking up a mountain, “All of the Roads” would be looking back on progress made. It’s a very reflective ballad, with tearful violin and piano, oh so very Seger.
“You Take Me in” is another track that really tickles the ole’ nostalgia bone. The song reminds us there are people in our lives who are always there in times of need; even though that’s been a classic rock staple for years, it still holds weight. The twangy secondary guitar, maracas and acoustic lead guitar really carry the pain in Seger’s voice.
Bob Seger isn’t necessarily “back” with his seventeenth studio release, but he does contribute a very decent record to his discography. The instrumentation is classic Seger and his iconic voice is still there. The only thing holding Ride Out back is the very spotty lyrics and repetitiveness of instrumentation. Though it still holds up, we’ve heard it all before. Come on Seger, mix it up a bit.
