Ride

April 11 - 18, 1 9 9 6

**1/2 Ride

TARANTULA

(Sire)

The icy grace of Ride's debut, Nowhere (also on Sire), set it apart even in 1990's haze of hallucinogenic Brit bands. The vocals were languid and pretty, a nice complement to the hippie mood, but it was the benumbed wash of guitars and repetition that gave early Ride their allure and whiff of nihilism. A couple of unremarkable LPs squashed the promise, and Tarantula is Ride's swan song. Halfway through its recording, singer/guitarist Mark Gardener announced his plans to leave the band.

It's sad to discover here a ferocity gone from the past few years' output. Having no future seems to have liberated Ride, especially on stormier numbers like "Black Nite Crash" and "Gonna Be Alright." But even the best cuts can't squelch that niggling sense that Ride are nothing special in 1996. Maybe it's fitting that the road from Nowhere went no place.

-- Amy Finch