It’s been about 8 years since Paul Reddick released a solo album. If you have been waiting, now is the time to Ride the One! It starts off with a driving force called Shadows. It is a rockin’ opener, to charge the demons back into darkness. Then we “Celebrate” by dancing down to a wild romp on a rocky road barefooted.
By the third song, “Mourning Dove”, you find yourself driving all night, sweating it out on painkillers and cigarettes. But you end up discovering some smooth joy with, “Gotta find a…”.
“It goes with you”, feels like a speeding car that keeps narrowly missing the wall. Thankfully we get to that moment when you feel that you are inside a “Willie and the Hand Jive” song with,” Watersmooth”.
Paul changes gears again and give you a spacey ride with “Diamonds”. This diamond in the rough seems to emulate from your eyes as it reconfigures the Milky Way, to become your new world. If that isn’t enough to grab you, Paul grabs you again for a rocket ride, celebrating a new existence with, “Living in another world”.
The final three songs, “I tried to tell you”, is a confident in your face rocker! “Love and never know”, feels like an uncertain goodbye, coming from a steamy apartment at 4am,with a finished fifth of bourbon. Paul finishes off with a quiet little number called, “Moon and Star”. He seems to say goodbye with some lonely wisdom.
If I had to wrap this amazing record with one sentence, it would be, that the energy of this record sounds like, “A Voodoo Priest exorcizing a sick man with the turkey vulture MOJO. Paul is the kind of musician that other musicians learn from. Love this recording.
Thanks for the review, I am seeing Paul play tonight.