The Ribeye Brothers--If I Had A Horse...
MeteorCity 2002
A good number of indie labels deal specifically in one genre of music. Stepping outside that given realm can be a risky proposition on a lot of levels. This bold yet nobel scenario has been played out with MeteorCity's release of If I Had A Horse...by The Ribeye Brothers--it's not the downtuned riff-based heaviness MeteorCity is known for, instead, it's country-tinged, vintage sounding, organ-driven garage rock.
There are some misconceptions about The Ribeye Brothers sound, in the media. First of all, this band sounds in no way whatsoever similar to the Cramps--The Ribeye Brothers are nowhere near as raw and psychotic as that legendary band. The Ribeye Brothers sound may be best described as the Yardbirds, the Animals, and an old Nuggets compilation in a blender with the vocals of Mudhoney's Mark Arm (Tim Cronin, ex-Monster Magnet frontman, is the actual vocalist, here) and a little vintage country twang thrown in, to taste. Which brings up another misconception--there is nothing original or groundbreaking about If I Had a Horse.... This is all ground that has been tilled before but that doesn't change the fact this is great stuff and possibly the best album MeteorCity has ever put out.
The Ribeye Brothers have done their job well here in that they've come up with one track which is destined to be a classic, "Mister Ray Charles." So perfect is it in its construction and execution, the song actually sounds like something that should already be on a comp of classic lost garage tunes. The rest of the material is pretty solid, too--though "Love Theme" must be considered a throw-away track.
I would love to think people are original thinkers and open minded enough to decide If I Had A Horse...is a great album, on their own. However, I get the feeling there may be some confused "stoner rockers" and poseur factions within that scene waiting for someone to tell them it's okay to like this album. So, let's end the suspense--it's not only okay to like this album, it's almost insane not to. Again, massive kudos to MeteorCity for really delivering the goods and not just paying lip service about the healthiness of broad taste. Let's hope If I Had A Horse...exposes a different sound to folks who normally wouldn't hear it and that they investigate the music a little deeper. The Nobel Prize for rock may be going to Albuquerque for this little gem.
Score this CD directly from METEORCITY
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