The Long Ryders – Native Sons – Prima – SID024 - ****

In the early Eighties, The Long Ryders played country-influenced garage rock to LA crowds culturally programmed to despise it. Such is the subliminal influence of their 1984 debut, here with thirteen indispensible extras, that without it the whole world would sound very slightly different. Punked country stomps like (Sweet) Mental Revenge and Run Dusty Run collide with the soaring psychedelic mini-suites, The Trip and And She Rides. Ivory Tower and Too Close To The Light hum with then forgotten folk rock harmonies. Though the band were to write better individual songs on the follow up, State Of Our Union, Native Sons remains definitive.

(11/6/11)