Deb Ryder review…June 5, 2018…

DEB RYDER

ENJOY THE RIDE

VIZZTONE RECORDS  VTDR-04

A STORM’S COMING–TEMPORARY INSANITY–BRING THE WALLS DOWN–NOTHIN’ TO LOSE–FOR THE LAST TIME–WHAT YOU WANT FROM ME–ENJOY THE RIDE–GOT TO LET IT GO–LIFE FAST FORWARD–SWEET SWEET LOVE–GOODBYE BABY–FOREVER YOURS–RED LINE

Deb Ryder’s fourth album, “Enjoy The Ride” might just be her best all-around set to date.  It is thirteen of her own originals, produced by Tony Braunagel and Ric Ryder, and covers a variety of styles and genres’, all the while offering a message of peace and unity.  She does so with a little help from her friends, in the form of a host of special guests.

Deb opens the proceedings with a call to society to let everybody know that “A Storm’s Coming, there’s dark clouds in the sky.”  It features Coco Montoya on fire-and-brimstone guitar, too.  Eli Fletcher is on guitar for Deb’s look at a love so powerful it causes her to plead “Temporary Insanity,” with Pieter Van Der Pluijm on harp.  She closes the set with a Delta-infused plea for us all to realize the frailty and brevity of life, “Red Line,” where “it’s too late when the well runs dry.”

We had three favorites, too.  Both Big Llou Johnson and Van G. Garrett offer keen spoken-word interludes on a song imploring people to “build bridges of love, not walls of hate,” “Bring The Walls Down,” with Chris Cain on guitar.  A person beset by addiction lives at the “corner of Loss and Pain,” and, yes, the “light at the end of the tunnel is a train,” “Nothin’ To Lose,” with Pieter again on harp.  And, Biblical references to the stories of David, Moses, and Daniel is set over that cool Diddley  beat and attempts to answer “What You Want From Me, Lord?”

Deb Ryder uses that big, bold, brassy and multi-faceted voice of hers to help us fans look toward the future and a reassurance that better days have to be on the horizon.  So, lie back, relax, and “Enjoy The Ride!”   Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues Society.