Pierced Arrow

Description

Rock icons Stephen Stills, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Barry
Goldberg are happy to announce their second album “Pierced Arrow.” Produced by
the trio along with bassist Kevin McCormick and drummer Chris Layton, the all
new album follows in the very successful style and texture set with their
chart topping debut album “Can’t Get Enough” but with even more original
material from Stills, Shepherd and Goldberg and the sound of a band that has
really spent some productive time together. Review Supertrio the Rides Stephen
Stills, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Barry Goldberg return May 6 with Pierced
Arrow, their first release since their debut album Can t Get Enough tapped
into Blues Rock Review s Top 20 Albums of 2013. Like Can t Get Enough, Pierced
Arrow is a mixture of originals (like the Stills-penned single Virtual World )
and covers (like the jaunty My Babe, written by Willie Dixon), all played with
the technical skill one expects of three seasoned musicians. The biggest
takeaway from Pierced Arrow is its unity: while some songs show evidence of
each artist s past projects (especially Virtual World, which is reminiscent of
Stills work with Buffalo Springfield five decades ago), the album as a whole
nods to the time the Rides spent touring, performing and writing together as a
team. The Review: 8/10 –Blues Rock Review Credit to where credit is due:
Stephen Stills, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Barry Goldberg refused to allow their
cross-generational super-grouping of 2013 to remain a one-shot collaboration.
But it s a fact that, no matter the skill of the musicians involved in any
alliance, there s got to be some fundamental chemistry to be nurtured if the
lineup is to become a genuine band and while the Rides would seem to have
that, they re not nurturing it with the overly democratic assignment of
responsibility documented on their second album. Certainly the three
principals here are kindred spirits in the blues, at least as depicted in Get
A Kick Out of It and Riva Diva, two modified shuffles that benefit not just
from a staunch rhythm section of bassist Kevin McCormick and drummer Chris
Layton (once of Stevie ray Vaughan s Double Trouble), but the expert
production recording and mastering of Pierced Arrow. There s a paucity of
poetry here, so if it seems overkill to include all the lyrics to these ten
songs, that attention to detail in packaging allows for the proper credit to
engineers Ed Cherney and Bernie Grundman. If it s true the ballad is the
greatest challenge for any musician, then it s no small accomplishment to
artfully compose arrange and play ones like Virtual World and By My Side. What
might ve turned to bombast, particularly on the latter, instead remains a
study in self-discipline and well-channeled passion on the part of Shepherd,
co-composer with keyboardist Goldberg. The placement of this pair of tracks
might ve caused the momentum of the album, such as it is, to grind to a halt
if not for the immediate appearance of Mr. Policeman: not altogether different
from much of the other upbeat material, it s still an exercise in lithe
playing from all involved; in particular, Stills lead guitar is as musical as
it is restrained. The Rides deserve some special kudos for not trying too hard
to prove themselves within the confines of the studio, an environment where
the line between live playing and recording often becomes blurred. While most
of this original material isn t all that memorable in contrast to the
delicious simplicity and humor in the sole cover of Willie Dixon s My Babe the
group is wise to create and maintain structure for themselves on tracks like
Use My Imagination. There s no pointless, self-indulgent soloing, here but
instead, focused instrumentalizing within economical arrangements for songs
such as By My Side: Shepherd s solo says more than the lyrics. Pierced Arrow
closes on high notes, including the high-spirits of that aforementioned tune
from the Chess Records icon and author of Back Door Man. Presumably the
primary composer, Stills spotlight on There Was A Place offers a verbally
well-wrought set of reflections, while the small touches of Goldberg s
electric piano and organ accentuate the flow of the tune throughout its
duration. Provocative material like this reaffirms the former member of
Buffalo Springfield and once and future friend of Crosby, Nash and Young top
billing within the Rides and further suggests he take an even more prominent
role in their future collaborations as a means to truly distinguish their work
together. –Glide Magazine

Features:

Product Details:

• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.84 x 5.59 x 0.47 inches; 3.6 Ounces
• Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Savoy
• Original Release Date ‏ : ‎ 2016
• Date First Available ‏ : ‎ February 26, 2016
• Label ‏ : ‎ Savoy
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1
• Best Sellers Rank: #13,035 in CDs & Vinyl (See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl) #59 in Contemporary Blues (CDs & Vinyl) #5,534 in Pop (CDs & Vinyl)