Mitch Ryder – With Love
10 tracks
With over a half century in the music business, Mitch Ryder continues to deliver some interesting and cool stuff. This is his 21st studio album and considers it to be one of his two best efforts. The first white singer to be inducted into the R&B hall of fame, one has to be impressed that a singer of this magnitude has opened up to give us one of his best performances.
Why is that? Ryder usually keeps his feelings to himself. Letting himself out of his personal shell, Ryder allows himself to aptly and openly express his stories and personal failures in his music. He writes in the liner note about his 59 years in the music business, how he prefers to live in Germany and wok touring Europe each year. He expresses his gratitude in achieving stardom here in his early career and appreciates his fans. He also hates what he calls the dirty side of the recording industry. He moved to Germany in 1979 and also appreciates the new fans and their support of his music over the 21 albums he’s produced.
Joining Ryder on this album ad some talented musicians. Kuis Resto does a fine job on keys. Laura Chavez and Brian “Roscoe” White are excellent on the guitar work. Dave McMurray is outstanding on sax and flute. Jeff Canady provides apt support on drums and Chuck Bartels is also a great part of the backline on his bass. Mahindi Masai adds some delightful percussion. On Sanguine we have Don Was on bass, also solid. Back vocals are added by Mitch, Hershel Boone and Terena Boone.
The album opens with “Lilli May,” showcasing an older, darker, grittier version of the guy we came to love in the 1960s. Great work behind him, the tenor sax is especially well done. A song of unrequited love and he can’t figure out whose fault it is. It’s a driving and interesting opener. “Pass It To The Right” is a song about the proper etiquette when passing a doobie around. Who knew there was a proper manner to participate? Well, Mitch tells us how in this Latin styled cut. Flute adds a psychedelic air to this one and a ringing guitar makes it even more sublime. “Sanguine” transitions to a more soulful delivery and takes a lighter approach to the music. A thoughtful guitar solo helps add to the ambience as it takes us home. Then it’s the story of Ryder’s drug addiction in “One Monkey.” Mitch tells us how he overcame the monkey on his back craving smack. The song is almost lilting and quite bouncy, in contrast to the suffering he describes. Another slick guitar solo is offered up as is a 1960’s styled organ solo. “Oh What A Night” is another Latin number with a slick groove and ethereal sort of feeling as Mitch sings about the nightly partying consuming him. Piano and percussion along with some accordion make this light and airy as Ryder lyrically goes the other way.
Next is “Wrong Hands,” a song that has a Rolling Stones sound to it. One could hear Jagger sing and Woods and Richards play it on their guitars, but Ryder makes this his Stones cut as Chavez and White deliver the ax work. “Too Slow” follows with a very down tempo and slow blues rock as Ryder sings with a metered, breathy style. Ringing guitar helps set the tone and transitions to a bridge of organ and guitar that floats and sweetly flows back to the vocals. A nasty sax solo transitions us to the last verse and then sax and guitar take us home in a cool manner. “Fly” is a tome summing up Ryder’s career and his satisfaction with what he’s produced and done. He expresses his joy and happiness with his work and music. It’s hip and slick. The sax and backing effort is again nicely done. Up next is “The Artist.” Here Ryder takes a solemn and staid approach to deliver this one. He is somber and the flute and piano accompaniment help sell this feeling as Ryder tells his story as how being an artist is sometimes accompanied by trials and tribulations. The finale is an R&B cut entitled “Just The Way It Is;” here Ryder takes a somewhat light approach to addressing his mortality and eventual death. I guess he feels it’s just the way it is, and he’s right. We have no control and he accepts this with an open mind.
Ryder is striving for new and better stuff to produce. While he addresses his mortality in the closing song, he’s also not giving up on working to do something better each time he goes into the studio. Time has made him sound older, wiser, and a little weary but he and his team still write great songs and he delivers them with the same grit and passion he had in his youth. The old version of Mitch Ryder was very cool and so is this one. He’s older but he remains cool and edgy. It’s an enjoyable set of tunes with some superb musicians delivering outstanding performances on Ryder’s behalf. If you like Mitch, you’ll love this album.
