Customer Reviews

Carnival of Light

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

As a quick perusal of the reviews here will show, this album really divided Ride fans, and still does. Some found the total change of direction in a much more retro 60's direction too much to handle and dismissed it. However, if you just listen to this album on its own merits, it is a classic, as good as its influences (the most obvious of which to my ears is '65-'66 Byrds). I liked Ride before this album, but this is easily my favorite of all. It seems somewhat ironic that in 1993 so many critized Ride for going retro, rather than forward, while just a year later "Definitely Maybe", chock full of 60's influences, was heralded as a welcome new direction away from "grunge". In retrospect, "Carnival of Light" is a much better, if slightly less obvious, collection of songs. It's failure to win either critial acclaim or commercial success seemed to be a big factor in the eventual demise of the band (after the tour was cancelled, Andy wanted to immediatly make another album before Mark had any songs ready). Its quite a shame, and I do place a lot of blame for that on the UK critics who were so quick to put this down, while embracing a full on 60's revival a couple of years later with bands like Oasis and Kula Shaker. Anyway, all that's in the past, but this album is still here as a lasting reminder of the greatness of Ride at their peak.

Wow! I loved this record before, but hearing this re-mastered version is like going from beta to dvd in one instant. There is such a remarkable difference in sound I was in awe as I listened to this. Honestly, it brought a tear to my eye several times by the sheer beauty and transcendent feeling I got listening to this turned up on my stereo in a darkened room with a single lit candle by my side. Every track is brilliant, and as a whole album it is nothing short of a classic masterpiece, right up there with any classic album of the last 50 years. Though I love all of Ride's albums- this one is really special. The beautiful re-mastering crisply brings out every note and reveals many that were lost in the previous mix and gives those incredible Ride vocal harmonies a lush, etheral tone that just lifts the music all the more higher and outerworldly. The inclusion of the sensational b-sides from the original release is a wonderful treat that completes this album in a way it was meant to be in the first place. I simply cannot be more happy with the job Ignition Records has done for the entire Ride catalog, but for Carnival Of Light in particular. This album really defies the shoe-gazer genre in alot of ways. It is their most diverse album, mixing up several styles into a glorious merger of shoe-gazing pop, psychedelia, and late 60's/70's folk rock. It never feels rushed, is always musically diverse- running the spectrum from jaw-dropping instrumental passages to moments of "devil horns in the air" hard rock . You can hear their influence here very strikingly with current bands such as the Dandy Warhols, The Warlocks, Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Ocean Blue, Lush, and even early Doves. This album in particular sounds decidedly retro with a very obvious Byrds influence, but alot of Andy Bell's guitar work really contrasts that vibe with a very hard edge that really reminds me of future guitar work featured so prominently in Oasis- which is ironic because he never played guitar in Oasis, but I can hear now in Oasis' music just how heavily influenced alot of their sound was by Bell's former band, Ride. In conclusion, if you have the original cd or have never bought a Ride record, you deserve to hear this. It may very well change your life- it is that powerful.

Yes, there does seem to be a "love it"/"hate it" division among Ride fans on this album. Recorded at a tense time in the band's (rapidly ending) history, _CoL_ was, in many ways, a departure from previous efforts such as _Nowhere_ and _Going Blank Again_ (which some critics believe firmly put the band under the early '90s "shoegazer" label). Still, this album has some lush standouts (although apparently divided by Mark's songs on the first part of the album, followed by Andy's contributions). As one reviewer has already mentioned, there are Byrds-esque flavors to some of their songs, particularly "1000 Miles" and "Natural Grace". There is the 'old Ride' wall of swirling guitar on "Moonlight Medicine" and "Birdman" (with Andy's John/Yoko-like reference to his wife, Idha). And there is also the wistfulness of "Only Now" and "From Time to Time" (the latter with its incessant, hypnotic electric and acoustic guitars). A standout is the short yet haunting instrumental "Rolling Thunder". For new Ride listeners, give this one a try as you go to purchase a copy of "Going Blank Again"; it will give you insight into the range of music produced by this highly underrated yet influential (many artists cite Ride as a fave) band.

Ride was fizzling out quietly when they recorded this masterpiece. Instead of relying on labels to direct their sound, they flew by their own radar for this piece. And it's so much better for them. You can just tell Buffalo Springfield heavily influenced this album. There are swirling swathes of psychedelic noodling, especially the sublime opening track. Sounding more like an update of the British Invasion than the annoying pop bands that many of their peers were turning into, Ride made a great classic-sounding album. Whereas Blur chased down Ray Davies, Ride looked more towards more psychedelic influences, like Neil Young (a la Broken Arrow, the Buffalo Springfield song) and George Harrison. Overall, this album is a wonderful collection of psychedelic pop songs, with the standout songs being "Moonlight Medicine", "Birdman", "How Does It Feel To Feel?", and "I Don't Know Where It Comes From" (with a fantastic boys chorus opening).

Ride's follow-up to their masterpiece Going Blank Again was 1994's Carnival of Light. A quite different album, as it is more in the vein of mid-1990s jangly Brit-pop than their earlier shoegazing sound. However, it is still a fantastic album, although a signal that the end was near (due to tensions between Bell and Gardner, Bell refused to have his songs interspersed with Gardners...hence the first 5 songs are all my Gardner and co-writers, and from the 6th song all, solely by Bell)....but on to the music..

And what music it is. The album opens up with Moonlight Medicine, quite possibly the heaviest track Ride ever did, and it is awesome. This is followed up by the stunningly beautiful 1000 Miles, which has 12-string electric guitar reminiscent of the Byrds and Smiths. The first stellar track on the album is Natural Grace, which is just gorgeous and one of the high points of Ride's entire career. Bell's songs start out with the strong Birdman and Crown of Creation before moving to his masterpiece on the album, Magical Spring. Another one of Ride's all-time classics, this song has a catchy hook, killer verses, and amazing group performances. This remaster also has three AMAZING EP tracks from the era, Let's Get Lost, Don't Let it Die, and the superlative At the End of the Universe....these are as good or better than some of the album tracks.

All in all, a STUNNING album from Ride, and sadly their last classic disc. This remaster is the way to go...extra tracks AND fantastic sound quality due to the remastering....how can you go wrong?

Retro? Yeah, right. As if there were anything but. The titles are amusing enough, but the lyrics to "From Time To Time" are so punningly religious/secular the song practically wears beads. And the aching ballad "Only Now" outdoes even itself when it (look out) comes to the afterglow of seduction ("Crown Of Creation" indeed, and where IS that incense. . .). "I Don't Know Where It Comes From" either but I'll bet it disappears down the ol' "Endless Road" for the next "1000 Miles" or so in search of that elusive "Magical Spring." Or butterfly, or whatever. Yup, a bona fide winner here, even better than the great Going Blank Again only, like, mellower. When the smoke clears this'll still be spinning and so will you.

Carnival of Light is one of those albums that one listens to for the rest of one's life. I bought this album when it was released in 1994 and have never set it aside for more than a week. Take a listen to this album and see what you think. The opening track, Moonlight Medicine, is a fantastic icebreaker that sets the tone for the rest of the album. This is Shoe Gazer pop at its best. Groovy, heavy layers of guitars, existential lyrics, and totally British. Now don't go confusing my description with classic guitar rock or acid rock. Ride is certainly flavored with a tinge of drug induced delusion, but more than anything this is music of dreams. I would highly recommentd this album to anyone who even remotely enjoys Oasis.

Sadly, Ride is no longer with us, but this album can still amaze those who have yet to hear them. An essential piece of music for those who like "Brit-pop", and for those who enjoy Stones/Beatles-ish songwriting. This could be my favorite album of the decade. Now if only guitarist Mark Gardener would release something new, and co-guitarist Andy Bell would rework his current band Hurricane #1 (too much like Oasis, Andy-- ditch that lead singer!), maybe I wouldn't feel so sad that Ride's dead and gone. Rest in peace, boys, and rise again!

True Ride fans dismiss this album as an unfortunate move away from the noisy ambient guitar rock pioneered on the previous releases "Nowhere" and "Going Blank Again". Even the band distanced themselves from it in mid-90s interviews, claiming that they attempted retro 60s style rock when they were not ready for it. This release originally came out in 1994, when the shimmering vocal harmonies, elaborate studio production, and 60s sounding guitars were 100% opposed to the noisy 90s grunge rock aesthetic. While it has ever since been dismissed as wimpy REM style pop, a fresh listen will prove that it is in fact one of Ride's strongest, most tuneful, and best produced albums. Like a good bottle of wine the album has aged quite well, and wears it's 60s rock influences quite well. The album was clearly ahead of its time in referencing The Buffalo Springfield - rather like the denim sheepskin coats that they wear in the liner notes. And the guitars aren't at all delicate or fey - just listen to the crunch of "How Does it Feel to Feel", a cover originally by The Creation, or the blistering backwards 60s guitar solo on "Crown of Creation". In short, this album contains some of their finest moments. If you still need further proof - Andy Bell now calls "Only Now" his best and favorite Ride song.

I read one review of this album that stated that you can't really give this album 5 stars, as it isn't in the same league as "Nowhere." I agree. Comparing the 2 is like saying who is better: The Montreal Canadians, or the New York Yankees? It's impossible to answer, as there 2 different sports. Same thing here. "Nowhere" was a masterpiece of shoegazing, on par with "Loveless." "Carnival of Light" is a masterpiece of brit-pop, far beter than anything Oasis, the Charlatans, and I'll even throw in the Stone Roses ever did. Not that those bands aren't good, just that this CD perfects the sound. The album comes across as pure pop music (which it more or less is) but at the same time, music wise it seems more daring than anything by their contemporaries. Kind of like comparing the Beatles to the Small Faces: both were good, but which one was great? Now, if you didn't like shoegzaing, you won't like "Nowhere." If you didn't like brit-pop, you won't like "Carnival of Light." If you apreciate both genres, you'll realize these are essentials of there respective fields.