Ride This: The Covers EP [EP]

Los Lobos

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 3, 2004)
• Original Release Date: August 3, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: EP
• Label: Fontana Mammoth
• ASIN: B0002JP3OC
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #28,221 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Returning a Favor, August 8, 2004

By	B. Niedt (Cherry Hill, NJ United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Promised as a follow-up to Los Lobos' last CD, "The Ride", this collection of songs returns the favor of the songwriter-artists who collaborated on that prior release. These guys have continued to satisfy over the years with straight-ahead rock n'roll as well as experimental departures, but this CD reminds us that they're also a killer cover band. and as a another reviewer noted, in a way it's a little more satisfying than "The Ride", in that there are no "guest stars" to distract from the music. All seven tracks of this EP are really fine, though my personal favorites are Bobby Womack's "More than I Can Stand" and Elvis Costello's "Uncomplicated". They do justice as well to "Jockey Full of Bourbon", one of my favorite Tom Waits songs, as well as a lovely version of Ruben Blades' "Patria". Though David Hidalgo's vocals on "Shoot Out the Lights" don't have the urgency of Richard Thompson's original, the guitar work is nearly on a par with Thompson's. The live version of Dave Alvin's "Marie, Marie" is competent, if a bit prefunctory. Overall, though, this is an excellent selection of songs, and a perfect companion to "The Ride".

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!, August 8, 2004

By	R. Squibbs (Joisey) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a Los Lobos fan who loves their more experimental/atmospheric stuff like Colossal Head and This Time, this ep strikes me as more immediately satisfying than its accompanying full-length, The Ride. The Waits, Costello, Thompson covers all hew pretty close to the standard rock format yet incorporate -- very subtly -- the sonic textures and quirks the band learned from working with Froom and Blake for most of the '90s. While The Ride has grown on me since it came out, I still find the guests largely distracting, especially on the more straight-ahead r&b stuff, which for me is the least compelling aspect of Los Lobos' music. On Ride This, you get pure, undiluted Los Lobos, clearly enjoying themselves as they play some of their favorite tunes while adding their peculiar sonic personality to them. If "Rita" is your favorite track on The Ride (as it is mine), then you'll certainly love Ride This. And even if you're more swayed by Cesar's r&b material, he turns in two excellent performances here, which will certainly reel you in. And then there's Ruben Blades' "Patria," which truly is worth the price of the ep itself -- it's incredibly beautiful and strangley ambient (but not in an electronic way), while "Shoot Out the Lights" sounds truly massive. I can't wait to hear what the band does next, as they've clearly found the perfect production style here to capture their singular sound. So, basically, disregard the lousy review below and pick up this ep right away!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Calls for more, June 19, 2005

By	Howlinw (California, USA) - See all my reviews

Los Lobos has to take the award for versatility, if there is such a thing in pop music. This disc proves that they are not only great songwriters with serious chops, but amazing interpreters of other people's songs. My fave on here, hands down, is "Uncomplicated." What a great version of the Costello song, with a pounding drumbeat and some intense guitarwork. There is nothing bad on this disc, although the version of "Marie Marie" is a bit by-the-numbers.

However, the success of this EP begs the question: why only an EP? Why not a full disc of covers, including some of the Neil Young stuff they play, and whatever else they are into at the moment? I think fans would enjoy it. In the meantime, here is one more argument for Los Lobos being among the best touring bands in the USA.