Deacon Blue : Riding On The Tide Of Love
Yorkshire Times 4th February 2021
When Deacon Blue released their last album last March the band thought that they
would be playing festivals during the summer and their own headlining tour in
the autumn. Of course the pandemic put all those plans to one side.
Some of the songs on this new album were recorded around the same time as the
City of Love album but the others were recorded afterwards during lockdown
with members of the band going into the studio individually to record their own
parts.
If you were expecting rousing songs along the lines of Real Gone Kid you
might be disappointed, instead the listener is treated to slower more
introspective tracks, apart from the title track. They are a fine collection of
songs that sees the band in a fertile period for songwriting with Bruce
Springsteen being a big influence throughout.
The bar room brawl of Riding on the Tide of Love strikes an optimistic
stamp over the song, indeed riding in the tide of love. She Loved The Snow
sets the mood for the rest of the album “Long Slow Days” sings lead singer Ricky
Ross which could apply to these days we are all living through right now. The
strings come in half way through the track to give it an even more melancholy
feel.
For some reason Nothing’s Changed reminds me of Manchester’s James with
its rolling rhythm whist on Time the song is built over a tender melody
as a pulsating bear keeps the track intact.
Send A Note is one of the tracks that was recorded during the same
sessions as the City of Love album as Ross suggests you send a “note out
to let then know how you feel” on a song that suggests a relationship has come
to an end when a note is better sent than telling a lover to their face that it
is all over.
The 8 track album closes with It’s Still Early which would sit easily
along the band's version of I’ll Never Fall in Love Again. They really
shouldn’t sound this good 30 odd years into their career but they do.
Let’s hope the the autumn tour goes ahead as planned as these songs will sound
even better live.
I rate the album 4 out of 5. Graham Clark