Moonrider - Moonrider (50th Anniversary Edition)

Moonrider was formed in 1974 after vocalist Keith West (formerly of Tomorrow) worked with guitarist Jason Weider (previously in Family and The Animals) on West's solo album Wherever My Love Goes.  Along with bassist Bruce Thomas, who would go on to play with Elvis Costello, and drummer Chico Greenwood, they released one album, made a couple TV appearances and opened for a few other artists before calling it a day.  Now, fifty years after its release, that album has been remastered and reissued with 9 bonus tracks.  While the music of their prior bands tended to be in more of the psychedelic and prog rock genres, Moonrider’s music drew more from pub rock and the country rock of the West Coast.   After starting off sounding like a dance tune, the album’s opener “Angel Of Mercy” becomes a nice, laid-back pub rock track with a bit of a soulful side, and is followed by the gentle, country rock of “Having Someone” with its Eagles like harmonies.  “Our Day’s Gonna Come” shifts gears a bit, sounding like more of an easy listening, yacht rock ballad, and is one of the weaker tracks here.  Featuring Weider’s only lead vocal on the album, “Good Things” is a nice midtempo country rock track with a laid-back, galloping beat and some really solid guitar.  The upbeat “Livin’ On Main Street” adds a little boogie to the beat and has some bluesy guitar from Weider.  With a bit of a funk groove, “Too Early In The Morning” is another change of pace that’s reminiscent of Steely Dan (Steely Dan producer Gary Katz was initially supposed to produce the album but never showed up to the studio).  The next two tracks, “Golddigger” and “Danger In The Night,” are to me the best on the album and both show their rock side with the latter having a darker, Neil Young vibe.  “Ridin’ For A Fall” is another country-tinged pub rocker with an extremely catchy chorus, which brings us to the album closer, “As Long As It Takes,” a somewhat generic country rock ballad that is a little too soft rock.  As for the bonus cuts, first up is the non-album single “I Found Love,” which is on the poppier side and sounds like they are trying a little too hard for a hit.  The remaining bonus tracks are a previously unreleased six song set that was recorded for the BBC In Concert radio session and two cuts from their appearance on the BBC’s Old Grey Whistle Test.  Both performances sound great and make excellent additions to the CD.  Following the album's release, they toured with John Mayall, Ace and even Chaka Khan, but between label financial woes and conflicts between the members, the band was short lived.  While its not without its flaws and weaker cuts, Moonrider is an album that is definitely worth checking out.  

(Think Like A Key Music)