I first caught The Riptide Movement as support for James Yuill back in June and I have finally followed them up with their album What About The Tip Jars??
They have a great rock sound which varies between blues and psychedelic and comparison to the Doors is inevitable. The concentration on the percussion is what makes them standout though- not only with the excellent drumming but with the syncopated type of guitar work. With a few exceptions all the tunes have an abundant energy…and the ones that don’t I think are all the better for it in showing the subtleties of their sound.
The album kicks off with Reno and a nice driving pace which continues in Downtown Hotel and is followed by The Unknown which is slightly more instrumental but has a great vibe. Cry Cry Baby has more of a psychedelic element with the keyboards and a great jam at the end while Face Dancer really highlights the drumming skills.
Good Times Roll feels like there was some fuel injection added and from the first note this is a fast paced number which contrasts with the follow-up Bringing Down The House which is quieter for most of the tune but has a good build up at the end.
Pale Green Eyes is a change completely from the previous tunes and in a way is the standout track on the album for me- excellent subtle instrumentation with understated vocals.
What About The Tip Jars brings back the rollicking vibe- very catchy indeed and is followed by the more instrumental In The Eye Of The Storm. Cold Wind Blows cranks up the psych element again but it’s with Alive Inside that the head will really nod with the stomping bass drum and great guitar riff.
The album ends on a quieter note with Ten Days In The Desert- again some great subtle instrumentation but this time with harmonies and supplemented with sampling.
All in all its a great listen and some very solid tunes- as I had said previously there is nothing new about their sound but their take on bluesy rock is exceptionally good and well worth catching them live.
They will be in Crawdaddy tonight for their single release of Alive Inside and will be supported by Morgan La Faye & Yukina. Doors at 8 and tickets are €10.
Alive Inside
TenaciousT 