Naming your band after a professional wrestler can easily be misleading. With sports entertainment being synonymous with heavy rock and metal, Rick Rude could be tarred with an ugly brush before even hearing them. Unless you are a fan of the sadly deceased superstar, have an open mind for something different, and don’t judge a book by its cover.
What you get from Rick Rude’s new album, ‘Make Mine Tuesday’, is the brightest ray of sunshine in the form of shimmering, country-tinged indie-rock. It only takes the lackadaisical delivery and weeping slide guitar of the opening track ‘Bald and Fat in Houston, TX’ to suck you in. The pop driven melodies that permeate the album make for an interesting dichotomy with the cryptic and lovelorn lyrical narrative of ‘Sunhead’ and ‘Shroud and Shell’.
There are, of course, some very notable influences that emanate from the familiar sound of Rick Rude. You can hear Guided By Voices echoing through the delicate passages of ‘Ow For Now’, and the gritty fuzz of ‘Bruce Bone’ is probably the most Built To Spill sounding track that Built To Spill never wrote. It’s a comparison that seems to follow the band wherever they go, but surely they don’t mind being compared to such a great band.
Where ‘Make Mine Tuesday’ will divide listeners is the imperfect nature of certain sections. While no doubt intentional, the off-key vocals of ‘K West’ could be like nails to a chalkboard to some, and the disjointed guitars that rattle through ‘Business as Casual’ might be a turn off. But for those who enjoy something raw, with the urgency that so many releases are lacking, they will be welcomed with open arms.
Given the style of music that Rick Rude play, you can’t help but feel they might find themselves staring at a glass ceiling. ‘Make Mine Tuesday’ is a fine album, but may get lost in the sea of stagnating genres taking up the airwaves. If they can get in the right ears and break through it, though, then many will see it for what it is: a much needed breath of fresh air.
GLEN BUSHELL