Introduced by a rolling, euphoric snare drum and haunting guitar tones, ‘Ride The Rails’ moves with charisma and playful character, delivering Ken Woods’ quirky and intense storytelling. Hailing from the UK, the Welsh creative finds artistic glory in his earthy, raw and smoky vocals, capturing the listeners’ attention with dramatic flair and old-school character. Balanced between alt-country, spaghetti western and a bluesy attitude, ‘Ride The Rails’ is certainly an intriguing effort.
Acting as the debut effort of Ken Woods and his band, The Old Blue Gang, the song takes an unexpected historical interest in America’s problematic history, recounting “the events of September 24th, 1893, when a gang of residents and KKK members led the forcible expulsion of the entire Chinese community in La Grande, Oregon.” Reeking of Bakersfield-esque nostalgia, ‘Ride The Rails’ well conveys the idea of a moving train, echoing the steamy landscape of La Grande’s train station.
Such an evocative and meaningful single anticipates an equally substantial upcoming album, ‘Silent Spike’, set for worldwide release on July 4th. The record will take a wider look at the experiences of the ‘Railroad Chinese’ or ‘Silent Spikes’, the Chinese migrant population who built the first Transcontinental Railways in Oregon, California and Washington.
Recommended! Discover ‘Ride The Rails’ on Spotify:
