Mark Gardener - These Beautiful Ghosts

After the horrible release in Tarantula, Ride called it quits. We then find Andy Bell in Hurricane #1, and then (*gasp*) off to the Oasis camp to be tortured by the Gallagher boys. So what of Mark Gardener? We saw a single from him, then after a pile of years, viola! Though Ride fans might not be stunned by this release, as it simply doesn't really have the flavor of the earlier Ride material, they will find it continues on from Carnival Of Light. This album feels like an afterthought of the aforementioned album, being in the psychedelic rock vein as apposed to wall-of-sound. It is not stunning by any imagination, but it will satisfy the majority of post-shoegazer fans looking to listen something reminiscent of that time. Gardener's lyrics haven't lost the touch, he still has that soulful touch that found the fans while in Ride, though the album in general doesn't quite sparkle. Perhaps another album or two will shake the rust off, and find him back in form as he was in the heydays of the 90's.






Track 1, Snow In Mexico

Track 2, Getting Out Of You Own Way

Track 3, To Get Me Through

Track 4, Magdalen Sky

Track 5, Rhapsody

Track 6, Summer Turns To Fall

Track 7, Beautiful Ghosts

Track 8, Flaws Of Perception

Track 9, The Story Of The Eye

Track 10, Where Are You Now?

Track 11, Water And Wine

Track 12, Gravity Flow






Grab the tracks here! Password-pwemb.blogspot.com






US United For Opportunity Records 2005, UFO 1002-1


Personal rating 3/5