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WILLIE NILE WILL BE CELEBRATING HIS RELEASE OF AMERICAN RIDE TONIGHT, JUNE 26, AT THE HIGHLINE BALLROOM IN NYC. FOR DETAILS ON THE SHOW, AMERICAN RIDE AND MORE, GO TO WILLIENILE.COM.

by John PfeifferWillie Nile is back with a kamikaze

dive into rough and rowdy rock territories.For those who think, “Well, the guy hangsout with a bunch of Jersey icons, so it’sgoing to be that same sort of sound,”you will be way off the mark. Nile actuallygot his start in the middle of theGreenwich Village music scene,becoming a popular fixture in the Village’sfolk clubs while drawing influence fromthe emerging downtown punk scene.Nile continues that interesting and

ever-evolving hybrid journey that’s seenhim wade through the complex domainsof fickle major label stratospheres aswell as concerts of historic value, andhe’s finally reaching his own island offortitude. But that’s always been Willie’ssecret for longevity; he’s just kept onmoving forward. Just when you mightthink you have him in your crosshairs,he’s off in the next enthusiastic direction,riding his tsunami of sound to an out ofthis world destination that shows nosign of fading.His latest album is called American

Ride, and it marks Nile’s 35th year inthe business. Due out as of this writingon Loud & Proud, Nile becomes the firstartist released under the label’s newdeal with RED Distribution. When youask him about American Ride, Nileanswers enthusiastically, “These are

songs about the rights of man, songsabout freedoms, songs about love andhate, songs about loss, songs aboutGod and the absence of God, and songsabout standing up for your fellow man.It’s upbeat and full of life. I’m thrilled withhow it came out.”

American Ride kicks off with an old-school four count on “This Is Our Time.”Nile demonstrates his skill at three-chord gold as guitars chug andaccentuate against the grain of his legibleverse work. Handclaps and backgroundharmony “oohs” sail this skiff of a songstraight into the minds of no-frillsenthusiasts everywhere.“Life On Bleeker Street” opens with

a scrambling guitar and keyboard riffbefore kicking into the meat of the matter.Nile’s trademark vibe of fist-raising rebelrouser continues with this zestful lookat life on one of NYC’s most popular

cultural destinations. Compositionallygrainy in that blue collar, Chevrolet andapple pie Americana way, “Life OnBleeker Street” switches gears at 1:42as Nile and crew wind down, turn leftand throw hard to third base, comingup out of the bridge with a build into thecatchy, guitar-jangling chorus. Specialkudos goes out to Johnny Pisano andRob Morsberger for killer stringorchestrations.“American Ride” pumps the brakes

and downshifts into Nile’s extraordinarytimeline past. Acoustics lead the wayas electric swell pedal steel bends takethe wheel from the first verse of thisunderrated, backbeat special. The guitarbreak is jagged and melodic silver, andnothing on this Don Felder-styled leadis wasted as it recedes back into thebrisk drum and bass attack. “AmericanRide” brings images of life on (and off)

the highway of reality as only Nile couldpresent it. Shades of the Eagles, Dylan,Levon Helm, The Boxmasters andJohnny Prine fly through my head outon this musical road to inspiration town.More than any song on the disc so

far, Nile steps into the arena ofcommercial acceptance with “She’s GotMy Heart.” However, this is no bubblegumpop tune or toss away jingle. “She’s GotMy Heart” embraces the Aurelian 1970sand the summertime single that bandslike the Eagles were famous for. Laid-back rhythm work bounces betweenlazily stroked acoustic guitars. Electricsswirl and twirl at the bridge, traces ofreverb spattered ripples ebb and flowunder the melodic vocal tides of Nile.Here, we watch Willie describe the “BlindMan’s Walk” out in no man’s landbecause of love. Cautionary warningsof a girl that’s trouble fall on deaf ears

of someone hopelessly in the throes oflove.“God Laughs” is a snarling pub chanter

in the vein of Black 47 meets TheRomantics. This is a magnificent songfor those who don’t know that underneaththat nice guy persona, Nile has a severelysardonic wit. Lyrics on “God Laughs”are smart and about as tongue-in-cheekas you can get. “God wails, God moans,God don’t use fax or telephones/Goddrinks, God smokes, God plans to quitbefore he croaks.” Guitars slash andclang as drums hit hard. Bass workbounces and winds between bar chordblitzkriegs. The middle eight swingscountry punk before cutting abruptly forNile to go about his verbal business.Comical and catchy, it’s good to seewhat Willie has found out about theheavenly provider. Some of the subjectmatter really gets you thinking aboutwhy the creator has done what he’sdone. Of course, the answer wouldbe…because he’s God.Nile’s version of Jim Carroll’s “People

Who Died” is a joyride through anitroglycerin plant in a half-track loadedwith warheads. The slamming rhythmmachine of Alex Alexander and JohnnyPisano drives this no-nonsense coverlike a stripped down SUV from Mad Max.Palmed and chugged electrics pauseto make way for two-string bends and

“Nile’s version of Jim Carroll’s ‘People Who Died’is a joyride through a nitroglycerin plant in a

half-track loaded with warheads. The slammingrhythm machine of Alex Alexander and Johnny

Pisano drives this no-nonsense cover like astripped down SUV from Mad Max.”

WILLIENILE’SAmerican

Ride

20 ARTS WEEKLY JUNE 26, 2013 www.theaquarian.com

pentatonic pull-offs. Nile and company blow the roof off the chorusesand, just when you think it doesn’t get any better, there’s a four countintro back into another eight measures of candy-coated punk rockgoodness.“Holy War” harkens back to a ‘60s Hendrix intro as Nile jabs into

the verse with the question of the ages, “Holy war, what’s it for?”Verses are quiet as the band uses dynamic juxtaposition to makebridges and choruses soar miles high. Nile doesn’t sugarcoat it hereas he says, “God is great, but you suck, your fingerprints were onthe truck that blew up babies out of luck.” While some will say thisis aimed at a certain demographic or religious splinter party, the factis that it could be applied to just about everyone, and that is his point.As Nile so eloquently sums up, “God doesn’t need you, so suck onthat.”The rockabilly vibe of “Say Hey” swings from the roof beams. Guest

trumpeter Lee Hogans lends traditional flair to this switchblade-totingblaster. Guitar flair groans under deep trem arm bends and echoed,upstroke chord hiccups. Background vocals courtesy of LeslieMendelson are ultra capable and delicious as Nile stands out frontfor the common, everyday Joe.“Sunrise In New York City” vamps along in Penny Lane flair. Deep-

toned Wild West guitars glimmer under single-string runs as Pisanowalks this sunny barrelhouse number up and down the sidewalk.This is another song that makes Nile’s wide-open compositional styleso agreeable. Deep diving into the feel-good time of the Big Appleat its most vulnerable and peaceful, I can almost see myself sittingin the park and enjoying the view.“The Crossing” features some of the most beautiful string and piano

work on the record. I can almost picture St. James Gate off the southquays of Dublin on James Street. Morsberger is back to set uporchestral maneuvers, and he brings Suzanne Ornstein (viola, violin)to slather this emotional piece in the breathtaking solace of her sound.“The Crossing” is the story of human triumph and determination inthe face of adverse conditions. As Willie says, “It’s a song of passage.Initially it was written about the Irish coming across the ocean toAmerica for a better life. When I was writing it and when I play it live,I think about and talk about all of our ancestors coming from all over

the globe for a better life.”The disc ends with the upbeat “There’s No Place Like Home.” Nile

and crew join in to drive home the welcoming point that there’s nothinglike your own bed and couch at the end of the day. You can feel theweary welcome as he closes his own domicile door behind him.

American Ride is simply that. This is a look at the mind of anAmerican troubadour. Nile’s stories are culled from countless hoursin buses, diners, truck stops, on jets, stages, back roads and justabout every other avenue of communicative journey there is. Nile is in a zone that very few get to experience in a particular

lifetime. This is the album that will make him a bona fide star. As Bono from U2 recently said about Willie’s new record, “It’s a

ride alright... on foot, on horseback, with the occasional roller coasterthrown in. There are a few Americas here to discover. The mythic,the magic, the very real. One of the great guides to unraveling themystery that is the troubled beauty of America.”

www.theaquarian.com ARTS WEEKLY JUNE 26, 2013 21

“The rockabilly vibe of ‘Say Hey’ swings from the

roof beams. Guesttrumpeter Lee Hoganslends traditional flair tothis switchblade-toting

blaster. Guitar flair groansunder deep trem arm bendsand echoed, upstroke chord

hiccups. Backgroundvocals courtesy of LeslieMendelson are ultra

capable and delicious asNile stands out front for thecommon, everyday Joe.”

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