Carnival of Light

• Artist: Ride
• Rating:
• Release Date: June 28, 1994
• Type: Lyrics are included with the album
• Genre: Rock

Review

Credit Ride for using only their own creative radar, completely ignoring all outside expectations for their third LP. Listeners could tell they had a love for the likes of the Byrds and Buffalo Springfield, but admiring the Black Crowes was practically out of the question for the scene that birthed them. Even Crowes producer George Drakoulias was called in to produce, but John Leckie ended up working on the majority. Fans generally didn't dig the classic vibe, and the lazy-daisy, pastoral record fared poorly. Carnival's first side largely consists of Mark Gardener's songs, while the latter is mainly Andy Bell's affair. Gardener's contributions are solid. "1000 Miles" lifts '60s jangle convincingly. "From Time to Time" is a "Vapour Trail" part two of sorts, lyrically, introduced with tasteful Rhodes tones from Andy Bell. Bell's songs, however, tend to falter. While he wrote the bulk of the band's prior top material, he's trumped here; in fact, Loz Colbert's "Natural Grace" wipes the mat with Bell's work. Perhaps Bell's ego was too big to recognize the lyrical shortcomings of "Crown of Creation," the poor Al Greenism of "Endless Road," and the outright flimsiness of "I Don't Know Where It Comes From," which features a kiddie choir. Despite the gaps in song quality and that hackneyed Creation cover, Carnival of Light creates a pleasant, freewheeling feeling throughout. The LP might have run better with the extraction of some of the duff, which is all the more frustrating when considering the quality of the B-sides from this period. Album number three, despite its troubles, remains a pleasant listen and was unlike anything released at the time in the U.K. [Ignition U.K. remastered and reissued the record in 2001, adding three of the several B-sides from the singles released in support of the LP.] ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Moonlight Medicine	Mark Gardener	Ride	(6:49)
1000 Miles	Mark Gardener	Ride	(4:59)
From Time to Time	Steve Queralt, Mark Gardener	Ride	(5:05)
Natural Grace	Loz Colbert	Ride	(4:39)
Only Now	Mark Gardener, Jack Rieley	Ride	(4:25)
Birdman	Andy Bell	Ride	(6:38)
Crown of Creation	Andy Bell	Ride	(4:41)
How Does It Feel to Feel	Phillips, Bob Garner	Ride	(3:39)
Endless Road	Andy Bell	Ride	(3:29)
Magical Spring	Andy Bell	Ride	(4:25)
Rolling Thunder	Andy Bell	Ride	(2:07)
I Don't Know Where It Comes From	Andy Bell	Ride	(5:31)

Credits

John Leckie (Mixing), Julie Gardener (Engineer), Tom Nellen (Engineer), Steve Queralt (Bass), Loz Colbert (Drums), Andy Bell (Vocals), Electra Strings (Strings), Ride (Design), Gered Mankowitz (Photography), Andy Bell (Mixing), Kick Horns (Horn), Loz Colbert (Percussion), John Leckie (Producer), Andy Bell (Organ (Hammond)), Steve Queralt (Fender Rhodes), Chris Brown (Engineer), George Drakoulias (Mixing), George Drakoulias (Producer), John Cornfield (Engineer), Simon Whalley (Choir, Chorus), Andy Bell (Fender Rhodes), Jim Scott (Engineer), Nigel Godrich (Engineer), Jon Lord (Organ (Hammond)), Andy Bell (Piano), Mark Gardener (Tamboura), Mark Gardener (Guitar), Tom Sheehan (Photography), Mark Gardener (Vocals), Andy Bell (Guitar), Christchurch Cathedral School Choir (Choir, Chorus)

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