Ride - Going Blank Again | Album Review: Going Beyond Shoegaze

Going Blank Again by Ride is often seen as being the point where the band began to move away from their shoegaze roots. And indeed, the album saw the band embrace a wider array of influences. But more than anything, Going Blank Again serves to prove that Ride were never defined by any shoegazing tropes in the first place. Rather, it shores up the elements that make their sound so distinctive: the beautiful harmonies of Mark Gardener and Andy Bell, and the wonderful, manic drumming of Loz Colbert.

This is the second episode in 20 / 20 Sound's series on Creation Records. Creation Records is, quite rightly, viewed as one of the greatest record labels of all time, but a lot of the attention the label gets is focussed on certain specific releases. There is a treasure trove of brilliant albums that label released which don't get the love that they deserve, and one of those is most definitely Ride's Going Blank Again.

It's been great seeing Ride get some much deserved critical recognition over the last decade. It feels like they've truly stepped out of the shadow of My Bloody Valentine's towering legacy as shoegazing pioneers. But from Leave Them All Behind to OX4, from Twisterella to Cool Your Boots, from Chrome Waves to Mouse Trap, I'd still argue that Going Blank Again is one of '90s rock's most underrated albums.

#Shoegaze
#Ride
#MusicDocumentary