Ride Going Blank Again

Ride's debut album, 1990's Nowhere, was a shimmering wall of sound that emphasized drummer Laurence Colbert's Keith Moon attack alongside guitars ringing deep into the psychedelic night. For the follow-up, 1992's Going Blank Again, the band cranks up the shoegazing sounds but emphasizes tighter songs and a sunnier disposition while Colbert pulls back on his kit. "Leave Them All Behind" stretches for more than eight minutes, but "Twisterella," "Mouse Trap," "Making Judy Smile," and "Not Fazed" stake out new, poppier territory. A thrilling organ is at the center of the mix in strategic spots, and Alan Moulder's production ensures that the sonic detail is second to none. The group's allegiance to Phil Spector's Wall of Sound is given a gorgeous and cavernous grandiosity on the exquisite "Chrome Waves." There's a 10-track version of the album and a 14-track edition that adds four excellent b-sides, including the album's title track (!).