The Long Ryders
' debut EP, 1983's
10-5-60
, revealed that while the band certainly shared a love of the sounds of the 1960s with their brethren on L.A.'s paisley underground scene, their first loyalty was to the alternately jangly and twangy sounds of
the Byrds
' glory days. Their first full-length effort, 1984's
Native Sons
, was where they went all in on the country and folk-rock facets of their musical formula. Produced by
Henry Lewy
(who was at the controls for the first two
Flying Burrito Brothers
albums), featuring a guest vocal from former
Byrd
Gene Clark
on "Ivory Tower," and boasting a cover that replicated the sleeve for
Buffalo Springfield
's fabled unreleased album
Stampede
,
did away with the garage rock raunch and bursts of trippiness that punctuated
and steeped itself in rootsy sounds, albeit with an energy and drive that often outstripped the group's heroes.
were a band with no fear of indulging their influences, though they were far more than copyists; they tapped into the mindset that made their heroes great while adding fresh ideas of their own that were solidly up to date. There are flashes of the social consciousness that came to the fore here on songs like "I Had a Dream," "Too Close to the Light," and "Wreck of the 809" that confirm
the Long Ryders
were less interested in nostalgia that in keeping up the fight for a more just world, as befit a band that prized ideas more than fashion (though they sure loved a good Western shirt). They weren't averse to just having fun, either, as on "Run Dusty Run," "Never Got to Meet the Mom," and a cover of
Mel Tillis
' "Sweet Mental Revenge."
Sid Griffin
's and
Stephen McCarthy
's guitars wail gloriously, bassist
Tom Stevens
and drummer
Greg Sowders
invest these tracks with plenty of punchy drive, and the harmonies are superb, sweet with just the right amount of salt to bring out the flavor. Though
State of Our Union
would be
' best album,
runs a close second, and captures the excitement of a great band finding their sound and getting it right for the first time.
[In 2024,
Cherry Red Records
issued an expanded, three-CD edition of
. Disc one features a remastered version of the album, as well as the
EP. Disc two is devoted to demo recordings from the period, including songs that didn't make the cut for
. Disc three contains a raucous March 1985 show in London, England, including eight of
' 11 tracks. The set also includes a 28-page booklet with plenty of rare photos and an essay by
Anthony DeCurtis
, and any fan who needs to replace their old copy of this album will be well pleased with the package.] ~ Mark Deming