When
the Long Ryders
released
Psychedelic Country Soul
in 2019, it was the work of a band with some justified swagger in their step -- after a handful of well-received reunion tours, fate conspired to give them the opportunity to cut a new album, and if it was a bit less raucous than their classic LPs of the '80s, the songs were great and the performances compelling. Four years later, they sound a little less optimistic and a bit more cautious on 2023's
September November
, and with good cause. The chaotic state of the world that informed a few of the songs on
certainly hasn't settled down, with the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic adding a wealth of further complications. And hitting even closer to home, bassist
Tom Stevens
died on January 24, 2021, robbing the band of a trusted friend and colleague who'd been with the
Long Ryders
since 1984. The men on the cover of
look older and more weathered than they did just four years earlier, and though there are some solidly upbeat tunes on deck, such as "Seasons Change," "To the Manor Born," and the title cut, the more contemplative tone of "Flying Down," "Country Blues (Kitchen)," and "That's What They Say About Love" is what comes off most clearly (as does "Tom Tom," a moving tribute to their late friend). Thankfully,
is not obsessed with navel gazing; "Elmer Gantry Is Alive and Well" is an anthemic State of the Union address that's clearly the work of the guys who cut "Looking for Lewis & Clark," "September November Sometime" is impassioned, opinionated folk-rock in the classic
manner, and "Flying Out of London," one of
Stevens
' final recordings, is a lovely meditation on the nomadic life of a musician that earns its place as the epic closer, and not simply out of sentimentality. (
Stephen McCarthy
and
Murray Hammond
of the
Old 97's
take turns on bass, and both acquit themselves admirably.)
McCarthy
,
Sid Griffin
, and
Greg Sowders
deliver performances that come straight from the heart, and producer
Ed Stasium
gives the sessions a sound that's rich and naturalistic, a perfect fit for the songs and the mood. The unspoken theme of
was "We're Back!"
is a collection of songs that says, "We're Still Here!" a subtle but vitally important difference, and
make us glad that they were alt-country before there was alt-country and haven't thrown in the towel. ~ Mark Deming