Single Review/ Blues : Ken Woods’ ‘Ride the Rails’
Ken Woods’ music is the best vehicle to travel back to the 50s/ 60s. The guitarist and singer-songwriter is an astounding blues artist with a dynamism and virtuoso that showcases his undying passion for the genre. The release, ‘Ride the Rails’ (2023) is seemingly made to emulate the rhythm, the rustic life and style of riding the rails. The soundscape forms like old black and white movies, opening with a cooing train sound sample. An old school train horn followed by the bustling sound of the engine and the wheels which he strings into a rhythm for the song.
And throughout the track, against the backdrop of this circular rhythm and floating cacophonic instrumentals, the artist creates imagery and frames of views as seen from a train. The vocals are the contextual star, reconciling all the elements, forging them with style and a philosophy. The philosophy of life that says, you ride the rails you made, you travel the tracks you paved; you make your life. Your choices dictate the journey you take. And bolstering this with that smooth, yet urgent rhythm, he brings the song a full circle. Listen Now!
The track is available for streaming on popular sites like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music!
You can listen to ‘Ride the Rails’ by Ken Woods, The Old Blue Gang here -
