Tightrope Ride, is the eleventh album by guitarist, singer, songwriter Rick Shaffer, recorded in Detroit during the three years after his last album, Broken Souls. The production idea was to incorporate the 1970’s Iggy/Bowie project sound, with Shaffer’s Proto-Garage Blues Rock. The album is aggressive and hard rocking with Teddy Rixon (bass) and Stevie Carlisle (drums), who have grown into heavyweight champion status providing a rock solid rhythm section. The powerhouse album opener Too Much is a lean proto assault inspired in part by Dave Allan’s Blues Theme and early Stooges, with blazing fuzz as loud as ever and primal groove, at its raw, sweaty howling peak. Lyrically the songs’ theme “vices are the virtues that tear you apart.” The temptations that cross your path will be your demise.
Tracks Ninety Nine Times, Need Your Love, Wild Dance and Wrap It Up fall into the “Berlin Period” production by Iggy & Bowie. Tightrope Ride’s production is dark and richly textured finding Shaffer as a lyricist and vocalist rising to the challenge, with its tough grooves, fragmented guitars, and music cerebral and inward. A stunning leap into modern musical textures and we see a soundtrack for a dystopian, cyber–influenced society. The entire album is calling all to challenge the concepts of righteousness and despair in the modern world.
Borderline and Another Day take on a Bowie/Ronson era sound, with guitar driven hard rock and Shaffer lyrical conceits. A strong Lou Reed/Velvet Underground influence, found within these two dark rockers in a postmodern form. The result is a 70’s manifesto, that pushes further strong rhythmic undercurrents that sound enthralling. A dark menacing swagger delivered with aggressive precision.
The buzz saw attack of Bust Out and Expectation provide a loose ramshackle ambience, dark undercurrents and the raw guitar raunch of the early 70’s Stones, Iggy Pop and James Williamson “Kill City” era. The songs are driven forward with blocks of distorted chords and catchy melodies in a grinding attack. And, it is the spirit, raw energy and sounds summoned up in these tracks that make Shaffer a true rock ‘n roll minimalist.
Tightrope Ride is a three-year semi-autobiographical work that channels the aggressive power of Shaffer’s signature sound of The Reds and solo Proto Garage Blues, with the result being the best of both worlds.
Rick Shaffer wielding a blowtorch guitar to complement his complaint of a decaying society has created a harrowing album of unwavering personal songs.
Powerful and emotional.
∎ Tarock Music, February 22, 2022
