Ride. Sunday at Eight

Sunday at Eight and I go back several years. We practised at the same venue called 'The Jammer' in Zoeterwoude-Dorp, played at the same festival organised by the venue each early summer. The band was called Fort Da at the time. Since then they changed the band name, changed practice venue, worked with producer Jan Stroomer, of The Stream fame, for their debut cd, played a house concert at our house. And then Corona came along and all became silent, that is until just before I went on holiday this summer. A single was released and an EP announced.

A new producer, a new bass player, even more has changed over the past year. Something else changed as well. Sunday at Eight seems to have made up its mind what kind of band it wants to be. At least for now. Gone are the forays into ska, gone are the Billy Joel influenced piano based songs. In 2021 Sunday at Eight is an alternative poprock band with a double guitar line up. What remains is a consistent level of songwriting and skills on parade.

In fact, Ride is the giant leap forward. Sunday at Eight no longer is the nice band of sympathetic youngsters presenting their music. It has set the step towards a band that is full of confidence and has the songs to bolster that feeling.

Opening and title song in a way puts me back years, no, decades ago. It reminds me of listening to the radio as a little boy while doing what little boys do, but in the meantime absorbing the music, defining what I would like in music for the rest in my life. 'Ride' has that 60s feel all over it. The Beatles, The Outsiders, The Rolling Stones pre-'Jumping Jack Flash', The Small Faces, all the great pop hits of 1967 and early 68 somehow fit into 'Ride'.

Mind, the song is far from a copy. If only because it is played and recorded in a way nobody had ever heard of at the time. It is straightforward poprock for the 2020s. What 'Ride' does to me, is call up all those great songs that I have somewhere deep within me for decades and claim its own spot among them. From the nice opening, making me wonder what is going to come after the intro, until the very end, the song convinces.

The rock element continues with the next, nicely rocking intro of 'The Guru'. The light sound makes the song different from 'Ride', while retaining the melodic side of Sunday at Eight. When a dirty second guitar kicks in, the light and the shade is created in the right way between the two guitars. Simply well done.

The ska element has not left the band totally. Single 'Slumber' hits the backbeat, hard. A huge difference with the past. 'Slumber' rocks and has an intricate guitar weaving middle piece, changing course and plot of the song for a while, making the song and the EP so much more interesting. In 'OK Again' Ride also has its ballad, with a deeply resigned feel. The singer may be "OK Again", he appears to be hurt by what happened.

With 'Billy' the rock side is explored once again in what may turn out to be the finest song on Ride. I haven't quite decided yet between 'Ride' and 'Billy'. It has a few references to classic rock and roll riffs and mid-60s George Harrison guitar solo lines. Pat Garrett is in the lyrics, so we soon find out who the Billy in the song is. That ugly, dirty sepia picture comes to mind, with the ugly mug of a young man set against a fence or wall, very dead.

The EP ends with a reprise of 'Ride', the right ending for the EP, reminding each and everyone how good 'Ride' is, inviting the listener  put the EP on once again. Smart thinking!

Wout de Natris