Texas Hippie Coalition - Ride On (2014)

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Texas Hippie Coalition - Ride On (2014)

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If the Dallas Cowboys claim to be “America’s Team”, then I herby announce that the TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION is “America’s Band”. Playing a style of infectious, blue-collared hard rock that is easily identifiable to every red-blooded American, and carrying that deep-southern groove in their old-school style hard-rock souls, this “Band of Outlaws” is prepared to continue their assault on the hard rock genre. With Big Dad Ritch on vocals, John Exall on bass, Cord Pool on guitar, and Timmy Braun on drums, THC is one of the most talented groups of musicians you’ll find anywhere. And having singlehandedly created the “Red Dirt Metal” genre by sculpting a sound that stays true to their musical roots (best described as PANTERA meets ZZ TOP), this band has everything needed to become the face of American hard rock music.

With their new release, “Ride On” via Carved Records, TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION’s fourth and most finely polished studio album to date, the time has come for the hard rock population to realize that one of the best rock n’ roll bands in the world, resides in the heart of Texas.

“Ride On” is a well-crafted collection of catchy hard rock tracks that could have easily offered THC a platinum album, back in the days when there was such a thing as a “platinum album”. Having already released a single for the riff heavy, “Monster in Me”, all that is left to do now, is put the album in the fan’s hands, and enjoy the ride. The record opens with “El Diablo Rojo”, a mid-tempo grooving track that is classic, in your face, THC. A lot of TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION fans will definitely have a new favorite song with track 2, “Splinter”, an up-tempo hard rock song for the ages, and just so happens to be one of the catchiest rock songs I’ve heard in years. This is the THC equivalent to PANTERA’s “Walk”, and whether you claim to be a fan of the band or not, you won’t be able to turn it off. “Go Pro” is the most radio friendly song this band has ever written, and is sure to become an anthem for a lot of sports teams, and in my opinion, is one of the finest moments in THC history. Other instant classics are “Bottom of the Bottle”, “Ride On”, and “I Am the End”, but really, the whole album is pristine. “Ride On” was produced by Grammy Award winning producer, Skidd Mills; known for his work with SICK PUPPIES, SAVING ABEL, DEVOUR THE DAY and SALIVA.

“Ride On” could just be the kind of “Badboy Boogie” that brings back southern fried rock n’ roll, and Big Dad Ritch may have forecasted TEXAS HIPPIE COALITIONS’s future status with the lyrics on “Go Pro”; “You’re about to get One More”, referencing “Great ones”, “Legends”, and “Champions”. With the addition of Pool on guitar, maybe the final ingredient that puts this band into the stratosphere, this incarnation of the band is, by far, their most talented group to date, and the songwriting is masterful. THC is back in the saddle and raring to go, and now in 2014, with their brand new album in tow, there will be no more denying these guys their due respect and consideration as one of America’s finest hard rock acts.

If you miss the days of old, riding around in your car, with the windows down and the music as “loud as hell”, TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION got the message; this album was tailor-made for that. “Ride On” is a masterpiece that should have these guys on the road for the extended future, and is by far, my album of the year so far. Do yourself a big rock n’ roll favor and buy this new release from the newly crowned, “America’s Band”.

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