Record Label: Loud and Proud Records
Genre: Rock
Band Link: willienile.com
Buy on Amazon.com

Singer/songwriter Willie Nile has returned with a brand new album called American Ride and its without a doubt his best album to date. As a fan of Nile’s, American Ride is perfect from start to finish! If you’re a fan of Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Joe Strummer and Tom Waits, American Ride is an album you HAVE to listen to.

Willie was going to release this album independently through his PledgeMusic campaign, which reached his goal in a matter of days. The album was then picked up by Loud & Proud Records (distributed by Sony/Red Music). So obviously American Ride turned a lot of heads since it was picked up by a label. I’ve been listening to Willie since I saw him open for the Saw Doctors in 2004 and been a fan ever since. I’ve enjoyed Willie’s early albums (Willie Nile, Places I Have Never Been ) and his last few albums (House of a Thousand Guitars, The Innocent Ones) but nothing comes close to this album. Although, House of a Thousand Guitars is my favorite song ever by Willie (especially live in concert).

As soon as you hear the first track “This Is Our Time,” you’ll be hooked in. Afterwards you’ll be humming the song and whistling the chorus and hopefully not driving the person around you nuts. The same goes with “Life on Bleecker Street,” which is another catchy tune that gives a nice visual of the Village. I can’t help myself and sing lines from the song while walking around the NYC streets. “This is life on Bleecker Street, where the tourists shuffle to a boombox beat.” The title track “American Ride” is the definite Summer road trip song. Willie brilliantly sings about all the states, cities and towns like Huey Lewis did in the “The Heart of Rock & Roll.” Willie is like a painter in the way he sings and tells stories through his songs. Except his “one” guitar is his paint brush….if that makes any sense at all.

In the past, it seemed to me Willie had a straight up classic rock sound but with this album it seems like he’s branching out a little. It could be his awesome backing band of Johnny Pisano, Matt Hogan and Alex Alexander that are helping him branch out a little? There’s a little bit folk (“American Ride”), rockabilly (“Say Hey”), piano ballads (“The Crossing”), saloon tunes (“Sunrise in New York City”) and Americana (“There’s No Place Like Home”). Willie just needs a ska and reggae song in here and he would have done it all. Well there’s always the next album I guess. Willie breaks out his cover of Jim Carroll’s “People Who Died” and adds a bit of Willie flavor to it. Willie (and Jim) managed to make a song that is pretty bleak into something that sounds fun.

“Sunrise in New York City” is one of my favorite songs from Willie. I can’t help but sing along to this one. I’ve seen many sunrises over New York City because of my commute and they “sure look pretty.” You can almost picture the sun popping up behind the buildings when listening to this tune. I highly recommend hearing this one if you’re going to give this album a shot.

I also recommend getting the special edition of American Ride because it contains 3 bonus tracks. The first one is a great anthem for the Occupy movement called well…”Occupy.” The Occupy guitarmy covered that one during the marches and protests. The other songs included is “The Motel Life” and a new version of the excellent “One Guitar.” The later is a live highlight for me and it’s cool to see it redone for this record.

I’ll forgo with the driving cliches but American Ride is just a damn fine album! It has been on a constant rotation in my iPod since I got it. Hearing this album is one thing, but the best way to hear Willie Nile is at a concert. If you’re not a big fan of Willie’s in the beginning, trust me, you will be by the end.

…and if you haven’t seen Willie Nile on Before The Concert yet, be sure to watch the episode because it’s an awesome video!

Bottom Line: Willie Nile’s best album to date
Notable Tracks: This Is Our Time, Life on Bleecker Street, American Ride, God Laughs, People Who Died, Sunrise in New York City
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