REVIEW: Bikeride, Thirty Seven Secrets I Only Told America
(Hidden Agenda/Parasol)
- Bill Holmes
Wish all my school projects came out this good; Bikeride came together in 1997 to flesh out leader Tony Carbone's collegiate thesis and wound up releasing a full length recording called Here Comes The Summer. In keeping with the theme and process, Carbone spent the next couple of years jotting down ideas and lyrics over lunch breaks for this sophomore project.
Bikeride's low-key approach and Carbone's high vocals remind me of the Three O'Clock, Apples In Stereo and even early Mitch Easter, although you wouldn't call this record power pop by any stretch of the imagination. Sure, there are hummable melodies galore, like the opening track "Erik And Angie" (think New Radicals without all the bombast), the snare-driven hand-clapper "Jennifer" and the Farfisa-laden "America's Favorite Omlettes." What's most impressive, however, are offbeat touches like the engaging horn arrangements on the peppy "The Letter Dropper" and the carefree, whistling intro to "Samarah." By driving on the other side of the road...er, bikepath, the band sounds unencumbered and fresh, the antithesis to overproduced hit single attempts.
In this age of one-sided recordings, the art of balancing two halves of an album has gone by the wayside, but "Do You Like Ping-Pong?" is a clever palette cleanser (yes, it's nothing but several seconds of a ping-pong game), especially if you are wearing headphones. The loopy instrumental "Clean Sports, Clean Living" also bridges the gap between the bouncy closers: "Parasol" (no wonder the label liked them!) and "Can You Hear?" The record is full of different sounds and tempos that bear repeated listenings.
Bikeride won't be radio stars, but with lines like "I told myself it was too much heaven/just to see you walking into a 7-11," you'll find yourself walking up to the DJ or record shop counter and asking, "Who WAS that?" And if you get that chance, you'll find these songs worming their way into your heart. If that's not enough, you'll fall in love with the girl on the roller blades, just like I did. A great summer record to brighten your day.
