Usually when members of bands have side projects, it can turn out to be a risky venture. You risk the chance of sounding too much like the actual band you are in, and produce mediocre or boring music, for example Boxcar Racer. In other cases the music doesn't live up to what the band can do as a whole unit, and the listener walks away disappointed. Sometimes, and this rarely happens, the side project is just as good if not better than the band the artist is in. This is the case for The Sad Riders, the brainchild of indie-rock band Favez's front man Chris Wicky.
Lay Your Head On The Soft Rock is a collection of bluesy alt-country songs about real people and real situations encountered in Wicky's life. The album starts off with "The Plains and the High Roads" with just an organ, acoustic guitar, and Wicky singing, "I spent seven long years on the run, trying to get me a wife and a son, find a job man I'd work for anyone, but I can't find none man I can't find none." Lyrically this is the foundation for most songs on the album, tales of broken and hurting people, with an acoustic guitar and an organ the backdrop.
"Radio Man", a Bob Dylan-esque anthem is Wicky's take on the state of what is playing on the airwaves as he beckons, "I got pictures of Elvis spread out on the floor of my room and all of his faces looked battered and worn." "Wheres The Light" could easily be mistaken for a Gin Blossoms B-side and is probably the most up-tempo track on the album--and also one of my favorites. "Ace" a story about a guy who died in a motorbike accident, starts off with just a piano, before building into a full band, complete with electric guitar and drums.
The one thing that hurts this album is the simplicity of the songs. They are so simple at times; they become redundant, and can be a bore after repeated listens. The song writing is very strong, but some of the songs could have been kept shorter instead of repeating the same chorus over and over. If you are a fan of The Jayhawks or the Old 97's then this is definitely your cup of tea. This is a very strong debut, and something I have really enjoyed listening to the past few weeks on my late night drives home from work.
2.5/4
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