Deacon Blue - Riding On The Tide Of Love (Ear Music)

When Deacon Blue released their last album last March the band thought that they would be playing festivals during the summer and their own headlining tour in the autumn. Of course the pandemic put all those plans to one side.

Some of the songs on this new album were recorded around the same time as the City of Love album but the others were recorded afterwards during lockdown with members of the band going into the studio individually to record their own parts.

If you were expecting rousing songs along the lines of Real Gone Kid you might be disappointed, instead the listener is treated to slower more introspective tracks, apart from the title track. They are a fine collection of songs that sees the band in a fertile period for songwriting with Bruce Springsteen being a big influence throughout.

The bar room brawl of Riding on the Tide of Love strikes an optimistic stamp over the song, indeed riding in the tide of love. She Loved The Snow sets the mood for the rest of the album “Long Slow Days” sings lead singer Ricky Ross which could apply to these days we are all living through right now. The strings come in half way through the track to give it an even more melancholy feel.

For some reason Nothing’s Changed reminds me of Manchester’s James with its rolling rhythm whist on Time the song is built over a tender melody as a pulsating bear keeps the track intact.

Send A Note is one of the tracks that was recorded during the same sessions as the City of Love album as Ross suggests you send a “note out to let then know how you feel” on a song that suggests a relationship has come to an end when a note is better sent than telling a lover to their face that it is all over.

The 8 track album closes with It’s Still Early which would sit easily along the band's version of I’ll Never Fall in Love Again. They really shouldn’t sound this good 30 odd years into their career but they do.

Let’s hope the the autumn tour goes ahead as planned as these songs will sound even better live.

I rate the album 4 out of 5.