Wale’s roots rock outfit Ken Woods and the Old Blue Gang made their entrance with “Ride the Rails,” an introductory single that is as musically grabbing as it is historically harrowing. Influenced by the actual events of September 24, 1893 the night that saw the violent expulsion of La Grande, Oregon’s entire Chinese community, the track, brings back, the grim history in fire, fury, and unblinking detail.
At the beginning of the song there is the ghostly ringing of a train bell and a desperate whistle; before the movie even begins. As from there, it enters furious relentless train-beat rhythm which propels the song like a locomotive through dust and time. The bass vibrates as if it was iron over steel and ticktack guitars spin like desert winds around the deserted La Grande station.
Sonically the track fuses Bakersfield-style country, psychobilly energy and roots rock aggression creating a world that is nostalgic and urgent. Tens of guitar tracks form this slippery bed of tension, which bores a hole through at the searing and the two scorching solos that feel more like cries from history rather than performances. There’s even a little bit of baroque-pop sparkle and neo-soul sheen beneath the surface: an unlikely, but appropriate combination.
Ken Woods positively growsls his vocal performance while his singing is gravelly raw and soulful. His voice mutters like an old storyteller, seeing chaos, and cruelty and endurance. During this galloping music, his delivery anchors the story, with a combination of grit and grace.
“Ride the Rails” is not just a song – it’s a reckoning. This sonic gut-punch of power musicianship and fearless storytelling from Ken Woods and the Old Blue Gang marks truth, and demands this listen.
