The Long Ryders

An early-'90s CD gathering 1983's 10-5-60 EP and the following year's Native Sons, both long out of print on vinyl by that time, this disc is all the Long Ryders one really needs. Singer/songwriter (and future music journalist) Sid Griffin is a talented mimic of his musical idols (primarily the Byrds, perhaps the psychedelic-era Dillards, certainly his personal hero Gram Parsons, and -- just maybe -- the twangier side of Big Star's Chris Bell) and a pretty good songwriter, able to toss off witty tunes like the bluegrass-tinged "Never Got to Meet the Mom" and terrific slabs of paisley-patterned jangle pop like the dreamy "And She Rides." But his vocals are unfortunately nondescript (is that a deliberate Tom Petty impersonation on "Join My Gang" or just an odd coincidence?), and while the low-budget production is efficiently non-fussy and betrays very few early-'80s artifacts to date it unfavorably -- unlike the Long Ryders' woefully misbegotten major-label debut, State of Our Union, which is a mess -- it does feel a little bare-bones in spots. Still, major points for the rave-up version of Mel Tillis' classic country kiss-off "(Sweet) Mental Revenge." ~ Stewart Mason, All Music Guide