REVIEW: James Robert Webb — Ride or Die (EP)
James Robert Webb’s vision for modern country music receives its fullest vetting yet with the release of his EP Ride or Die. The Oklahoma-based singer and musician deserves plaudits for his extensive artistic and performing gifts, but it’s the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Accomplishing what he does while running a respected musculoskeletal radiology clinic in Tulsa, Oklahoma testifies to Webb’s unquestionable work ethic and tireless dedication to his dreams. Webb’s six songs for Ride or Die aren’t cookie-cutter or paint-by-numbers. They reflect the same focus on excellence that broadly defines Webb’s professional life.
They are brimming with vigorous life. “Gentlemen Start Your Weekends” personifies this with a bold and boisterous sound that borders on outright rock. Webb doesn’t hem himself into preconceived notions of what a nominal country performer can and cannot touch. There’s incendiary guitar work during this song, but it never goes overboard into heavy-handed guitar hero theatrics. Whatever bluster you hear in a James Robert Webb track is always there in service of the song.
“Ride or Die” will unite a lot of listeners. It percolates from the outset with a sense of unfettered freedom, and the instrumentation disdains any flashy theatrics. Webb delivers himself in full to this performance, and his full-throated vocals are full of brio. He incorporates instrumentation seldom heard on such releases — keyboards provide crucial color here and elsewhere during the collection. This outside-the-box thinking on arrangements helps further distinguish Webb’s material.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=JK7bwr56Msmi5D83&v=nubsmMM6yLM&feature=youtu.be
He explores a far more traditional vein for “Lovesick Drifting Cowboy”. The ghost of Hank Williams Sr. isn’t far removed from the song’s mood and lyrical content. Webb wears the outlaw mantle well, it doesn’t feel or sound like an affectation, and his judicious use of atmospherics helps further enhance the tune. The fiddle and harmonica accompaniment are shrewd and welcome touches.
He moves into another mode with “New Moon Light”. Some of Webb’s jazzier inclinations announce themselves with the effervescent piano playing throughout the performance. He matches the instrumentation with a lighter touch on his vocals. It’s one of the EP’s potential sleeper moments, so you shouldn’t let it pass by. “Buenos Noches Nacogdoches” is a moody song of leave-taking with a gentle waft that carries listeners along. Webb’s vocals testify to his ability to match the musical character of any piece with a complimentary demeanor. There’s a surfeit of heartache present in this song, but Webb and his collaborators weave such a memorable spell that it never seems mired in despair. The musical fireworks emerging just past the song’s midway point prove that James Robert Webb is at home on the stairway of surprise.
The finale “Adore” further underlines that fact. Webb concludes Ride or Die on a warm, gentle note. It is a much different cut than its predecessors, and Webb responds accordingly with a voice quite different from what he employs during the earlier material. It is a thoughtful and artistic finale for the release rather than pandering to the listener’s expectations. James Robert Webb’s Ride or Die offers us a compelling early glimpse of what’s to come with the forthcoming full-length Weekend Outlaw, and it promises to be one of the best releases in recent memory.
Colin Jordan
