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CRITIC REVIEWS
90
This is an LP you can live in and get to know over time, but what ultimately shines through ‘Weather Diaries’ is Ride’s warmth and respect for their own band – it’s clear they were intent on doing everything right this time.
90
The importance of Ride has naturally increased as the appetite for shoegaze has gathered pace over the past two decades, and similarly to Slowdive’s excellent recently released fourth album, we have a record here which proves to be an unexpected career highlight, the quality of which, although hoped for, wasn’t expected.
85
Ride have wisely sidestepped retreading old ground by using an updated sonic palette for a furiously fun, endlessly listenable record in Weather Diaries.
80
In keeping with their tradition, Weather Diaries is yet another Ride album unique from the rest. What's most remarkable about this one though is that it's as inventive and dynamic as anything else they've done.
80
Whichever model of Ride one is expecting, and however closely Weather Diaries gets to such expectations, they’ve succeeded at moving past the “heritage’ tour stage and have planted their feet on new ground.
80
It’s all tidily done, and there’s barely a misstep, but it’s notable that the album’s two best tracks – the woozy jangle of Cali and the skyscraping closer White Sands – are the ones that trade on the band’s shoegazy past glories. Sometimes the old ways are the best.
80
For their first new album in over two decades, this U.K. quartet don’t dare to try and replicate past glories. Just as their 2015 reunion tour proved, they’re approaching the “dream pop” sound they helped cultivate in the ’90s with well-earned maturity and some fresh influences such as ambient electronica and modern strains of psychedelic rock.
80
Though ‘Weather Diaries’ is a solid effort from a band trying to balance their mastery of shoegaze with other, outside elements, the strongest tracks on ‘Weather Diaries’ are when the band fully embrace the skeleton of the songwriting formula they’d perfected over two decades ago.
80
In the scheme of things, Weather Diaries may only be the band's third best LP; however, when it's coming in behind Nowhere and Going Blank Again, two of the most worshiped discs of the shoegaze era, deserving mention within the same breath is no small feat.
80
Ride's fifth album is something of a triumph and infinitely better than many a fan could have hoped for. Almost 30 years on those vapour trails show no sign of fading just yet.
75
Weather Diaries is both recognizably Ride and a logical, tasteful update of its sound.
70
‘Weather Diaries’ stays true to the band’s textured presentation and time-worn melodies, but it also smooths over some of the edges that could have made it essential.
70
At least 70% of this album is bloody brilliant and that, 25 years after their last great album, is little short of a miracle in itself.
70
‘Weather Diaries’ was tasked with shattering the weight held within 21 years of dormancy, and if it stands as an example of anything, it’s that, outside of overshadowing soundscape and kaleidoscopic-kissing tapestry, Ride still hold a vice-grip control over their illusion.
70
Ultimately, compared to their 1996 sendoff, this is more like it.
67
For those who already believe, it represents a promising comeback that, while never fully hitting the marks set for it by time or the band’s own peers, points to even more inventive, invigorated music on a horizon that likely isn’t another two decades away.
65
The first songs to be released from the album “Lannoy Point” and “Charm Assault” showed promise, but the album doesn’t quite deliver.
65
The best parts are worthy contributions to their catalog, and worth the price of admission here. But as a whole, Weather Diaries isn’t the brilliant Ride return fans might hope for.
63
Weather Diaries actually has enough individual moments over its 11 tracks to suggest that new Ride could work. But these are sadly surrounded by too many wobbles, missteps, and poor decisions to make the case for Weather Diaries as a great comeback album.
60
It lacks that sprinkling of stardust to make it special, but after the valedictory bitter taste of Tarantula, it’s good to have Ride back and evidently enjoying themselves again.
60
Weather Diaries channels Ride’s classic LPs like Nowhere and Going Blank Again and peppers the formula with renewed energy.
60
Some of Weather Diaries sounds a bit thin, as the album's vibrant singles come off as outdated recreations of old songs with some unnecessary polish. It isn’t short of ideas, though, which suggests that Ride are on their way to better refining their latest chapter.
40
There’s an attempt here to go back to the relative atmosphere of at least Going Blank Again, but the resulting music ends up sounding like the more reverb-heavy, turn-of-the-millennium British art-rock bands.
Hmm... those Ride...are back...nearly two decades after their latest album...
and judging by the cover something promising, may lie inside...
so, I started reading the "Weather Diaries" just to discover...
that they were better than expected...
following, without excesses, the dynamic writing of british rock...
and judging by the cover something promising, may lie inside...
so, I started reading the "Weather Diaries" just to discover...
that they were better than expected...
following, without excesses, the dynamic writing of british rock...
END OF YEAR LISTS
| #14 | / | Fopp |
| #14 | / | Louder Than War |
| #34 | / | Gigwise |
| #35 | / | Drowned in Sound |
| #37 | / | Uncut |
| #59 | / | Under the Radar |
MISC LISTS
| #37 | / | Under the Radar (First Half) |
Track List
- Lannoy Point
- Charm Assault
- All I Want
- Home Is a Feeling
- Weather Diaries
- Rocket Silver Symphony
- Lateral Alice
- Cali
- Integration Tape
- Impermanence
- White Sands
In Library (31)
![Ride - Nowhere [25th Anniversary Edition]](https://cdn.albumoftheyear.org/album/thumbs/2015/45089-nowhere-reissue.jpg)
Added on: March 23, 2017
