Mitch Ryder Georgia Drift (CD)

(Busch Funk) 12 tracks

Keith Richards once said that Mitch Ryder was "one of the most exciting singers to ever emerge on the music scene."

In the more than 50 years of his musical career, Mitch Ryder has celebrated great successes and suffered some setbacks, but his bite and vision have never been lost by the soon-to-be 78-year-old "with the lurking vibrato in his voice" and today he is more agile and popular than ever.

Mitch Ryder's 2023 album "Georgia Drift" is, as the title suggests, inspired by Southern Soul, so more earthy and laid back than his earlier albums. Ryder himself, who moved his center of life from Michigan in the north to Georgia, in the deepest south of the U.S., some time ago, calls the album "a reflection of my musical direction since my move." And so "Georgia Drift" features wonderful songs influenced by gospel and blues, such as "Lord" in typical Georgia style, the gospel-inspired "Salvation," which even features a very discreet banjo and violin, or the touching ballad "Jack," in which Mitch's voice is accompanied only by piano and violin.

That Mitch Ryder still has the groove, on the other hand, is proven by tracks like "Mask" and "Soul" that animate you to immediately bob along, while pieces like "Beautiful" or "Naked" are prime examples of grandiose rhythm & soul songs.