Occasionally an album cover is so perfect that the music and the art are literally one. Synaesthesia inducing pairings; you can hear the music as you hold the album, and you can see the art as you listen. London Calling, Dark Side, Nevermind, Ziggy.
My clubhouse leader in secondary sensation is the minimalistic packaging of Ride’s Nowhere, showcasing the work of Warren Bolster, a giant of surf and skate photography who spent some of his teenage years in Sydney while his father was US Consul General. Documenting the early 70’s skateboarding explosion in California, Bolster’s work inspired future legends of skating and surfing including Tony Hawk.
Released in 1990 Ride’s Nowhere perfectly treads the line between shoegaze and Britpop, combining the swirling wall of sound that took My Bloody Valentine to iconoclast status with the simple melodies that would later bring Blur & Oasis into the pop consciousness. It is hard to be underrated when your album is featured in both Pitchfork & NME’s Best Albums of the 90’s lists, but Ride has managed to achieve that very feat.
Take a minute to listen to Nowhere below and find time to track down the vinyl. This is music that needs to be felt and seen.
-Chris P
