Final Wild Songs
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Final Wild Songs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Box set by | ||||
| Released | 22 January 2016 | |||
| Recorded | 1983–1987 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:31:53 | |||
| Label | Cherry Red | |||
| Producer | ||||
| The Long Ryders chronology | ||||
| ||||
Final Wild Songs is a four-CD compilation box set by American band the Long Ryders, released in 2016 by Cherry Red Records.[1] It collects the debut EP 10-5-60, the three studio albums Native Sons, State of Our Union and Two-Fisted Tales, as well as a number of rare and unreleased tracks, including a full 1985 live set recorded for radio broadcast in the Netherlands.[2]
The collection was researched and compiled by the Long Ryders' Tom Stevens and Sid Griffin and remastered from original master tapes, where available.[3] "Still Get By", originally track 2 on Native Sons, is omitted from disc one, as requested by its writer Stephen McCarthy for unknown reasons, according to Tom Stevens.[4]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |  [2] |
| Americana UK | 10/10[5] |
| Classic Rock | 9/10[6] |
| Mojo |  [7] |
| Peterborough Telegraph | 9/10[8] |
| PopMatters | [9] |
| Q | [10] |
| Record Collector | [11] |
| R2 | [12] |
| Scottish Daily Express | [13] |
| Shindig! | [14] |
| The Sun |  [15] |
| Uncut | [16] |
| Vive Le Rock | 8/10[17] |
Final Wild Songs received positive critical reception upon release. Americana UK called it "truly glorious" and "an absolute essential purchase, even if one already has the original albums",[5] and Vive Le Rock said it was "a great set for long-time fans and curious newcomers alike".[17] In a four-star rating, Uncut wrote, "What’s clear now is that the Ryders are the bridge between country rock and what became Americana. ... They were country, and punk, and rock’n’roll. They did foot-on-the-floor boogie, cajun, a bit of psychedelic rock. They wore their fringes like Roger McGuinn. They were Tom Petty, without the heartbreak."[16] Mojo stated, "They unwittingly invented Americana, but seldom receive credit for it. This 4-CD box set puts the record straight."[7] R2 magazine wrote, "The set is tail-ended by a Dutch live recording from 1985, but it's much of a muchness really. It's the quality of the original releases themselves, plus the accompanying B-sides, outtakes and demos, that make this collection essential."[12]