Detroit Breakout By Mitch Ryder

Detroit Breakout

Mitch Ryder

Cleopatra Records 2019

Review by David Bowling

Mitch Ryder is best known for his series of rock/blue-eyed soul hit singles during the mid to late 1960’s. Songs such as “Devil With The Blue Dress On,” “Sock It To Me Baby,” “Jenny Take A Ride,” and “Too Many Fish In The Sea” helped define AM radio rock of the era.

Ryder, with his band The Detroit Wheels and as a solo artist, has continued to record and tour for the last 50 years. His newest release is titled Detroit Breakout.

Each of the 14 tracks has a guest artist. Lee Oskar, Cherie Currie, Joe Lewis Walker, Brian Auger, Sylvain Sylvain, and Linda Gail Lewis are some of the artists who lend a hand. The problem is they are buried in the mix many times. The engineering problems continue as there is a disconnect between the vocals and the instrumental backing. It feels as if the vocals were recorded separately and pasted over the instrumental tracks and they don’t quite match.

The good news is Ryder’s voice is still formidable. It can be over the top or fairly sedate and subtle depending on the song.

The song choice is eclectic. The Standells “Dirty Water” fits his style but the Monkees “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone,” not so much. The Capital’s “Cool Jerk,” Jim Croce’s “Bad Bad Leroy Brown,” Roy Orbison’s “Dream Baby,” and a surprisingly excellent cover of the folk song “If I Had A Hammer” are hit and miss.

His covers of classic soul songs benefit from Ryder’s understated vocals. “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay” with Arthur Adams on guitar, The Temptations “Just My Imagination” featuring Lee Oscar on harmonica, and Sam Cooke’s Classic “You Send Me” with Linda Gail Lewis present the soft and smooth side of his music.

Detroit Breakout has its good and not so good points, but at its foundation, his voice shines through. The material may not match his classics but when he is good, he is still very good.

You Are My Sunshine 45 by Mitch Ryder

Sometimes there was no accounting for Mitch Ryder’s choice of material especially since he released some of the best rock singles of the 1960s. Case in point was his release of the old country song, “You Are My Sunshine,” as a single. Released during October of 1967, it stalled at number 88 on the BILLBOARD MAGAZINE Pop Singles Chart.

It was not a total disaster as he tried real hard and I mean real hard. He had a voice that could cover a lot of territory but sometimes it all comes back to the choice of material.

What Now My Love 45 by Mitch Ryder

Talk about a career killer. Mitch Ryder had produced some of the best rock singles of the 1960s. Top ten hits such as “Sock It To Me Baby,” “Devil With The Blue Dress/Good Golly Miss Molly,” and “Jenny Take A Ride” were all high octane rock classics.

Then along came “What Now My Love.” The idea was to re-make Ryder into a pop star. Released during the late summer of 1967, it reached number 30 on the BILLBOARD MAGAZINE Pop Singles Chart. One can only assume his fan base did not know what they were buying. They quickly figured out his new musical direction, which meant he never had another single crack the American top 75.

He just did not have the voice or personality for light weight pop. The real problem was this releqase was better than what would soon follow.

The Promise by Mitch Ryder

Mitch Ryder, born in 1945, has been rocking for almost 50 years. Born William Levise, Jr. in Detroit, Michigan, he began performing while still a teenager. His early band, The Rivieras, caught the attention of legendary producer Bob Crewe who moved the group to New York City. A name change was necessary because there was a band of the same name and a national hit with “California Sun,” so Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels were born.

From 1965-1967, Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels produced some of the better rock singles of the decade. Songs such as “Jenny Take A Ride,” “Little Latin Lupe Lu,” “Devil With The Blue Dress/Good Golly Miss Molly,” “Sock It To Me Baby,” and “Too Many Fish In The Sea” were high-octane, up-tempo rock ‘n’ roll classics, propelled by Ryder’s powerful voice. His career took a downturn during the late ’60s when he released a number of pop songs, but he made a comeback with a trio of excellent, if under-appreciated, hard rock albums, How I Spent My Vacation (1979), Naked But Not Dead (1980) and Never Kick A Sleeping Dog (1983).

He has built a loyal following in Europe where he has issued a number of albums down through the years. Next month will find him releasing his 2009 European LP, Detroit Ain’t Dead Yet (The Promise), in the States. Now titled simply The Promise, it is Ryder’s first exclusively U.S. release of new material in 30 years.

The album was produced by Don Was and its core musicians include keyboardist Jamie Mahuberac, bassist Reggie McBride, guitarist Randy Jacobs, and drummer James Gadsen.

The music travels a more eclectic path than one would expect from this veteran rocker. Soul, slower-tempo material, and confessional songs share space with his usual brand of rock ‘n’ roll. He gives a soulful performance on the title track. “Junkie Love” is a stark and raw look at his drug addiction days. “My Heart Belongs To You” glides into a funky and smooth groove. He even goes in a Latin direction with “Let’s Keep Dancing,” which has a tango beat.

When Ryder decides to rock, he remains one of the best in the business. “The Way We Were” may contain lyrics about society’s ills but it rocks hard throughout as does “One Hair,” “Crazy Beautiful,” and “Everybody Loses.”

The Promise is Mitch Ryder’s coming-home party. It’s a solid album that proves the 66-year-old is still an energetic, relevant artist.

Article first published as Music Review: Mitch Ryder – The Promise on Blogcritics.

Little Latin Lupe Lu by Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels

Mitch Ryder’s version of “”Little Latin Lupe Lu” was competent rock ‘n’ roll but not one of his better efforts.

The song was written by Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers whose version was their first chart entry reaching number 49 on the BILLBOARD MAGAZINE Pop Singles Chart during 1963. Mitch Ryder released the song as a single, March 5, 1966, and it rose to number 17.

My favorite version was released by The Kingsmen during 1964, It reached number 46. Still, Ryder’s version was released during the period of time, 1965-1967, when he was one of the better straight forward rock artists working.

Too Many Fishes In The Sea 45 by Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels

“Too Many Fish In The Sea” was Mitch Ryder’s last hit with the Detroit Wheels before going solo. It was another frenetic rocker similar to “Devil With The Blue Dress On.”

Released April 29, 1967, it reached number 24 on the BILLBOARD MAGAZINE Pop Singles Chart. The full title was “Too Many Fish In The Sea & Three Little Fishes.” Three LLittle fishes was a song from the big band era.

His solo career went in a pop direction soon after this hit, leaving behind some of the best rock singles of the 1960s.

Sock It To Me Baby 45 by Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels

Mitch Ryder is primarily remembered for his booming voice which produced several larger than life singles during the mid to late 1960’s. A switch to lightweight pop killed his commercial career although his return to rock ‘n’ roll in the 70’s produced some excellent rock albums.

“Sock It To Me Baby” was released Feb. 4, 1967 and became his second biggest hit reaching number 6 on The BILLBOARD MAGAZINE Pop Chart.

If you like high octane rock ‘n’ roll, this is a song for you. His backing group, The Detroit Wheels, was one of the better bands of the mid-sixties.

Now in his mid-sixties, Ryder still lives in the Detroit area and continues to tour extensively in The United States and Europe.

Personality and Chantilly Lace 45 by Mitch Ryder

“Personality and Chantilly Lace” by Mitch Ryder was what you call a career killer.

Mitch Ryder had a great career going from 1965-1967. With his backing group the Detroit Wheels he produced some of the most energetic rock ‘n’ roll of the time period. Songs such as “Jenny Take A Ride,” “Devil With The Blue Dress” and “Sock It To Me Baby” were powered by his booming and raw vocal and are still enjoyable over forty years later.

Some time in 1967 someone had the idea of making him into a Tom Jones type crooner. His first release, “What Now My Love” was not very good but managed to hit number thirty on The United States charts. He followed that with the old country hit “You Are My Sunshine” which was a disaster. By the time he released “Personality and Chantilly Lace” in early 1968 his career would be officially dead. It would be fifteen years before he would return to the charts.

I caught Mitch Ryder in concert about fifteen years ago and he was still very good but this song had been deleted from his live act decades ago.

Devil With The Blue Dress/Good Golly Miss Molly 45 by Mitch Ryder and The Detroit Wheels

When Mitch Ryder was in the mood he could deliver rock ‘n’ roll that was as high octane as any active artist in the mid to late sixties. His Detroit Wheels were a solid backing band that could support his over the top vocal style.

“Devil With The Blue Dress/Good Golly Miss Molly” is just about the perfect rock medley as it just blasts out of the speakers. Organ and drums drive the song along as Ryder’s huge vocal style puts the song across. If you like up-tempo, then you will love this song. It would be his biggest hit as it would reach number four on the National charts. He would have two more top ten hits in the 1960’s with “Sock It To Me Baby” and Jenny Take A Ride.”

In one of the worst career decisions on record he would try to re-invent himself as a pop artist in the 1970’s. Such songs as “What Now My Love” and “(You’ve Got) Personality” were terrible and just did not fit his style. It basically killed his career. While he returned in the 1980’s with a series of excellent rock albums he was never able to regain his 60’s popularity. I saw Mitch Ryder in concert in the early nineties and the man could still rock.

“Devil With The Blue Dress/Good Golly Miss Molly” remains one of his shining moments. I would recommend any of his greatest hits compilations as they present him and sixties rock ‘n’ roll at its best.