“nspired by the working-class life, On The Right Track is the debut album by The Larry Lee Ray Band, and it comes recommended for its variety of blues, country and traditional rock styles, all which suit his band The Tradesman right down to the ground. The searing guitars of Ray are met with Rex Weible and Luke Ray, together making them a blues-rock power trio to reckon with, and On The Right Track serves up a stunning amalgam of numbers that never fall onto the wrong track, as they all rock equally but in their own different little enjoyable ways.
“I’m a Blue Collar Man” is one of several numbers that set the tone for what type of music The Larry Lee Ray Band are primarily known for, but On The Right Track is full of other surprises, and the opening number fits the overall bill. The show must go on, and it does, with “Take A Pill” reminding me of Bo Diddly, but it might just be the title. Either way it’s just as playful vs serious as Diddly himself, and some of these song titles are nods to other notable artists as the album goes on.
“Stone Cold” speaks more of getting high, and this is where they take it up a notch and start rocking with the best of ‘em and where On The Right Track pulls out all the proverbial stops with The Larry Lee Ray Band knocking it out of the park on a number that has everything the Ohio based trio is good for. And it’s also good for stuff more big numbers like “Shackles of the Working Man” with a lot of heart and soul, and a story to tell about the working man that On The Right Track centers around.
“Invisible Me” harks back to another century with a surf rock number that showcases the diversity of The Larry Lee Ray Band and leaves no wondering why they’re called The Tradesman. This is a great moment, followed by another great moment jumping into a new wave influence on “Young Enough” and it reminds of romantic bands of the lates 70’s/early 80’s (like David Bowie). “Rich Girl” is more of a bar band blues-rock style number, but once you hear it you can’t get it out of your head, and you know Larry Lee Ray is a true comedian at heart.
It’s hard to flaw On The Right Track, but if I were to wish only one thing, it would be the arrangement of the numbers, as some of them could be in different places and shuffle always helps with that. “Hey You” doesn’t only remind of BTO, they almost sound like them on this one number alone, which is uncanny if you ask me. “My Little Town” is worth a listen for the words that fill out the album’s basic concept, so it serves its purpose from song to theme. “Hired Gun” does the justice closing a set of great numbers that contrast perfectly at every turn but keep the same thread.
Garth Thomas