Carefree Has Never Cared Less

Rarely is the cover art of an album as indicative of its music as The Donkeys’ Ride the Black Wave. On the cover, the band members stand on a sandy shore and stare distantly into grayish skies, giving off an ominous, almost dreamlike feeling. This mood is prominently displayed on the album’s opening three tracks—noisy but mellow cacophonies with few lyrics.

Blending indie rock and power pop with just enough surf rock to satisfy the band’s San Diego roots, the album is like a dreamy day at a dreary beach. Like beachgoers waiting for the sun to peek through the haze, The Donkeys use heavily dubbed vocals and reverberated instruments to create a smoggy sound with listeners waiting for the music to shine through, though it never quite does. The melodies roll in like soft waves crashing on shore. The album tightens up slightly during the middle tracks, notably on the fifth track, “Scissor Me Cigs.” Sounding like an Oasis rip off, a bright lead guitar and ominous sounds guide referring to the downfalls of a materialistic society in which we live.

The following track, “Imperial Beach,” features a sitar lead, before the album transitions into the title track, “Ride the Black Wave.” The song is built on a funky rhythm and the echoing refrain, “Ride the black wave.” The dreamy sound from the beginning of the album returns.

Of note, “Brown Eyed Lady,” while a well-written song, really does not fit with the album. Trying to sound like a 1940s country western song complete with a banjo leading the rhythm section and a slide guitar, it’s not necessarily a bad thing that the song only last 1:38.

Next comes the hidden gem of the album, “Blues in the Afternoon.” Sounding like a nod to fellow Californian bands the Grateful Dead and Crosby, Still, Nash, & Young, with strong harmonized vocals and a light guitar riff, listeners could easily get lost in this song.

Ride the Black Wave finishes on a high note with the catchy “Shines.” This bluesy riff-driven song definitely has radio potential with a deliciously addictive chorus. “Shines” has all the makings of a hit.

The songs all transition smoothly and blend together well, save a few outliers, but props to The Donkeys for trying something outside their comfort zone. Ride the Black Wave is a decent album to listen through a few times, but will likely be lost in a wave of other music by the end of the summer.