Madrid-based fuzzbenders Free Ride released their sophomore LP, Acido y Puto, on Aug. 9 through Small Stone Records. Led by the guitar work and songcraft of Borja Fresno Benítez — also vocals, percussion, production and the sitar near the start of the record in the mellow opening jam of “Space Nomad” — with Victor Bedmar on bass and Carlos Bedmar on drums, the trio offer Nebula-style heavy psychedelic rock on a per-slab basis, swaying into more tonal warmth around a desert-style foundation and, for the first half of the tracklisting, trading between longer and shorter songs.

“Outsider,” with a video premiering below that, yes, makes Alf a metaphor for feeling ‘other’ in life — perhaps this was true of the tv show as well; pardon me if I don’t do a rewatch — is more straight ahead and veers into a gruffer and more aggressive section of riffing and harder vocals, but that volatility becomes part of the appeal of the album as a whole, along with the variety that emerges between the psychedelic and the stoner rocking, “Kosmic Swell” picking up from the end of “Outsider” for three minutes of watery guitar jamming before the riff kicks in, riding that down a scorching desert highway to resolve in solo-on-solo layering and tumult before its own crashout brings the next song, next change.

Maybe it’s not that radical, but it is rad, and it heats up as it goes. I don’t know if tripping and fucking are themes in the lyrics as the title presents them, but fair enough. The way it works is each of the nine tracks — whether it’s the back and forth that culminates in centerpiece “Nazaré,” which follows the dreamy-start-into-fuzzy-roll pattern of “Space Nomad” and “Kosmic Swell” and is particularly smooth in the realization of that, or the crunch and wah in “Steamroller” and the succession that song starts. Running 53 minutes in linear formats — that’s your downloads and compact discs (the format of the future if the future is 1986, which it is) — the vinyl tumbles the tracklisting some, putting “Kosmic Swell” at the end of side A with “Nazaré” opening side B, which makes sense since “Space Nomad” still opens.

In either case, the flow is consistent and largely uninterrupted; you wouldn’t call Acido y Puto less hypnotic for putting the two longer songs next to each other. Sacrificed for time are “Joy” and “Living for Today” — am I crazy or is there a meta-statement being made there? — and those are worth hearing for the burner desert swagger of the former and the ease with which Benítez intertwines riffs and leads and the turn to acoustic-electric blend in “Living for Today,” underscoring the post-Eddie Glass vibe that pervades to various degrees throughout. Not that “Blackout” — the shortest song at 3:42 — doesn’t work as a closer in its catchy “fucked to the bone” pining for Sin City chorus and Echoplex-noise swirl before it ultimately blacks out, but it is a change in character that plays into the overall mood of the record, one to the other.

However you might hear it — the stream’s at the bottom of this post, down near the links, if you’re still reading — it’s to Free Ride‘s credit that the character is there at all to be changed. Whether one chooses to dwell in the quiet intro stretches of “Space Nomad,” “Kosmic Swell” and “Nazaré” or be duly bowled by the Fu Manchuey riffing of “Steamroller” and the initially-languid-later-guttural swagger of “Outsider,” Acido y Puto undersells its diversity of intention but encapsulates a cohesive interprettion of psych-leaning heavy rock and roll. It’s not without atmosphere or scope, but as each component song finds its own space within that, the front-to-back listening experience is bolstered by what in a less-envisioned setting might just feel incongruous. Outwardly, they’re keeping it simple — “What’s it about?” you might ask, and the name of the record would be the answer — but the way they build around a groove is endearing as much as familiar-in-part, and immersive in its unfolding regardless of format. Open your heart and let riffs in.

The aforementioned video for “Outsider” premieres below and is a good time. As always, I hope you enjoy:

Free Ride, “Outsider” video premiere

Born from the smoky depths of underground jam sessions in generator parties, Free Ride emerged from the haze with a thunderous blend of stoner rock, psychedelic grooves, and cosmic vibes. Formed in Madrid (Spain) by childhood friends Borja Fresno (vocals/guitar), Victor Bedmar (bass) and Carlos Bedmar (drums), the band came together in 2016 with a shared passion for heavy riffs and mind-expanding melodies.

For their second album, ‘Acido y puto’, the band sought to capture the raw energy that flourished within the confines of their humble rehearsal room. Armed with nothing but their instruments, a few microphones, and an insatiable desire to create, they set out to capture the essence of their sound in its purest form. Produced by Borja himself and mixed and mastered by Matt Dougherty in Chicago, IL, the band’s DIY ethos permeates every aspect of the recording process, from engineering their own sessions to experimenting with different mic placements and recording techniques.

‘Acido y Puto’ it’s a sonic exploration of the human psyche and the depths of the unknown. This album delves into the mysterious and often unsettling aspects of existence, inviting listeners to confront their fears and embrace the darkness within. Musically, is a sonic journey that defies categorization, blending elements of psychedelia, punk-rock or even surf-rock into a fascinating soundscape. The result is an album that shimmers with crude intensity and cosmic energy, where each track is a testament to the band’s unyielding dedication to their craft.

Tracklisting:
1. Space Nomad 8:34
2. Outsider 4:23
3. Kosmic Swell 9:34
4. Vice 3:50
5. Nazaré 9:30
6. Steamroller 4:32
7. Joy 4:31
8. Blackout 3:42
9. Living for Today 4:24

Vinyl Tracklisting:
Side A:
Space Nomad: 8:34
Outsider: 4:23
Kosmik swell: 9:34

Side B:
Nazaré: 9:30
Vice: 3:50
Steamroller: 4:32
Blackout: 3:42

All songs written by Borja Fresno Benítez.
Recorded in Madrid, Spain by Borja Fresno Benítez.
Produced by Borja Fresno Benítez.
Mixed and mastered by Matt Dougherty, Chicago, IL.
Vinyl mastering by Chris Goosman at Baseline Audio Labs, Ann Arbor, MI.
Artwork by Borja Fresno Benítez and Carlos Bedmar.

Video credits:
Written & directed by Free Ride
Actors in costume – Álvaro Valadés and Sara Hernández
Cameras & Gaffer – Carlos Paris and Mariana Aznar
Edit – Carlos Bedmar

Free Ride is:
Borja Fresno Benítez: vocals, guitars, synthesizer, percussion, sitar
Víctor Bedmar Lam: bass
Carlos Bedmar Lam: drums

Free Ride, Acido y Puto (2024)

Free Ride on Facebook

Free Ride on Instagram

Free Ride on Bandcamp

Small Stone Records on Facebook

Small Stone Records on Instagram

Small Stone Records on Bandcamp

Small Stone Records website

Tags: Acido y Puto, Free Ride, Free Ride Acido y Puto, Madrid, Small Stone Records, Spain

This entry was posted on Friday, August 30th, 2024 at 5:58 am and is filed under Bootleg Theater, Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.