Fans of
George Thorogood & the Destroyers would probably stage a minor rebellion if their man strayed from his well-worn path of bloozy boogie. Luckily, there is no need to take up arms anytime soon, as
Thorogood's sound remains unchanged on
Ride 'Til I Die. Good-natured, guy-at-the-end-of-the-bar vocals, buzzing slide guitar, and solid American blues-rock are still the order of the day. The album is the usual mix of covers (
Thorogood adds only one original, the forgettable "Sweet Little Lady") played with a barroom-friendly wink and smile. Songs like
Eddie Shaw's "Greedy Man," J.J. Cale's "Devil in Disguise, "
Nick Lowe's "That's It, I Quit," and
Chuck Berry's "Move It" are perfect for
Thorogood's good-time persona, and he plays them with energy that has been lacking on the last few records. Best of all is his cover of
Eddie Cochran's strutting "My Way," which
Thorogood delivers with a punch that puts the song right up there with some of his early classic work. Less successful is the slow blues number,
Elvin Bishop's "Don't Let the Boss Man Get You Down," on which his voice is strained and the energy level dips precipitously. The gospel nugget "I Washed My Hands in Muddy Water" is another failure, as his emotionless vocals and the lifeless performance let down the side. The last track, a cover of
John Lee Hooker's "Ride 'Til I Die," is a nice addition to the record. Recorded at a soundcheck before a show in Texas in early 2002, it shows that while
Thorogood's strength will always be good-time blooze 'n' boogie, he can do a credible job on acoustic blues too. The sound of the
Ride 'Til I Die album is not a surprise; the surprise is that the record is as good as it is.