Shot in the Dark
Artist: Main Line Riders
Label: Retroactive Records 
Length: 10 tracks/34:08
 
The Main Line Riders initial release harks back about twenty years when hard rock bands filled concert halls with attitude and power chords. The darkened photos in the disc package show the members also seem to favor the glam look. The ten cuts on the recording are all originals with lyrics penned by vocalist Mikey Mayhem and guitarist Cliffy, who wrote most of the music. The other band members include Josho on drums, PJ on bass and Blackway on guitar. There are several brief guitar solos throughout the disc, none of which are particularly distinctive. By minimizing the solo space, the group plays to their strengths - Mayhem's singing and Cliffy's punchy arrangements.
 
This one rocks from start to finish. Mayhem has the classic rock voice -- plenty of power, slightly dark tone and able to go from a whisper to full scream without straining his vocal chords. The band surrounds his vocals with driving rhythms and plenty of killer guitar riffs. "Ride the Main Line " opens the disc with a high energy romp that segues right into the anthem-like "One Way Ticket to Love," featuring a rousing chorus that might have made this one a radio favorite back in the day. The Riders rock even harder on "Throwin' Bones to the Wolves" with Mayhem proving that he has the vocal chops to handle anything the band can dish out. 
 
The band never slows the pace for very long on any track. "Put the Hammer Down" goes through several tempo changes without losing any of it's intensity. "We are the Ready Ones" falls into the anthem rock formula -- compelling guitar parts undercut by simplistic lyrics that fail to match the music's power. The title cut is surprisingly unlisted on the credits. Recorded live, it ends the disc with a burst of energy and vivid proof that the Riders can rock just as hard from the stage as they do in the studio.
 
Other than the short playing time, Shot in the Dark marks the Main Line Riders as a group with plenty of potential. Their website lists them as a Christian hard rock band. There weren't any overt references in the lyrics to faith or scripture. No matter -- the Riders have the hard rock part down cold with the added bonus of a gifted vocalist in Mikey Mayhem. Make sure you crank up the volume on this one !!
 
Mark Thompson