Rider & Rolling Thunder is the new project from Idaho songwriter Rider Soran. Born and raised in Caldwell, ID, Soran began singing as soon as he could speak and playing since he could run. Raised on a healthy diet of Creedence Clearwater Revival and the Rolling Stones, he quickly transitioned from his classical musical training to blues music.
Soran cut his teeth in the rock band Marshall Poole, where he developed his skills and honed in his craft as a songwriter. Soon after, he formed Rider & Rolling Thunder with guitarist Jake Freeman, bassist Jacob Fredrickson, and drummer Wade Ronsse. The four-piece outfit aimed to balance Soran’s nuanced songwriting with a straightforward rock ‘n’ roll approach that harkens back to the roots of the American tradition.
“The idea was to make a dope record in Muscle Shoals. A collection of nice little songs to record with my friends,” says Rider. Doesn’t get much simpler than that. The result is the band’s debut EP On the Banks of the Tennessee, recorded in the renowned former home of the Muscle Shoals Sound currently Portside Sound. The album is due out May 28th on Defendu Records.
Aiming to create their own Sticky Fingers-style southern rock sound, Rider & Rolling Thunder’s debut carries dynamic energy that can woo audiences with a folky ballad before serving up crushing power chords and blistering solos.
Today Glide is excited to premiere the video for “Eyes Like Diamonds,” a powerful ballad that reflects on the good times of old with twangy guitars and woeful harmonies. The video’s portrayal of bright blue skies and western landscapes is well-suited to the simple, acoustically strummed country-folk. There is a simple timelessness to the band’s lyrics and laid back vocals that allows them to illustrate the tender sadness of traditional western heartbreak. What makes the song especially interesting is the way the band layers in lush string orchestration, giving the music more depth and emotion.
WATCH:
‘On the Banks of the Tennessee’ is out May 28th on Defendu Records
