DESCRIPTION:
4 Star = Classic

I first heard of Moxy in the mid 70's, & for a couple of years held off of buying anything, not because I didn't like them (I really didn't have an opinion), but I was to busy buying other artists I was much more familiar with. Then one day I picked up "Under the Lights." I was anxious to hear it because I'd thought so long to buy a Moxy album. Boy did I buy the wrong Moxy album!!! I think I spun it once or twice, & then wrote them off.

Around 1980 I was over at a friends house & spied Moxy ""Ridin' High." I was curious to hear how this album stacked up as compared to "Under the Lights." My friend put it on his turntable & I was very pleasantly surprised on how good "Ridin' High" was. I made a mental note to pick up this album, but soon it was in the back of my mind, & it was 25 years later that I finally got around to buying it!

When "Ridin' High" arrived in the mail I eagerly played it. The first thing that struck was how many of these songs I was familiar with. I really didn't think that these songs would have ingrained their selves in my mind after so many years, but they surely did! Second thing I noticed is how much Moxy sounded like different bands, but not quite the same. The biggest example of this was "Rock Baby" who's guitar riff intro sounded almost exactly like Ted Nugent "Stormtroopers," then it veered off in a different direction, but Ted's aura hung on thickly. The third thing I noticed is that even if many of these songs did not sound original, they were fueled with high energy, addicting riffs, good melodies & vocals. I especially liked "Long Legs" an early funk/metal song that sounded like a combination of Tommy Bolin's "Teaser" & any numerous Pat Travers funk/metal monsters. "Long Legs" is one smokin' track! "Nothing Comes Easy" is also very memorable, a true road warrior song with great hooks. This song also reminds me of someone else's work, Foghat's, "Fool for the City." Some of the vocal melody line is almost identical; example; "Nothing comes easy" = "Going to the city," from "Fool for the City." Yes, Moxy does sound like a multitude of bands, but they seemed always to manage to pull it off on "Ridin' High" with out direct plagiarism.

"Ridin' High" is a very enjoyable album. One that sinks its hooks into your brain, even though you feel like you might have been here before, they feel like an old friend your getting re-acquainted with after a long absence. "Ridin' High" has spurred me on to considering picking up their first two albums, which I understand are also very good. I just don't know if I got another 25 years to wait!

1. Nothing Comes Easy
2. Rock Baby
3. Sweet Reputation
4. I'll Set You On Fire
5. Ridin' High
6. Young Legs
7. Another Time Another Place
8. Are You Ready
9. Nothing Comes Easy (Reprise)