An Album A Day #2: Red Rider's NERUDA [1983]

Taking it's title from the surname of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, Red Rider's third album was released in 1983.  HERC is a big fan of the group's second album As Far As Siam and wasn't even aware the group had released a follow-up until a friend brought it over one night to listen to during our weekly fight club.  We didn't call it "fight club" back then but it fits.  After working night shifts, HERC would have a few friends over and they'd fire up the Intellivision and play Boxing (below) for a few hours. 

After his next payday, HERC went out and purchased a copy of Neruda for himself.  He developed a deep affinity for several of the songs on the album and even made a mixtape of his favorites from both Neruda and As Far As Siam.  HERC retired that tape when the band released their own comp, weakly titled Over 60 Minutes With... Red Rider on compact disc in 1992.

Neruda kicks off with a moody atmospheric instrumental entitled "Light In The Tunnel" which segues into the next track "Power (Strength In Numbers)".  However, when it came time to release a video, the band fused the opening track with the album's third track: "Human Race".  "Human Race" was also issued as a single as was "Can't Turn Back", "Power (Strength In Numbers)", "Napoleon Sheds His Skin" and "Crack The Sky (Breakaway)".

Although issued as a promotional twelve inch single, the Special Video Version of "Light In The Tunnel/Human Race" didn't see a regular release until Neruda was put out on compact disc in 1987, where the rare track was included as a bonus track along with a cut ("White Hot") from the band's first album (Don't Fight It) and their most famous song "Lunatic Fringe".

Tom Cochrane and the rest of the group appeared on American Bandstand on April 23, 1983.  In addition to performing "Human Race" they did "Winner Take All" which was the b-side to the "Napoleon Sheds His Skin" single.

Neruda makes for good night driving music, a favorite pastime of HERC and the Blueberry.

Martin Maenza has a slightly different opinion of Neruda - read his review on his blog Martin's View.