Mark Gardener
These Beautiful Ghosts
Ufo
The former frontman of Ride, Mark Gardener is now regarded as a kind of fallen hero. The band created a wealth of influential music on its first two records before dry-heaving up two more and falling apart in the process. Still, its music has developed a lasting fan base among people who look unwashed and can speak at length about Morrissey’s literary preferences. These Beautiful Ghosts marks Gardener’s first studio release since Ride’s demise and shows his writing to be as vital as ever. With drifting atmospherics supporting the structures of his youthful- sounding songs, it feels as important as Ride did 16 years ago. “Summer Turns to Fall” is the highlight, proving Gardener to be an artist whose future looks as impressive as (some of) his past.
—Matt Charlton
This article appears in Dec 6-12, 2007.
