Riders in the Sky celebrate their 25th anniversary by revisiting a number of their most requested numbers with brand new renditions. All four members are strong singers as well as being able instrumentalists. They're also ready to add a touch of humor at a moment's notice. The obvious favorites are the decades-old songs known by listeners barely familiar with cowboy music, including "Texas Plains," "Back in the Saddle Again," "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky" (which easily eclipses Vaughn Monroe's hit record), and a live version of "Rawhide." Two extremely funny tracks include "Sidekick Heaven," with a narrative piece with amusing impressions of a number of famous cowboy movie sidekicks, and the side-splitting "Phantom of the Chuckwagon," which lampoons the ridiculous works of the nauseating Broadway composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (one sample lyric: "Don't cry for me, Arizonie, I ate a bad burrito"). The yodeling may take some getting used to for those not well-versed in the cowboy tradition, but the music within this well-packaged two-CD set, with extensive liner notes and lots of photos, will easily stand the test of time.
© Ken Dryden /TiVo