Ride MP3 (2000)
Street smart debut album and a collection of folk/rock based songs written around the time Rory spent working at The Sacred Heart Mission.
RORY ELLIS Ride **** (4 star review) Written by Lyall Johnson The Age EG Section, March 9th 2001
If you're not deeply moved by this superb debut by Melbourne singer–songwriter Rory Ellis, it's doubtful you're human. Ellis, with his wonderfully deep, resonant voice, plumbs thedepths of the human experience to come up with a sophisticated, inspiring album of predominantly earthy ballads about life on the streets, a daughter who never quite made it into the world, and, of course, love and loss. A pleasing blend of folk and urban rock, Ellis's music is underpinned by acoustic guitar, but nicely peppered with interesting slide guitar riffs, Hammond organ and the odd violin. Ride has probably the best production on a local CD I've heard in some time, and is a credit to producers Ellis, local industry icon Dave Steel and engineer Michael Letho. Ellis's fine voice is backed by some of Melbourne's best musicians, including Steel on electric guitar, Stuart Speed on bass and Ashley Davies on drums.