We’ve lost track of how many albums Cleveland guitarist/vocalist Rick Ray has released (both on his own and with his eponymous band), but his latest as of December 2025 is the intriguingly titled Underwater Cigarette Company. This is 70 minutes of what we’ve come to expect from Ray and his music-making friends -- progressive-tinged hard rock with a bluesy backbone and plenty of solid musicianship that tends to flutter into improv territory. This record is heavy not only on Ray’s jam-worthy guitar playing but also on Rick “Sarge” Schultz’s reeds and wind synth. But based on some of the song titles -- “Oblivion Awaits,” “Melodic Psychotic,” “Prisoner of Violence” and “You’re Not Welcome Back" -- the band seems to have a collective chip on its shoulder. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, as those tracks are some of the best ones here. If you’re new to The Rick Ray Band, expect to hear musical influences from just about every decade, beginning in the Seventies (although “One Small Glance” manages to sound like latter-period Beatles), and be prepared to dig deeper to find some of this man’s previous work.
Track Listing
1. Underwater Cigarette
2. Oblivion Awaits
3. Melodic Psychotic
4. Looking Back
5. One Small Glance
6. Prisoner of Violence
7. Never To Be Found
8. A Little Too Late
9. Contortion Drive
10. Madness
11. You’re Not Welcome Back
12. Flight of the Rocket Chimp
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