Dick Cole – Knees in the Breeze (Single Review)

Crunchy guitars and a weighted bassline, all anchored by the relentless pulse of a thick, continuous kick make up the sound in ‘Knees in the Breeze’, a new single by Dick Cole, a 72-year-old rock musician.

The arrangement hits with immediate energy, fueled by a driving synergy between the guitar and drums. At the center is a vocal performance of incredible depth and volume; despite being 72, the singer possesses a youthful resonance that is nothing short of remarkable.

According to info on Dick Cole’s SoundCloud, the ‘song was written to see how many manufacturers I could get into the lyric’. Seeing that line gave me pause; there’s something inherently commercial about dropping brand names. But then again, as Madonna once sang, we’re living in a material world.

Sure enough, there’s biking talk in the lyrics. ‘Rev that engine, feel the power ignite’, the first line goes. The imagery is striking.

Two other images stand out: the guttural roar of a Harley Davidson and the expanse of open skies. While these might be mere poetic tropes for another musician, for Dick Cole, they are a lived reality

The lyrical persona – presumably Dick Cole, if read through an autobiographical lens – addresses an imaginary biker. This figure is urged to ‘gas into fun’ and ‘kick up the dirt’, eventually instructed to grab their pillion and get ‘your knees in the breeze’.

Unless they’re down, it’s beyond me why another biker would need this encouragement. The lyrics sound unnecessarily performative. While a non-rider might find constant coaxing unnecessary, the song probably functions as a specialized anthem, designed specifically to resonate within the echo chamber of the biking community.

Despite my misgivings, the track remains a significant contribution to the culture. There is a genuine insight to be found in the lexicon and imagery shared by these riders; as Dick Cole himself sings, ‘Every ride a memoir’. Viewed through that lens, the song functions as a collective memoir from a seasoned biking community insider.

SCORE/Good: Three elements demand attention: first, the song’s undeniable, high-octane energy; second, a vocal performance so youthful it completely belies the singer’s years; and finally, a certain sonic grit that brought to mind the anthemic, heavy-hitting style of Nickelback.

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