“Dark Riders”, Stockdale’s fourth album, marks an artistic and musical evolution of the singer/songwriter from Santa Barbara. The folk/blues sound found on Stockdale’s previous releases is elaborated, merging with pop and R&B, creating faster, melodic songs as well as emotional and introspective ballads. Special attention has been given to the lyrics. They ring deep and true, elaborating on social themes and significant personal experience. They are real poems, the result of introspection and cultural awareness, the kind people like to read while listening to the music. It is through these lyrics that David’s voice finds its comfortable dimension: moving, exciting, direct, inspired. The artistic production, assigned to Marco Tansini, has developed the pop side of Stockdale’s music, which juxtaposes well the weight and meaning of the lyrics and his acoustic guitar work. The result is direct and immediate, but not without leaving its mark on the listener. It is an album that is fresh but at the same time familiar.