Riding on the Tide of Love

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]

Reviews of the album were mostly positive. Garry Bushell from The Express said "Riding On The Tide Of Love continues in the rich vein of last year’s City Of Love. Three of these songs came from the same recording sessions. None of them are fillers. However, none are in the same league as Dignity, which managed to be both morose and uplifting, or Your Town which made gloom danceable. But Deacon Blue have the rare ability to make love, hope, heartbreak, nostalgia and even rage catchy. The one thing you can bank on is that they remain true to themselves."[4]

AllMusic awarded the album 3.5 out of 5 stars, writing of the album: "Riding on the Tide of Love almost whispers to a close with the jazzy, romantic pop ballad "It's Still Early." These eight songs are a stellar thematic follow-up to The City of Love. That said, they stand on their own as a single, musically sophisticated, emotionally direct, remarkably cohesive document that desires to provide safe haven in a dark age -- especially given the piecemeal origins of these sessions."[3]

Fiona Shephard from The Scotsman said: "Riding on the Tide of Love is a continuation, featuring three tracks recorded during the City of Love sessions and others polished up incrementally, with each musician heading into the studio to record their part in isolation. The result is a mellow companion piece, gentle, unhurried, simple, effective and, given its piecemeal gestation, admirably cohesive."[5]

Riding on the Tide of Love debuted at number 23 on the UK Albums Chart, spending one week on the chart before dropping out of the top 100.[6] In their native Scotland, the album debuted at number two on the Scottish Albums Chart on the week 12 February 2021.[7] By the following week, the album fell to number eighteen[8] and by one place to number nineteen the following week.[9]

To support the album, Deacon Blue have announced the Riding on the Tide of Love 2021 Tour.[4]

• 6 June – Centre, Brighton
• 7 June – Royal Albert Hall, London
• 18 June – Blenheim Palace, Woodstock (Simple Minds support)
• 1 August – Valley Fest, Somerset
• 8 August – Lamplight Festival, Sunderland
• 3 November – TivoliVredenbrg, Utrecht, Netherlands
• 4 November – Metropol, Berlin, Germany
• 5 November – Kantine, Cologne, Germany
• 8 November – City Hall, Newcastle
• 9 November – City Hall, Newcastle
• 10 November – Opera House, Blackpool
• 12 November – Corn Exchange, Cambridge
• 13 November – Cliffs Pavilion, Southend
• 15 November – Guildhall, Portsmouth
• 16 November – Guildhall, Portsmouth
• 18 November – New Theatre, Oxford
• 19 November – Resorts World Arena, Birmingham
• 20 November – M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool
• 22 November – Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff
• 23 November – Pavilions, Plymouth
• 24 November – Eventim, Apollo, London
• 26 November – First Direct Arena, Leeds
• 27 November – Bonus Arena, Hull
• 28 November – Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham
• 30 November – 02 Apollo, Manchester
• 1 December – 02 Apollo, Manchester
• 2 December – 02 Apollo, Manchester
• 4 December – City Hall, Sheffield
• 7 December – Concert Hall, Perth
• 8 December – Usher Hall, Edinburgh
• 10 December – Caird Hall, Dundee
• 11 December – Leisure Centre, Inverness
• 14 December – Olympia, Dublin
• 15 December – Olympia, Dublin
• 16 December – Ulster Hall, Belfast
• 18 December – P&J Arena, Aberdeen
• 19 December – OVO Hydro, Glasgow