Way before Greta Van Scrote appeared from nowhere with their Led Zep plagiarism, Rival Sons had been doing the retro vibe since 2008. This is their 5th studio album, and sees them exploring more sounds from days gone by, but with a modern edge.
The title track is a great opening, with its 60’s vibe leading into the killer Tied Up, which has an almost soul vibe mixed in with their unique rock stylings. Lots of use of the fuzz pedal gives the feeling as though we are in 1970 as the intro to Thundering Voices kicks in. Have to mention the great production by Dave Cobb that really brings out the all the nuances in the songs. Baby Boy has a serious blues vibe with an awesome vocal from Jay Buchanan. Side closer Pretty Face should have been a single, as the chorus is a total earworm.
Flipping over onto Side 2, Fade Out announces its arrival with a killer vocal and a true power ballad vibe with some great slide playing and a big rock ending. The Ike and Tina Turner classic Black Coffee is next, and was released as a single – you need some very large plums to be able to carry that off. Have to say it’s a great cover and a vocal that does justice to the original. Hollow Bones Pt2 is next, and is my favourite on the album. Love the intro with the spacey guitar and quiet vocal, which blows into the big riff and with echoes of Zeppelin alive on this one. The album comes to an end with All That I Want with an acoustic piece which showcases how amazing Jay Buchanan’s voice is. His vibrato reminds me of Beth Hart.
What a great record that was! They remind you of everybody and yet nobody, as they borrow from the past but make it their own.
9/10 from The Grooveman.
