Wow, shame on me for having a blog and getting away from one of my original intents- turning folks on to newer artists and newer songs. I’d been spending too many Shameless Plug posts pontificating on the wonders of some older tuneage but I’ve not spent a whole lot of time covering the new stuff. Time to address that by turning you on to Rival Sons and a song from their 2012 album Head Down called “Until The Sun Comes”.
For classic rock fans, there is a lot to like about Rival Sons: songs with an old school vibe, killer musicianship, and a top rate vocalist in Jay Buchanan. Hailing from California the band has put out five albums and an EP since 2009 of excellent retro rock, gaining them a number of fans over the years and also featuring as support act on a number of high profile tours (Black Sabbath’s “The End”, Deep Purple, AC/DC, etc). While some critics think their style is too reminiscent of artists like Led Zeppelin (well… “Pressure & Time” does feature the first four notes of that bands’ “Out On The Tiles), I think they do a fine job of spreading their influences far and wide across each album. If anything, it’s the production techniques and live vibe of recording that hearken back to classic bands from the 60s and 70s.
As a fan of the band I like quite a few of their songs but one that should have been a hit and turned quite a few people onto the band young and old alike is the rocking fun of “Until The Sun Comes”. Not as bombastic or atmospheric as some of their other work, “Until The Sun Comes” features a punchy riff, an understated yet breathy Buchanan vocal, and an awesomely cool singable chorus over the course of three minutes. This is a song that drips a sense of 60s garage rock/maximum R&B cool and once it’s over you’re ready to hit the repeat button a couple more times to soak in more of the goodness. Think a cross between The Romantics/Monkees/Rolling Stones with some slithering, bad ass bass grooviness and you’re in the ballpark. Compact, concise, not too much over the top, but with enough wallop to please the senses should make this one your new favorite.
Now tell me… who doesn’t want to dance until the sun comes up? Download it now!
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Diggin’ on the naked Sand Goddess, haha! Hadn’t seen that vid before but love it! These guys are probably my favorite new “classic” rock band, especially after seeing them deliver the goods live. They were super, and I love how Buchanan just goes balls out on the vocals, especially when you think he’s going beyond his range, ala Daltrey. Somehow, it still sounds great.
But what really makes this band for me is Scott’s drum production. Bonham had the best sound, and he probably comes the closest to pulling that off since. Reminds me of John in Black Cat Bone. THAT might’ve been the closest I’d heard since Rival Sons. GREAT band. Lots of obvious influences, but they mostly make it sound ultimately like their own, just like the Black Crowes did. Want to see them every time they come close by!
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Yeah, drum production is pretty stellar. Definitely Bonham sounding with a tad bit of Moon thrown in. Jay Buchanan… SHEESH… love watching live videos of them and see how he just pushes the limit. Incredible!
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Ha, meant to say Mike, as in Miley. Must have had you or Holiday on the mind!
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