Photo: Andre Mittwollen Photography

By Tom O’Connor

An album like Hollow Bones makes me nostalgic for a few things; my sweet ol’ AKG K240 headphones, the glow of a Pioneer receiver in an otherwise dark room and real “Rock” radio, the kind of stations where dazed DJs could play entire album sides of new releases on a Tuesday night, just because they were blown away by ’em.

With their 5th studio album, Hollow Bones, Los Angeles’ Rival Sons solidify their well-earned rep as a heavy-sounding, blues, rock band that can get your head banging with just a few notes, but they aren’t afraid of slowing the tempo and leaning hard into the groove. Even without the funky-fine cover of “Black Coffee” late in the album, the Humble Pie comparisons are apt, along with Zeppelin, of course. Recorded over a few weeks, Rival Sons teamed up with Grammy-winning producer, Dave Cobb, to release their best album to date.

This is guitar driven, classic rock at its best, complete with soul, funk and blues influences. Jay Buchanan’s voice is superb–rock vocals with blues pathos. With Scott Holiday on guitar, Dave Beste on bass, and Michael Miley on drums, Rival Sons is taking the world by rock storm.

The collection starts with, “Hollow Bones Pt.1,” which drops you into Rock City in mid-riot. The drums are big, the guitars heavy and the band is clearly locked in, whether you’re ready or not. “Tied Up” follows, slowing the tempo but keeping up the pressure.

Next up is “Thundering Voices.” In spite of the title, this tune is best described with the adage “speak softly but carry a big riff.” In an album full of monsters, the central riff on this tune is merciless. “Baby Boy” follows with some headphone-friendly sonic hi-jinks and a chorus that’ll work like gangbusters in a live setting.

“Pretty Face” comes next, a mid-tempo lament to love gone bad, the wound salved by yet another big riff and some descending octave-splitting to ease the pain. That tune sets the table for, “Fade Out,” which takes the laments a few rings closer to the hellish center of it all. On any new album, I always listen for the song most likely to get explosive in a live setting. For my money, this is the one.

 

In what definitely feels like a decision to let you catch your breath after the mayhem of, “Fade Out,” the previously mentioned Blues/Funk of “Black Coffee” rolls out next. A departure from what you’ve heard so far, but not at all out of place in this collection. A cover tune, sure, but with the RS’s usual heavy sound and vocal confidence to spare.

The album ends with the mostly acoustic ballad, “All That I Want.” A solid, sweet tune, but the real sonic bookend for this collection comes just before it with “Hollow Bones Pt. 2.” It is an epic, menacing farewell that lays down a promise that, while this album might be ending, Rival Sons is nowhere near done.

Rival Sons can be found:
Website: http://www.rivalsons.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rivalsons/
Spotify: https://play.spotify.com/album/7btsjbOr6S2coXuoHkzTEs
Apple iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/rival-sons/id413542573