Why aren't you listening to Rival Sons right now?
(CBS) Just in time for your weekend hurricane preparations comes some bona fide blues-based rock from Rival Sons. By God, it's been too long since a band in mainstream hard rock was this unafraid to wail.
Scott Holiday, Robin Everhart and Michael Miley lay down fat grooves on guitar, bass and drums, respectively, with the tightness of a band that's played a million shows and the swagger of musicians comfortable in the skin.
And singer Jay Buchanan? The guy can wail as if he's fronting a 1970s arena band.
(Click through to listen to more Rival Sons and to download a track)
Don't let the allusion to rock from three decades ago fool you. The music pumped out by California-based Rival Sons on its EP and latest full-length, "Pressure and Time," is timeless. The refreshingly unaffected production has a buoyant energy. There's no autotune; the snare drum snaps and the toms have plenty of sweet, ringing overtones; the guitars are fuzzy and the bass moves fluidly, holding down a steady rhythm while adding complementary melodies.
Rival Sons is everything good rock should be: Fun, groovy, loud and lean. And you can dance to it. Rock music you can dance to? In 2011? Put Rival Sons on every playlist you make.
For a free download of "Pressure and Time" (the song in the video above), click here.
Rival Sons - Torture by EaracheRecords
Upcoming live dates:
Oct. 10 - Oakland, Calif. Fox Theater
Oct. 11 - Los Angeles, Palladium
Oct. 14 - Phoenix, Comerica Theater
Oct. 15 - Tucson, Ariz., AVA Amphitheater
Oct. 18 - San Antonio, Sunken Gardens
Oct. 19 - Dallas, Palladium
Oct. 21 - Milwaukee, Eagles Ballroom
Oct. 22 - Chicago, Congress Theater
Oct. 24 - Detroit, Royal Oak Music Theater
Oct. 25 - Toronto, The Sound Acedemy
Oct. 27 - Montreal, Metropolis
Oct. 28 - Worcester, Mass., Palladium
Oct. 30 - Atlantic City, N.J., Showboat - House of Blues
Nov. 1 - New York, Terminal 5
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