Rival Sons arrive in the UK amidst a growing sense of anticipation among rock fans, having being hailed as ones to watch since emerging on the scene in 2009. After releasing an eponymous EP earlier this year, the Californian blues-rockers recently followed with their full major-label debut ‘Pressure and Time‘, a record seemingly so rooted in the seventies it even featured a cover by legendary artist Storm Thorgerson.
Written, recorded and mixed in just twenty days, it served to remind many lovers of classic rock why their favourite bands became, well, their favourite bands. Given such a short timescale to make the album, much of the raw live feel has been retained, making it a record that begs to be heard played live. Currently touring the UK as support for metal stalwarts Judas Priest and Queensryche, the band arrived in Leeds for one of only two headlining dates.
Squeezed into the confines of The Cockpit, the band opened up with ‘Gypsy Heart‘ from the current album, its towering bluesy riffs being a pretty effective statement of intent. It’s been noted that ongoing comparisons to Led Zeppelin rankle with the band, but the influence is undeniable from the outset. Esteemed company indeed, but Rival Sons already display a sound inspired by a melting pot of rock rather than being flagrant copyists, as next track ‘Burn Down Los Angeles‘ illustrates.
As a vicious diatribe against the City of Angels, its disillusioned lyric and stomping, staccato delivery are especially potent live, recalling more recent revivalists such as The White Stripes and The Black Keys. It’s a standout track on the album and one which allows each member to prove their chops onstage, as an increasing number of people are drawn to the upstairs room to check out the source of the noise.
Drawing also from their eponymous EP, opening track ‘Get What’s Coming‘ is up next and is perhaps where the band really hit their stride. As well as a knack for writing songs that instantly lodge in the memory, it’s the raw energy and self-belief that begin to shine through here. Such confidence was underlined by an extended breakdown toward the end of the song, which veered towards the psychedelic end of the rock spectrum. ‘Torture‘ – taken from the same record – was another highlight of the show, sounding absolutely huge and featuring blistering slide guitar work.
The album’s opening track ‘All Over the Road‘ and lead single ‘Pressure and Time’ made for a double-whammy that wound up the tension in the tightly-packed and increasingly sweaty room. If rhythm section Mike Miley and Robin Everhart anchor the groove while guitarist Scott Holiday handles the granite-hard riffs, it’s frontman Jay Buchanan’s vocals that really seals the deal. It’s an astonishing set of pipes – at times incredibly reminiscent of you know who – that frequently seem to soar up to the Cockpit’s ceiling and beyond.
After a searing version of ‘Tell Me Something‘ and the soulful ‘On My Way‘, the punchy set was brought to a close with ‘I Want More‘, which morphed into an extended cover of ‘Baby Please Don’t Go‘ – an appreciative nod to their musical heritage and fitting end to the show.
With material culled only from an EP and an album that runs little over thirty minutes, the set did perhaps seem a little short, but that’s a minor gripe and one that is sure to be rectified with a subsequent headline tour. In fact, it’s unlikely that fans will be able catch the band in venues of this size for much longer given the buzz they are creating in the rock press, which only makes such a gig all the more satisfying.
Some critics have suggested that their sound is possibly a little too beholden, but the conviction of the band simply cannot be denied on the strength of this performance. The comparisons to certain 70s rock behemoths are unlikely to stop in the near future, but Rival Sons are making genuinely thrilling rock n roll that’s anything but outdated. And if it sounds good, it is good, right?
(Paddy Wells)
