LA based outfit Rival Sons have definitely made their own big splash in the ocean of classic rock despite the fact that they are a younger more recent band. While their sound definitely has some main stays like many of the songs having big fuzzy British blues infused riffs and howling vocals backed by a thundering rhythm section, it definitely evolves over time. Their fifth studio album that just came out last week (June 10th) Hollow Bones is certainly no exception to this.
As with many of Rival Sons' previous albums, Hollow Bones was produced by Dave Cobb at LCS Studios in Nashville, TN. Now that the band has had time to get really used to having bassist David Beste as part of the band it seems like they have really gotten in sync again, but this time they're using that unity to explore the way they have been since the beginning - though in a different direction. This time around they have moved away from the British Invasion sound they had in their previous album Great Western Valkyrie and somewhat returned to what they were doing before with Head Down, though not to an extent to where they were rehashing.
Hollow Bones definitely tones down the heaviness that its predecessor had in some respects, but many of the heavy and bluesy psychedelic aspects still rear their heads in certain tunes like Pretty Face and Fade Out. However, some of Rival Sons' mild surf rock under tones have also managed to come back into the fold in tunes like Baby Boy. It's also nice to hear that Scott Holiday can still churn out the catchy guitar riffs for songs like Tied Up and Thundering Voices. That kind of thing is what has always drawn me into the Rival Sons sound.
When listening to this album I have this weird feeling like there is something missing. Like, there are a bunch of songs on it that are pretty darn good. Maybe that's the problem, though. The songs are pretty good, but there isn't all that much besides maybe a couple of songs that are particularly GREAT.
However, it could have something to do with the fact that Hollow Bones has only 9 songs and clocks in at 37:06. One of the songs on it Black Coffee is a Humble Pie cover that they did originally as a single for Record Store Day last year and I have a feeling that they threw it on to film up record space. Though it's not their shortest album time-wise, I feel like something more is needed. It doesn't quite feel like a full album. However, with a few more full listens to it I could easily change my view on this. Some times Rival Sons albums do take multiple listens before you fully get and groove with them. I hope that is the case here.
I am willing to give Hollow Bones multiple more listens though because I can tell that there is still that love of being creative in there. While this might not be what fans are used to from Rival Sons, maybe that's a good thing. Anything worth listening to for years to come is going to require you to delve deeply into it and explore territory you have never traversed before. There are moments when you hear classic Sons, but then the song will transition into something completely different. It can be an ambient more introspective tone or psychedelic and grooving. To Hollow Bones's further credit, it does have its moments. It has its rockers, its groovers, and its ballad (All That I Want is one of the absolute sweetest love songs I have ever heard singer Jay Buchanan or anyone for that matter write).
Overall I don't think Hollow Bones is my favorite album from Rival Sons (at least not yet anyway), but it is by no means a bad or just ok record. It is definitely good and worth picking up because if you're into big ballsy bluesy classic rock then you're bound to find quite a few tunes that you really like. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE just about everything Rival Sons does with a burning fiery passion. I guess when compared to the rest of the band's catalog it's hard for me to feel it to the degree I do the others. Over time though I'm sure that it is bound to get more plays from me, but this is kind of where I'm at with it at the moment. Time will tell.
Hollow Bones, by Rival Sons receives 3.85 out of 5 stars
Track List:
1. Hollow Bones Part 1
2. Tied Up
3. Thundering Voices
4. Baby Boy
5. Pretty Face
6. Fade Out
7. Black Coffee
8. Hollow Bones Part 2
9. All That I Want
Buy the album on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Hollow-Bones-Rival-Sons/dp/B01CV1DV7O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465887979&sr=8-1&keywords=Rival+Sons+Hollow+Bones
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