Throwback Thursday: Pressure and Time, by Rival Sons

Today I'm cheating again and doing an album that is a little less than the usual 10 year old minimum criteria I set for Throwback Thursday. In 2011, one of the single greatest albums to happen to rock n' roll in quite some time by a little Californian heavy blues rock band named Rival Sons hit the scene. This album titled Pressure and Time though not the band's first album was what many consider to be their true debut into the world of rock n' roll and showed that you can play an old style that you love while still doing something original with it.

Pressure and Time is a mix-up of blues, hard rock, surf rock, ballads, and so much more. It's pretty well rounded and it feels like you're on a journey the entire time you're listening to it. Overall there is a very heavy classic rock vibe, but it doesn't sound like they are trying to knock of Led Zeppelin (as many have accused them of). Tunes like Pressure and Time and Face of Light are major concert staples for Rival Sons, though to be fair many fans consider the whole album to be classic material.

All Over the Road in my opinion is the most fun track on the entire album. It's the first song and in my opinion does a fantastic job of getting the party started. It punches you right in the face the second you hit the play button with big, beefy, pulsing guitar riffs from guitar master Scott Holiday with the rhythm section backing him with massive pounding thunder. It's not all crash, boom, bang, though. There is a lot of melody and groove that makes you feel like you could move or push the pedal to the metal while your girl or guy is in the seat next to you grinning. Buckle up. It's a wild ride.

Pressure and Time is the first song I ever heard from Rival Sons and it's what instantly hooked me within seconds. The drums ground and pound, the bass has a subtle but ever noticeable rolling presence, and the guitar rattles off some grinding echoey riffs. What makes the song for me though is Jay Buchanan's howling vocals. It feels like he could blow the roof off a building with how powerful his voice is in this song. You can feel the energy of him giving it his all. That said, this is a Rival Sons classic for a reason.

This is one of the few albums I love completely from start to finish. It's not absolutely perfect, but it's not far from. If you're a fan of older rock n' roll but feel like it's been hard to find anything other than what the radio has been playing for the last 20+ years, Rival Sons is right up your alley and Pressure and Time is where you want to start. You can feel their raw energy and passion pulsing through every last note from the moment you put the album on till the time it wraps up. Definitely a must-have.

Pressure and Time, by Rival Sons receives 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. All Over the Road

2. Young Love

3. Pressure and Time

4. Only One

5. Get Mine

6. Burn Down Los Angeles

7. Save Me

8. Gypsy Heart

9. White Noise

10. Face of Light

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Pressure-Time-Rival-Sons/dp/B00BWTJ2WU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1490301598&sr=8-2&keywords=rival+sons+pressure+and+time