Let’s start with a bold assertion: cloning human beings is now a reality. It must be. There’s simply no other way to explain how Rival Sons – who’ve been touring solidly for the last two years – found the time and energy to make ‘Hollow Bones’. Sure, they could have bashed out a fatigued stop-gap release in-between gigs, but to have crafted yet another fully realised gem at lightning speed? It can only be the work of scientifically manufactured doppelgangers.
Joking aside, the Californian quartet have never laid down roots in the studio. All their albums are recorded with the idea that rock ‘n’ roll should be a spontaneous, seat-of-the-pants experience and not over thought. So, although knocking out ‘Hollow Bones’ in three weeks isn’t revelatory for them, what’s unbelievable is how they’re seemingly immune to creative burnout, able to sculpt dynamic, varied and emotionally-charged records whenever the mood takes.
One minute they bombard the senses with the pugilistic defiance of Hollow Bones Pt 1 – where funky verses tighten the tension before a euphoric release in the chorus – and the next present the mesmerising Fade Out. Its gripping storm of frenzied peaks and fragile troughs finds Jay Buchanan tumbling between melancholic crooning and unearthly wailing.
The only evidence of such a speedy turnaround is the economic nine track, 37 minute run time. In that respect it resembles the short, sharp shock thrill ride of ‘Pressure And Time’, albeit enhanced by the compositional maturity of ‘Great Western Valkyrie’.
Thundering Voices epitomises this blend. Propelled by a drilling guitar and organ motif that’s vintage Deep Purple, its otherworldly chorus makes you feel like you’re perched on top of a mountain. Hollow Bones Pt 2 is an epic seven minute meditation on life, death and various deities, its apocalyptic power providing a heart-stopping sonic landslide.
Anyone who has seen the Sons live will be familiar with non-album track Torture, which boasts such a catchy refrain the audience regularly hollers it between songs and long after the band has departed. Both Baby Boy’s swirling hook – which echoes U2’s Bullet The Blue Sky - and the hard hitting chorus of Tied Up have a similar communal-choir feel, representing the increased singalong quality of these new songs.
From Scott Holiday’s exquisite melodic solo on Pretty Face to Mike Miley’s irrepressible and explosive drumming, the intoxicating instrumental work of this band doesn’t disappoint here. Buchanan remains their ace in the hole, though, revisiting his folk roots on the Jeff Buckley-esque All I Want and igniting a sensational cover of Ike and Tina Turner’s Black Coffee. The singer is an intense, brooding presence, so it’s great to hear him relax and have a blast as he plays off the soulful backing singers.
Some have pondered what might happen if Rival Sons spent more time in the studio. Led Zeppelin couldn’t have crafted ‘Physical Graffiti‘ in a few weeks, and if Buchanan and company took longer honing their music the results would be fascinating. On the other hand, you can’t get a cat to bark. The rapid-fire creative approach is a key component of this band’s skeleton, and seeing as they’re getting better with each album, no bones are broken – so none need fixing.
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