Every so often, our belief in the future of rock – maybe even music as a whole – begins to wane due to the oversaturation of a sound or style (see: Dave Matthews). We begin to lose hope and consider going through that box in the closet that has all of our old CDs from high school in the hopes that you will be surprised by an old forgotten great sound.
Then there are those bright stars in the sky of music that simply come crashing down into your universe and deliver hope for the future of music. Gems so spectacular you hold on so tightly because you’re afraid of letting them go.
Look to the skies, because one such star just arrived.
It’s called Pressure & Time by the bluesy hard rock LA based Rival Sons.
Every track on the album contributes itself like a brick to the tower of hope for the future of music; building onto something great one step at a time.
Crafting their work out of a very apparent classic rock influence, P&T takes you on journey through various sounds, all while staying firmly planted in a religious rock experience. Jay Buchanan’s vocals immerse you in a world that is familiarly comforting and truly amazing. Setting off the first of ten tracks with “All Over the Road,” we’re instantly treated to infectious licks played out in accompaniment to swaying rock beats that follow and get more addictive with each track. Being caught off guard by the Eric Burden-like sound laid out by “Young Love,” I had to check which album I was actually listening to. The dark, rhythmic trance leaves you screaming on the inside that the tracks to follow will be just as pure.
And they are.
While Rival Sons lay out upbeat songs and intertwine them with the slower, yet just as meaningful songs, you easily lose all sense of time and fall into the simple throwback rock sound.
It would be entirely too unjust to point out veteran touch of Storm Thorgerson’s album cover artwork. Thorgerson has a truly unique touch with his art, crafting talent for such rock greats as Pink Floyd, Mars Volta, Pendulum and everyone in between. The fact that he has added his hand to this album solidifies the talent that lies therein.
From sound to art, this is an album best suited for vinyl or CD and not just a digital copy. Pressure & Time is the hope we’ve all been waiting for. Bringing forth the familiar characteristics of yesterday while offering up the completely original sound that has been crafted out of an obvious passion; this is the pure rock album 2011 has been waiting for.