Rival Sons go two for two: “Lightbringer” Album Review

Reviews

29 Oct

2023 has been an exceptional year for Rival Sons: Two albums, sprawling tours of North America, UK and Europe, supporting Smashing Pumpkins, and crowned cover stars of Rolling Stone France, Rock Hard Magazine and Classic Rock Magazine.

In the midst of their “Darkfighter” tour as we speak, the LA band released ninth album, “Lightbringer” on October 20th: A daring but sophisticated LP for the West coast rockers. Though Irish fans will unfortunately not get to enjoy the new six-track offering in the flesh, UK and mainland Europe listeners can choose from a string of Autumn dates to physically experience this significant tour.

Ardent and vast in nature, the fittingly named, “Lightbringer” warmly balances sister-album, “Darkfighter”, which saw singles, “Nobody Wants to Die” and “Bird in the Hand” pinpoint their bolder character. Opening with the folk-tinted, rather psychedelic eight-minute long “DARKFIGHTER”, the track leans into the band’s skill as storytellers, offering a style that from older works such as “Feral Roots”, we know the band execute incredibly well. Seamlessly transitioning between groove-driven rock to a folk and jazz framed sound, the song is a clear window into the band’s development as arrangers, who aren’t afraid to return to what they’ve done before in order to do it better. Bringing in somewhat new textures with what I hear to be an organ, violin and possibly mandolin, the opening track represents stylistic expansion and good decision making. Buchanan’s vocals fronting any sort of harmony backing is always a strong pairing, yet there is always another level of power to be achieved once the band fully unite and erupt back into their blues-rock roots.

Returning to their familiar blues-rock sound in succeeding track, “Mercy”, the song is centered around a typical but rigid Rival Sons riff with no lack fills or ride bell from Mike Miley. Likely soon to begin the creative process for their tenth album, we enter this LP knowing that the band don’t need to obsess over complexity. Following tracks, “Redemption”, “Sweet Life” and “Before The Fire” are in-line with this, offering enough moments of rich imagery, well-paced climaxes and commanding groove and fretwork to keep us onboard. Concluding with the ballad-esque, “Mosaic”, the track exerts a sense of finality that this chapter of the band’s discography needed, making it the right choice to tie up any loose ends.

Though I feel the “Darkfighter” collection is the more sprightly of the two albums, “Lightbringer” is imposing in its own right. Both LPs reflect the magnitude of the band’s still evolving sound, which I suspect has something more unexpected and audacious lurking in the shadows in the years to come. Rival Sons are experienced weavers of music and lyrics, and though they may get swept under the carpet at times in the contemporary rock world, they should never be underestimated. What they’ve come forward with is another positively rich LP, which, like all albums, has moments of stagnancy but plenty of highs. The California band’s output can only grow more renowned.