SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RIVAL SONS – A PAIR OF ACES: LIVE FROM SANTA CATALINA ISLAND (PART 2)

RIVAL SONS
A PAIR OF ACES: LIVE FROM SANTA CATALINA ISLAND (PART 2)
SACRED TONGUE RECORDINGS

Following last month’s release of A Pair Of Aces, Pt. 1, a live record which saw Rival Sons perform their debut album, Before The Fire, entirely live off the floor, the rock band has returned with A Pair Of Aces, Pt. 2 just weeks later. The two albums were both recorded at the casino on Catalina Island, the first in the ballroom, and the second in the theatre in 2021. The new live release captures their 2011 self-titled EP and clocks in at nearly twice the length of the original EP. With “bumps and bruises’ present, as guitarist Scott Holiday exclaims, Rival Sons continue to demonstrate their worth as a thrilling live band with A Pair Of Aces, Pt. 2.

Opening with a near eight-minute rendition of “Get What’s Coming”, Rival Sons strongly assert a noticeable difference between their pair of live albums. While A Pair Of Aces, Pt. 1 featured a great deal of extended moments allowing for the band to jam on a solo or another musical passage, none were quite as significantly lengthier than this – after all, A Pair Of Aces, Pt. 1 is only roughly 10 minutes longer than Before The Fire. “Get What’s Coming” stars a back and forth between the lead vocals and the riff, something that creates a stark contrast in the first verse, but, in the second, sees Holiday and drummer Mike Miley play with rhythm with shifting fills and ripping lead lines. The song continues with an extended guitar solo that pulls all the energy out from under the song before slowly and organically developing to a place of climatic excellence. The song truly explodes to life with a grand conclusion led by an impressive vocal swell and a big rock ending before returning with the riff and chorus for one final time.

Throughout the course of six songs, Rival Sons blast through their distinct approach to modernizing the ‘70s rock sound. From the drum solo lead in on “Radio” – Miley continues to shine as an understated force in the genre – to the rocking riffage on “Torture” and the bluesy strut of “Sleepwalker”, and the ambient closing of “Sacred Tongue”, A Pair Of Aces, Pt. 2 truly is a demonstration of versatility. It goes without saying, across both A Pair Of Aces, Pt. 1 and 2, that vocalist Jay Buchanan’s performance is incredibly dynamic, with a roar that makes for one of the greatest voices in modern rock. Without a moment of weakness across the album, “Soul” is a definite showstopper. With a runtime of over twelve minutes, Rival Sons channel their innermost Zeppelin for a stirring 6/8 ballad that allows them to flex their range as performers. Starting with a gentle sway in traditional blues fashion, the song culminates with a time change as the band shifts into four with a high-octane double time feel for Holiday’s solos to soar. Following this, the band continues with a loose rhythmic jam that feels entirely improvised, almost as though they’re working it out on the spot, and they find a new way to end “Soul”.

All in all, A Pair Of Aces, Pt. 2 is yet another exciting live record from Rival Sons, as they continue to establish themselves as not only a talented band of songwriters, but a band that thrives in the live element. Much like its predecessor, A Pair Of Aces, Pt. 2 sees Rival Sons return to their earliest records and breathe a new sense of life into them. While the proximity of these two releases may be puzzling – why not release them as a double album or spread out the releases to avoid overshadowing your own work? – Rival Sons have capped off their 2024 with a pair of stellar live records.

SPILL FEATURE: AS AUTHENTIC AS WE CAN BE – A CONVERSATION WITH RIVAL SONS’ SCOTT HOLIDAY

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