Old Rocker Soul

Great Western Valkyrie, the newest album from Rival Sons, really carries the torch of an older generation of classic blues rock sound. This album meets that expectation. The blues vibe can especially be heard on standout “Good Things.” When listening to the first couple cuts it’s easy to say that Rival Sons are influenced by Nirvana and Hendrix, due to the heavy and distorted guitar sound, but giving it a closer listen truly reveals an authentic old soul.

Great Western Valkyrie isn’t necessarily your everyday listen, and it is far from what comprises today’s mainstream. However, it is really a great album – with music that is instrumentally interesting and catchy lyrics. The whole album has this older feel that happily transports you to what at least this reviewer considers to be the golden age of music: ’60s and ’70s rock.

Rival Sons is one of those bands that you could easily picture playing at an outdoor music festival and loving it. They’re the kind of band you want to see play live. The classic sound that these guys have perfected since 2009 especially shines on this album. It’s a warm, comforting sound and will sound right at home for anyone who likes The Animals or Led Zeppelin.

Even your stickler “those-were-the-good-old-days” rocker dad will love Great Western Valkyrie. The album has a heartwarming vibe that’s fresh while still revolving around the standard sounds of classic rock. And that’s something rare these days. Whatever these guys are doing, it’s safe to say they’re doing it right.