Photos of Rival Schools at 2011 Sasquatch! Music Festival in George, WA
Photos of Rival Schools at Islington Academy in London, U.K. on April 19th, 2011
Photos of Rival Schools at O2 Academy in Birmingham, U.K. on April 18th, 2011
Photos of Rival Schools at Garage in Glasgow, U.K. on April 17th, 2011 in the QRO
Photos of Rival Schools at Academy 2 in Manchester, U.K. on April 16th, 2011
Photos of Rival Schools at Electric Ballroom in London, U.K. on April 15th, 2011
Photos of Rival Schools at Muffahalle in Munich, Germany on April 12th, 2011
Photos of Rival Schools at Arena in Vienna, Austria on April 10th, 2011
Photos of Rival Schools at Astra in Berlin, Germany on April 9th, 2011
Photos of Rival Schools at Ramones Museum in Berlin, Germany on April 9th, 2011
Photos of Rival Schools at Ubel und Gefaehrlich in Hamburg, Germany on April 8th, 2011
Photos of Rival Schools at Fillmore New York at Irving Plaza in New York, NY on June 15th, 2010
If the phrase "Quality not Quantity" is anything to go by, you’re in luck. The well-awaited-for second release, Pedals, has finally been released after ten years in waiting by Rival Schools, collective of hardcore legends, following up the cult United By Fate 2001 release. Pedals manages to pack a hard punch with intense emotional gravity, much like its predecessor. However, comparatively, the albums are not totally indifferent on multiple levels.
Photos of Rival Schools at GamesCon Convention in Cologne, Germany on August 23rd, 2009
Photos of Rival Schools at 2008 Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin, TX
It has all the signature Rival Schools features and clear parallels can be made between both United By Fate and Pedals – the gooey heart wrenching melancholy ballad and fan favourite, "Undercovers On"/"Small Doses", the tunes that rip through out and bring out that teenage angst, "Used for Glue"/"Shot After Shot", but if it works, it works – if it ain’t broke, why fix it?
It’s clear to see that Rival Schools cracked the winning formula the first time ‘round, and this has been recognized by the band and fans alike. Even in the sheer detail of the album, reflects the individual signature style of each member of the band, such as the rhythmic drumming style of Sammy Siegler, which can be seen in United By Fate’s "Good Things" and Pedals‘s " Big Waves", the pedal laden playfulness of Ian Love, the driving, heavy bass lines of Cache Tolman, and of course, the lyrical genius of Walter Schreifels (QRO solo tour review). However, in the bands ten-year hiatus, they have come a long way, through various personal and musical pursuits, as life often brings. Whilst United By Fate offers tales of heartbreak and personal relationships, Pedals continues with this theme, yet expanding on ideas of community, gentrification and isolation.
What Pedals represents is Rival Schools growing up, becoming more collected as a band. This can even be seen in the cleaner, more polished sound to the tracks. However, with the lack of the more prominent grunge influence, Pedals does lose the immediacy of its predecessor. It does, however, deserve the time of day for one to dissect and digest the songs to appreciate them in their glory as an outstanding album in its own right, without comparison.
MP3 Stream: "Small Doses"