Pedals by Rival Schools

Rival Schools gets their name, and the name of their debut album United By Fate, from an obscure arcade game that was later ported to the Playstation. So before I had even heard a single note played by founding member and front man Walter Schreifels, these guys had already grabbed this nerd's attention. Then I heard the record. It only took play to cement its place among my favourite albums of all time. The album didn't leave my player for ages at a time, and the CD served as the soundtrack to my life for a lovely long while. I loved this band.

The brilliant thing is they don't miss a beat. It is  like they never broke up in the first place. The ten new tracks that populate the album Pedals are every bit as solid as the material they released in the summertime of 2001. Granted, Schreifels and company appear to have lost a step in the intensity department over the years. Either they have matured a bit or these guys are not as annoyed as they were0 years ago. Fortunately maturity doesn't interfere with their ability to express the same amount of passion in their sound as their debut. Tracks like the opening "Wring It Out" and "Eyes Wide Open" would be right at home with the band's earlier work, and where there's deviations from the norm, they are executed skillfully. For example the bass lines on "Choose Your Adventure" and "The Ghost Is Out There" are so distorted they  sound like a synthesizer, and even a little piano makes its way in to the album. These are things you won't find on United By Fate, but they mesh well here in this older, wiser Rival Schools sound.

Regrettably, the affair was cut short when guitarist Ian Love moved on to another project in 2002. The remainder of Rival Schools appeared to falter and finally the group was disbanded in 2003. All that was left behind was this brilliant full length album, a split recording with like-minded artist Onelinedrawing (Jonah Matranga of Far), and a slew of rumors surrounding a partially recorded second album. Years passed and the rumors died down. Then  out of nowhere there was a quiet reunion to play a few festivals in the United Kingdom where the band arguably enjoyed a bigger fan base. Then, to my delight, it was announced early in 2010 that Rival Schools would indeed be recording a new album. Admittedly, I was skeptical of a new album after a ten year hiatus. What band could possibly release a sophomore album that is relevant AND pleases the fans of their debut work from a decade ago? words: My heroes.

My only actual complaint with Pedals is it is short. I think perhaps I am genetically predisposed to liking this band though, and after a0 year break, a hour long album would have been short for my taste. Pedals'0 tracks clock in at over 34 minutes which is over way soon for me. Fortunately the $10.99 cost point made it a lot simpler for me to cope. If you are a fan of the band's earlier work, this purchase ought to be a no-brainer. If you are a fan of passionate music, this is to keep an eye on.