Your thought on the new Rival Sons album 'Hollow Bones'?

Salty Dog

Senior Member
I've been hooked on this band for over a year now and I must say they're amazing to me & even better live. Their latest offering is more complex and mature which means some of the songs take a few listens to be fully appreciated but this is truly a wonderful album. Drummer Michael Miley is worth a listen & a peak he's truly at the top of his game on Hollow Bones.

What are your thoughts on the band and their latest album?
 
I have only heard a few songs but I like what I have heard. I discovered these guys on Pandora last year and was hooked.

I dig Miley's drumming on what I have heard nice big and open.

Jay the lead singer has one of the best blues/rock voices in my opinion, in the industry.

On my way home from work today I will put the new album on using Spotify and report back on Hollow Bones.
 
This is a great band, that I too only learned about from somebody here on DW. The drum sound is superb and great fit. I read up on Miley, he likes steel snares and large drums tuned really high. Never seen them live though.
 
This is a great band, that I too only learned about from somebody here on DW. The drum sound is superb and great fit. I read up on Miley, he likes steel snares and large drums tuned really high. Never seen them live though.

YouTube will be a great friend to you Opentune as there are some seriously good video's of their performances there including this recent one where they play some new songs too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_t3dYbjVBgE

and here's a video from Miley talking about tuning:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea92RT82dhc
 
I have only heard a few songs but I like what I have heard. I discovered these guys on Pandora last year and was hooked.

I dig Miley's drumming on what I have heard nice big and open.

Jay the lead singer has one of the best blues/rock voices in my opinion, in the industry.

On my way home from work today I will put the new album on using Spotify and report back on Hollow Bones.

Right on about Jay I think he's one of the few that knows his role as a frontman on a rock stage. No depressing BS just out here feeling it & feeding it show after show. What a voice none better IMHO. Looking forward to your feedback
 
Great I'll be looking forward to read what you think about it. FWIW my personal favorite is Hollow Bones Pt. 2

Tried to listen to it on Spotify here at work, but my work computer has an awful audio driver and makes everything sound too middle heavy and tinny. Unfortunately, I can't change the sound quality in any way. I need to listen to it on my laptop which has a better sound driver with a better mix.
 
I've given it a handful of listens since it's release and it's good, although I'd say just not quite as catchy an album as 'Pressure and Time' or 'Great Western Valkyrie' for me. Still a strong album though.

Great band and very underated, I went and saw a show of theirs on their last tour and they blew me away, they had the venue shaking. Took a guitarist friend who had never heard them until that night and he loved it also and is now a fan.

Miley is one hell of a rock drummer. For me the closest any modern player gets to Bonham in feel that I've heard.
 
Saw them open for Black Sabbath in New York back in February, I liked their sound a lot and I'm annoyed that I keep forgetting to give their entire discography a good listen.
 
I've given it a handful of listens since it's release and it's good, although I'd say just not quite as catchy an album as 'Pressure and Time' or 'Great Western Valkyrie' for me. Still a strong album though.

Great band and very underated, I went and saw a show of theirs on their last tour and they blew me away, they had the venue shaking. Took a guitarist friend who had never heard them until that night and he loved it also and is now a fan.

Miley is one hell of a rock drummer. For me the closest any modern player gets to Bonham in feel that I've heard.

And voilà! You nailed it Juniper. It is not as catchy as P&T or GWV or Head Down that's why I think the mass will be turned off at 1st about this album. That's what I meant about being complex & mature. It will take a few listens for it to get in your head and then it will never leave.

Yes Miley is tremendous, Jay is the best singer/frontman out there atm & I,ll admit it here & now Scott Holiday got me starting learning guitar at 41 years young. This band is underrated beyond logic. This is their 5th solid record and they still don't headline arenas. Stupid music industry, great music being made by great artists that are constantly screwed over by the biz & fans alike. Please share the love of the Sons.
 
Gave it a listen last night. The guitar distortion is overbearing and overpowers everything else (vocals, drums, and bass guitar). Its really overbearing and gets rather old/tiresome after the first few songs. I was just begging for a clean channel or acoustic song to get that damn distortion out of my ears. They even put distortion on the vocals and drums as well. Ugg...

I will admit, I am not a Rival Sons afficianado. I have really only listened to their popular songs (P&T, Swingin', Electric Man, etc.), and this album sounds a lot like those with the exception that they threw distortion over everything and cranked up the guitar in the mix.

In my opinion, it doesn't feel like this album was much of a stretch for them. As for if it is a more grown up, mature or complex album for them... I don't really see it. Musically it sounds a lot like their other stuff. Their orchestration is pretty basic and not really pushing themselves. Its not like listening to G'n'R Appetite for Destruction and then listening to Use Your Illusion 1&2. That was a huge growing up album(s) for them. This Rival Sons album sounds just like another album from them. If you like the consistency from one album to the next, then that's great! U2 is a very consistent band (other than Pop) and they have been going on for 40 years, so it's really not a bad way to go about.
 
Gave it a listen last night. The guitar distortion is overbearing and overpowers everything else (vocals, drums, and bass guitar). Its really overbearing and gets rather old/tiresome after the first few songs. I was just begging for a clean channel or acoustic song to get that damn distortion out of my ears. They even put distortion on the vocals and drums as well. Ugg...

I will admit, I am not a Rival Sons afficianado. I have really only listened to their popular songs (P&T, Swingin', Electric Man, etc.), and this album sounds a lot like those with the exception that they threw distortion over everything and cranked up the guitar in the mix.

In my opinion, it doesn't feel like this album was much of a stretch for them. As for if it is a more grown up, mature or complex album for them... I don't really see it. Musically it sounds a lot like their other stuff. Their orchestration is pretty basic and not really pushing themselves. Its not like listening to G'n'R Appetite for Destruction and then listening to Use Your Illusion 1&2. That was a huge growing up album(s) for them. This Rival Sons album sounds just like another album from them. If you like the consistency from one album to the next, then that's great! U2 is a very consistent band (other than Pop) and they have been going on for 40 years, so it's really not a bad way to go about.

Well that's a fair observation, one criticism I've heard about their recordings and that I agree with is that they compress every guitars, drums & voice. Yes I wish they did without and that's why they are great live.

It's funny that you mentioned GNR because I thought about UYI 1&2 just the other day, love those records btw. I agree they have not went as far away
from their previous albums but this is different IMO. They wrote this & recorded it all in a Month so I guess you're not going to reinvent in that short amount of time especially if you're also touring at the same time.

Thanks Tommy for sharing your opinion
 
Well that's a fair observation, one criticism I've heard about their recordings and that I agree with is that they compress every guitars, drums & voice. Yes I wish they did without and that's why they are great live.

It's funny that you mentioned GNR because I thought about UYI 1&2 just the other day, love those records btw. I agree they have not went as far away
from their previous albums but this is different IMO. They wrote this & recorded it all in a Month so I guess you're not going to reinvent in that short amount of time especially if you're also touring at the same time.

Thanks Tommy for sharing your opinion

If I knew their other albums a bit better I would be able to give a better assessment of growth in their music. But with my few experiences listening to their stuff, it sounds like a lot of the same. Siffice it to say, they have a sound. Thats actually not a bad thing. Look at a band like AC/DC. They have a very distinct sound and even if you havent heard all their music, a song you may not know will be easily recognizable as theirs because of the guitar riffs.
 
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