The Rival Boys

Lee Rose, Graeme Rose and Sam Sholdice, three individuals with obvious musical talents between them; bass, guitar and drums respectively. Bring this trio together, put them on stage with mics, a PA and a room full of rather eager fans and you've got yourself The Rival Boys; and in case you're curious as to their style and appeal, well, their website states quite clearly: "fine young boys and girl make delicious gorgeous music.

It has been a few days since the Cuff the Duke posting, and I trust that their music has found its way onto your playlist; however, great as the Duke boys were, I'm sure you will recall that during said post I threw mention to the opening act for that evening at the EBar, promising you a posting and review of just who they were. Well, that time has come and it is with genuine excitement that I introduce you to this truly impressive band out of Toronto.

I say "an introduction" and to some of you it may be just that, but by no means are The Rival Boys new on the music scene, having been together for a few years now; and with the release of their EP, Life of Worry, and current tour schedule, they're starting to pick some much deserved hype and garnered attention, which seems to be working out well for both the band and fans alike.

If you were to ask me to describe their sound I would have to state the obvious, in that they manage to bring both The Rock and The Roll to the venue, pumping adrenaline into the veins of everyone in the room, as was clear by the growing, bouncing crowd huddled in close to the stage. They emit a positive energy with each song they play, and as the night progresses you find yourself more intrigued and drawn into the set and the band as a whole. Yes, they are a rock band, and a damn good one at that, but there was something else about them that stood out to say "You've never heard the likes of us before."

Now, I'm not entirely sure exactlly what it was that did that; perhaps the rich and deep tones behind their instruments, the memorable musical riffs and effective, well-written lyrics, or the way Lee and Graeme seem to harmonise in a truly original way, complimenting and contrasting all at the same time to create a fourth presence in the band. All likely candidates for reason, but better yet, I'd say it was all of these things put together with the ability for solid song writing and structure, a raw, emotive feel and the obvious ability to move the crowd up and down.

Now, I don't mean to take away from Cuff The Duke in this show because they played an outstanding set and I can't wait to see them again, but I have to be honest and say that The Rival Boys really, really caught my attention and left me wanting more. Immediately following their set I picked up their 5-song EP from the merch table and chatted quickly with Lee, who was easily approachable and seemed legitimately and gratefully happy to be there playing music to an appreciative and attentive crowd. Unfortunately I didn't have an opportunity to chat with Sam or Graeme, but based on their performance alone it was easy to tell that these three band mates have personalities set to inspire one another and create something they can all be proud to call their own; and so they should be.

So, to Lee, Graeme and Sam, you've earned yourselves a new fan, I look forward to future shows and recordings; and to the rest of the readers out there, if you're in the mood for some good indie rock n' roll, do yourselves all a favour and stop by their myspace page, which is linked below and soak in a few tunes.

-Phil

http://www.myspace.com/therivalboys

Recommended Listening:

I can't tell you which song to start off with, they're all worth listening to, but I can say that it's been only 5 days since their show and already I find myself singing along; a great EP to own, but a must to them live.