Brave Rival Fight Or Flight
The follow up to their debut album 2022's Life's Machine which sadly passed me by if I am honest and that is my loss.
Playing classic blues rock with the dual vocalists of Chloe and Lindsey shining at all times and their voices blending together seamlessly.
There is a maturity in their music of hours on the road and the way songs like Insane and Heavy build from quiet beginnings to to full band workouts with wonderful melodic guitar solo's from Ed that build melodically to full on rock is mind blow in it's depth and song writing talent.
Bad Choices starts on a stop start guitar riff from Ed before a woah woah chorus ready for the live stage where they excel and the first chance for Ed to shine with a short fiery solo.
Seventeen is a big rock number with Ed's guitar riff prominent alongside the pounding drum rhythm from Donna and Ed hits with a wah led guitar solo too .One for rock radio stations worldwide.
Stand Up features Will Wilde on harmonica which as a wonderful huge dual vocal chorus as the big guitar riff and harmonica battle to be heard.
Insane starts on picked electric guitar notes and builds up to the chorus and back down again. Love the light and shade after the second chorus and Ed let's rip with a lengthy guitar full of held notes and shows he can shred with the best of them and then expresses himself alongside the vocal in the outro too.
Fairytale has a fabulous rock guitar riff that stops and starts and goes into a huge multi layered chorus that deserves to be sung back by huge crowds.
Heavy is quite simply wonderful. Bands on their second album shouldn't be writing music this deep and meaningful with the band in their own words saying Heavy is a heartfelt and candid ballad that delves into the experience of anxiety and the sudden changes it can bring.
Beautifully written and played with light and shade letting the music breathe. Stunning melodic vocals and the song builds to a delightful chorus and added depth from the Vulcan String Quartet too. After the second chorus there is an added vocal bridge that leads to the guitar solo where Ed shows restraint and puts such meaning into every note. Nearly 6 minutes of aural pleasure that ends with a full band workout and held vocal notes.
All I Can Think About starts on an acoustic guitar and vocal melody that lasts 2 verses and choruses before the band kick in with added vocal gymnastics and held notes before Ed again shows his class with an extended guitar solo all the better for the restraint again displayed.
Five Years On has an insistent guitar riff and is driven expertly by the rhythm team of Donna and Billy and another big chorus built for the live stage.
Unravelling has a stop start guitar riff that barrels along and goes straight into the chorus which makes a change !! Great backing vocals and back into the big chorus and another song for the live stage I would assume.
Sink Or Swim has a picked electric guitar start and more dual vocals that work so well. Explodes in the chorus with both band and vocals loud and true. Dips back into the second verse with more light and shade and that makes the second chorus even brighter and vibrant. Ed's guitar solo adds to the delights held within.
Blame The Voices has Ed leading from the front with an intro guitar part. More light and shade in the verse which shows the depth of song writing and musical talent contained across the 12 tracks.
Stars Upon My Scars finishes the album in style with a bluesy ballad that lasts nearly 7 minutes. Slowly building with tasteful guitar picked notes and into a second chorus full of held vocal notes and leading into Ed's blues guitar solo that paints it's own story as it builds to a crescendo through another verse and then Ed really let's go in the outro too. Another sure fire live favourite that I look forward to seeing later this week in Oxford.
Fight Or Flight is a 12 track delight that sees Brave Rival reach for the stars and make it with as good an album I have heard by a UK band in many a year.
Picture credited to Rob Blackham and used with thanks.
