It's been such a fertile time for American rock, these past few months, you'd be forgiven for thinking the glut of great new bands must run out some time soon. But hold that cynicism for a while yet: New York's Rival Schools might just prove to be the best of the new crop.
The Schools aren't strictly new, of course. All four members have tangled and impressive histories in the hardcore and post-hardcore underground, most notably singer Walter Schreifels' tenure as leader of Quicksand in the early '90s. 'United By Fate' draws on this long tour of duty, so that fans of Fugazi and the more visceral end of emo will find plenty to inspire them here. Beyond that, though, Schreifels and his accomplices are playing a much bigger game, one equally informed by the punch of metal and grunge, and the brittle avant-textures of My Bloody Valentine.
The latter is most apparent on 'Holding Sand', when they cue up a loop from the Valentines' 'Soon'. But it underpins much of 'United By Fate' in the frowzy playing of guitarist Ian Love; check the strafe and whinny he conjures up during 'World Invitational'. In general, these are crushing anthems blessed with good ideas and memorable tunes. 'High Acetate' and 'The Switch', in particular, are object lessons in how to update the legacy of Nirvana imaginatively, a world away from the pallid adult-oriented-grunge of Nickelback and their dismal ilk.
'United By Fate', then, rocks like a sensitive and very clever bastard. It has more hooks and smarts per tune than any other rock album released so far this year, and an attitude that places underground ethics on a grander, braver stage. Here, the bands Rival Schools most closely resemble are the late, lamented At The Drive-In, destroyed by their own consciences, and Britain's excellent Hundred Reasons. Occasionally there's a nagging doubt that, in a world drawn to the horrible poles of Nickelback and Sum 41, this is too cool to really take on the world. But then the crashing single, 'Used For Glue', comes on again and really: how could anyone resist rock'n'roll that sounds this good?
by John Mulvey