After touring with his solo efforts, Walter Schreifels returns to RIVAL SCHOOLS with the bands’ latest release ‘Pedals’. ‘United by Fate’ was a solid effort that showed potential for the band to release something fantastic. So how does ‘Pedals’ compare to ‘United by Fate’ and has the band grown to release something special in the decade since their debut?
The short answer is not really. Opening track ‘Wring it Out’ is certainly a terrific indie-rock number and following it with the wonderful ’69 Guns’ gives a sense that this record is going to be a potential classic release. Unfortunately, after the Weezer-esque ‘Eyes Wide Open’, we get an album-by-numbers track list until ‘Big Waves’, with the album closing fairly strongly on ‘The Ghost is Out There’.
What is frustrating about ‘Pedals’ is that it clearly has the potential to be a brilliant record, but Rival Schools haven’t given it that extra kick. The album just plods along until hitting you with the odd big track. While it’s no a bad record, it isn’t a great one either. It’s merely a nice, summery record, and that’s all you can really expect to hear when listening.
HENRY McCAUGHTRIE