Rival Sons have never felt the need to disguise their influences. ’70s hard rock, electric blues, soul and psychedelia form the foundations of a sound that also draws on the weight of stoner rock and contemporary production. Since 2009, the Californians have used that heritage to develop a language of their own, built around Jay Buchanan’s voice, equally at home with soulful phrasing and a full-throated rock roar, and Scott Holiday’s fuzz-heavy guitar. From Pressure & Time and Great Western Valkyrie to the pairing of Darkfighter and Lightbringer, their catalogue proves that looking back to the ’70s doesn’t mean getting stuck there. Their return to Mendizabala for Azkena Rock Festival’s 25th anniversary will be another chance to prove it.
