Sitting under the red glow of a neon sign, a pointy collar sticking out from his pea coat, Walter Schreifels didn’t look the part of a rock star. Over the intermittent boom of a sound check, the lead singer chatted about his band, Rival Schools-a prodigious chapter in the emo-saga. The band showcased its first full-length release, United by Fate, later last night at the Galaxy.
An easel inside the Galaxy’s front door announced: “Rival Schools, formerly of Quicksand and CIV.” The band is only 2 years old, but its members have been staples on the New York City scene since the `80s. Schreifels’ career has brought him from hardcore roots to borderline pop, but-surprise-he doesn’t care to catalogue his music. “I think emo, rock, if that’s what people think it is, that’s fine. If that’s what is easiest.describes what we do, maybe that’ll maybe get `em in the door, but I think what we do is our own thing.”
The truth is that Rival Schools is as emo as they come, crooning about love and depression just like countless garage bands to emerge from suburbia. The difference is that these boys have been in the city for years, and they know what they’re doing. Schreifels’ journey through musical genres has left him confident.
His journey toward a more radio-friendly pop hasn’t been conscious of a national movement as much as it has a personal one.
He compared his current works with his old saying, “It’s reflective of where I’m at this moment, or where I was at a year ago when we recorded it. It’s the same person who did all those things, but there’s growth.
United by Fate is a good album, opening with “Travel by Telephone,” a tune full of distortion and dissonance, and alternately smooth and wailing vocals. However, it tends to pique interest and then remain on a plateau of above average, but rarely excellent rock.
Rival Schools’ live show was much like its album, periodically excellent. It was apparent that they were talented, breaking into trading solos and effective ambience. Drummer Sam Siegler supported “Used for Glue” with a driving beat more prevalent and impressive than the album version, his virtuosity apparent as he flicked and pounded the song onto a higher plane. “Good Things” has the potential to get wide radio play with its catchy vocal line, “Good things are coming our way.”
Schreifels played off the crowd, chatting with them and hopping around onstage as guitarist Ian Love and bassist Cache Tolman concentrated on their intricate playing.
No song was awkward, no improvisation strained, but only rarely did Rival School’s songs do their energy and talent justice. An A+ band, muddling through with B- material. Look forward to more from these talented Schoolboys, whether Rival Schools inevitably improves or divorces, the parts of this whole are great.
