When Rivers Meet

I liked this album from the first howling slide guitar and through the tub-thumping drum sound and on to Grace’s vocals – half scream and half beautifully sung.
The lo-fi and claustrophobic production really adds to the music and when they kick into high gear – as they do a few times – they make an inspiring and ass-twitching groove.

When Rivers Meet are built around Grace & Aaron Bond, her vocals and his guitars. The music is Blues/rock and their songs tell tales and invoke a kind of tragic chase narrative. They have used some classic analogue techniques in the production which gives them their gritty and hard-edged sound, matching perfectly with their individual talents.

Opening track ‘Did I Break The Law’ sets the stage for much of the album with Aaron’s slide riff pinned against Adam Bowers drums and Grace’s vocals. There is a sense of the chase and looking back over your shoulder, the number has some awesome power and rocks from start to finish.
‘Bound For Nowhere’ is dark and brooding with Grace’s vocals strident and pleading. The feeling she gives of being trapped into a continuous chase really givers the listener the feeling she knows of what she sings – maybe my favourite song on the album.
I also really like ‘I’d Have Fallen’. A strong ballad and possibly the most intense song on the album with some subtle violin from Grace behind her impassioned vocals and skitterish drums.

There really isn’t a weak song out of the twelve here, they produce shades and colours in their music, create stirring rhythms and put in plenty of passion to their music.

In many ways it is a classic debut with all the best ideas coming to fruition. Definitely one of the better new bands I’ve heard this year.