Young Rival

What a difference a name change and a few years honing your sound can make. Formerly named the Ride Theory, this Hamilton, ON trio may be young, but they aren't new. After years of gigging, their patience has paid off in full on their self-titled debut. Produced with Jon Drew (Fucked Up, Tokyo Police Club), Young Rival is a pure throwback to '60s garage by three guys who'd probably rather talk about their gear than anything sex- or drug-related, in the context of rock'n'roll. Sure, most bands of this ilk fizzled out in the early '00s, but Young Rival's humility and dedication to their craft keep things fresh and fizzy. They even know how to slip in subtle nuances to avoid sameness, adding a nice Elephant 6 sheen to the vocals on "Just Can't Stay Here," an acid-free homage to Pink Floyd with "At the Break of Dawn" or unknowingly copping Sebadoh's riff for "Ocean" on "Got What You Need." As that song suggests, if you're in search of some carefully constructed, tuneful rock'n'roll, minus the nauseating frills or gimmicks, Young Rival have plenty of what you need.