Album Review: RVIVR - 'The Beauty Between'

24 February 2013 | 2:39 pm | Staff Writer
Originally Appeared In

Catchy, genuine, melodic punk rock.

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In the demise of punk outfit Latterman in 2007, a slew of new projects were started by members. Also including Shorebirds, Iron Chic and Bridge and Tunnel, the breakup saw the birth of RVIVR, a DIY punk band out of Olympia, Washington featuring ex-Latterman vocalist and bassist Matt Canino. With their third LP, 'The Beauty Between', RVIVR have crafted 14 songs of energetic pop-punk that sees them come into their own in impressive fashion.

Opening with the largely instrumental 'The Seam' the record kicks off with a repeated guitar riff, crashing drums and sonic, distorted guitars before launching into a dynamic punk rock track that displays a tight rhythm section before ending with screamed gang vocals and a chaotic frenzy of instrumentation. From there, things get a lot catchier. The instantly infectious 'LMD' and 'Spider Song' utilise a strong, punk rhythm against memorable guitar leads and the shared vocals of Canino and frontwoman Erica Freas.

The record carries on in much the same fashion, keeping up energy. Guitars tend not to dominate the tracks, with bass and drums driving songs forward and neat guitar riffs keeping things interesting, notable on tracks 'Old Dogs' and 'Paper Thin'. Pace and dynamics are explored more than is typical for a punk record, with the band able to transition between quite smooth, relatively mellow guitar rock into very loud, sonic walls of sound.

Canino and Freas sharing vocal duties maintains interest – both bring something quite different from one another to the table, the best tracks on the record see the vocalists trading off lines throughout.

With 'The Beauty Between', the four-piece maintain their DIY aesthetic musically as well as the catchy choruses, hooks and melodies the band are also known for, but in a way that feels refined, with a level of professionalism and experimentation that sees RVIVR put out their most accomplished release yet.

1. The Seam

2. LMD

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3. Spider Song

4. Old Dogs

5. Wrong Way/One Way

6. Big Lie

7. Paper Thin

8. Rainspell

9. Ocean Song

10. The Hunger Suite I: Go Away

11. The Hunger Suite II: Bleed Out

12. The Hunger Suite III: Hunger

13. Elephant Song

14. Party Queen