Review: Brave Rival – Fight or Flight

Self Release (August 16^th, 2024)

Reviewer: Paul Dubbelman

Wow! There is a certain joy and pleasure in listening to an album by a band that are at their absolute best, and ‘Fight or Flight‘ is one of those albums. Crowdfunded in September last year, with the initial target smashed in under two days, and almost doubled by the end, this is the result of the faith, love, and confidence that the band’s devoted army of Bravians have in the band. And rightly so, ‘Fight or Flight‘ is, to put it simply, Immense. Huge riffs and exquisite solos from Ed Clarke, thunderous drums from Donna Peters, and punchy, growly bass lines courtesy of Billy Dedman underpin the gorgeously powerful vocals of Lindsey Bonnick and Chloe Josephine. If this is the ‘difficult’ second album that everyone talks about, then I cannot wait to hear the third, fourth, tenth album by this most exciting quintet.

The album was produced, engineered, and mixed by Tarrant Shepherd at the Mayfair Studio, Churt and 13 Sound studios, Weston-Super-Mare, and mastered by Katie Tavini, with Tarot themed artwork designed by the uber-talented Alice Armstrong. Additional musicians include Jonny Henderson on keys, Will Wilde on harmonica, and the Vulcan String Quartet. In a gesture typical of the band, the album is dedicated to the memory of Steve Beastie with thanks for his belief in them.

Each of the twelve tracks on the album is a testament to the talent and power of the band. Many, such as ‘Bad Choices‘, ‘Fairytale‘ and ‘Five Years On‘ will be familiar to many as they appear regularly now in the Live shows, and the beauty of this album is that it perfectly captures the energy of the live performance. This is simply an album that you cannot sit still and listen to. You will suddenly find yourself dancing around the room, such is the effect that Brave Rival’s music has on you. ‘Fight or Flight‘ really should carry a government health warning – Danger: This album will take you over, body and soul, heart and mind! ‘Fight or Flight‘ is not afraid to shy away from difficult topics either. Songs such as ‘Insane‘, ‘Heavy‘, and ‘Unravelling‘ that touch on the darker side of life – Anxiety, depression, narcissists, and failed relationships -sit cheek by jowl with the  rebellious joy of being ‘Seventeen‘ , the poke-in-the-eye to the doubters ‘Five Years On‘, or the beautiful balladry of ‘All I Can Think About‘.

With an album of this quality and depth it is near-impossible to pick out one or two that stand above the rest, but for this reviewer, ‘Fairytale‘, a brooding headbanger of a tune that takes you deep into the rabbit hole, really captures the feel of the Live performance. Album-closer ‘Stars Upon My Scars‘ has that classic Brave Rival sound – bluesy guitars, powerful harmonies, and a driving, anthemic beat. As well as illustrating how the band have moved to a heavier, rockier sound, ‘Stars‘ is a track that doesn’t just tug at the heartstrings, it rips them physically from you, ties them in knots, and spits them back out at you.

Brave Rival’s ‘Fight or Flight‘ is an album that should be in every music lover’s collection and is one of those albums that will be played and played again. Go grab a copy from Brave Rival’s Store and immerse yourself in its magnificence.

Tracklist:

1. Bad Choices
2. Seventeen
3. Stand Up
4. Insane
5. Fairytale
6. Heavy
7. All I Can Think About
8. Five Years On
9. Unravelling
10. Sink or Swim
11. Blame the Voices
12. Stars Upon My Scars

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