SINGLE REVIEW - RIVALS - "Lavenders"

Rivals brings the modern pop sound to the alternative rock landscape with “Lavenders”

Written by JD Walker

The pop music industry has seen a paradigm shift as of late with raw vocal talent taking center stage in addition to solid songwriting that the genre is known for. While there’s some overlap between that genre and the alternative music world, none have bridged the gap quite like Rivals. Their new single “Lavenders” combines the vocal prowess of modern pop music with the harder edge of alternative rock and electronic elements for a truly unique and addicting listening experience.

Rivals describes themselves as “dark pop-rock” which is as accurate of a description as you could find for them. The Los Angeles quartet fronted by vocalist Kalie Wolfe have been well established since 2014, garnering millions of streams on Spotify with over 40,000 monthly listeners to date. Their latest effort “Lavenders” is as formulaic as it is unique and captivating - the groovy rhythms provided by bassist Sebastian Clarke and drummer Josh Alves compliment the soaring melodies from Wolfe and guitarist Micket Woodle seamlessly. 

When it comes to songwriting, Rivals clearly know what they’re doing. Wolfe’s voice draws comparison to internationally known names such as Halsey while still falling in place with the electronic-influenced pop rock that the band brings to the table. Songwriting is all about the tension build-and-release, and “Lavenders” ebbs and flows like a rock song while offering the captivating hooks that one could expect from a pop song. Coming in at just over 3 minutes, the song gets the job done efficiently and has every right to be heard on major radio stations across the world. 

Rivals have a good thing going for them - between their palatable and heavily marketable sound and their foot in the door in the alternative music circuit (they’ve shared the stage with huge acts such as Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Underoath, August Burns Red, and Oceans Ate Alaska), they play both sides of the sonic coin with grace and relative ease. If there’s a band out there that truly has something for everyone, Rivals has no rival.