New Album Review: The Revivalists- Pour It Out Into the Night

The Revivalists- Pour It Out Into the Night

Label: Concord

Producer: Rich Costey

In the seven years since The Revivalists scored a major breakthrough hit with the alluring “Wish I Knew You”, they’ve established themselves as one of roots rock’s most quietly reliable bands. They haven’t really enjoyed the type of widespread mainstream buzz that their talents warrant, but they’ve kept modern rock junkies and disc jockeys more than satisfied with a solid and consistent streak of tasty jams that has likewise carved them out a revered space in the AAA universe. While their fifth long-player finds them navigating some significant changes, namely a new label and expansion to an eight-piece with the permanent induction of percussionist PJ Howard, Pour It Out Into the Night maintains a mostly familiar compass centered around rippling rock productions, a signature jam-band spirit, and David Shaw’s enthralling, soul-influenced vocals. The group is truly at their best when the energy of the music is amped up on frenetic and intoxicating jams like “Don’t Look Back” or “When I Got You”, where Shaw’s vocal is enabled to cut loose with reckless abandon across a parade of sizzling guitar riffs and blaring sax licks. Pour would benefit from moments in this realm being more generously dispersed throughout the record, with the pacing of the album slowing a bit too drastically during its second half. With that said, there’s no denying the impressive nature of Shaw’s delivery on his brand of rock-power ballads like the synth-driven “Only You” or the dramatic, orchestral-tinged showcase that is “Say Goodbye”. However, they tap into some truly marvelous down-trodden territory on the Dylan-harkening folk-rock hauntings of “Down In the Dirt”, which is the unquestionable landmark of the record. They also strike some unassuming mid-tempo magic on the breezy beach vibes of “Wait for the Sun”, and especially on hit single “Kid”, a stirring survivalist anthem that has proven to be a fetching detour from their typical radio fare. All in all, Pour It Out Into the Night may not be as thoroughly addictive as Take Good Care or Men Amongst Mountains before it, but it’s nonetheless a solid holding pattern that offers some truly dynamic individual moments. It’s more than worthy of maintaining their status as a vital rock band to keep on your radar.

Track Listing:

1. “Kid” (David Shaw, Zack Feinberg)
2. “Don’t Look Back” (Shaw)
3. “Good Old Days” (Shaw, Feinberg)
4. “Down In the Dirt” (Shaw, Feinberg, Chris Jacob, Andrew Campanelli, Ed Williams, George Gekas, Michael Girardot, PJ Howard, Rob Ingraham)
5. “The Long Con” (Shaw)
6. “Only You” (Shaw, Howard)
7. “Alive” (Shaw)
8. “Wait For the Sun” (Shaw, Feinberg)
9. “When I Got You” (Shaw, Campanelli)
10. “How We Move” (Shaw, Feinberg, Greg Wattenberg, Sam Hollander)
11. “Say Goodbye” (Shaw, Campanelli, Andrew Yanovski)
12. “Pour It Out Into the Night” (Shaw, Suzannah Powell)