Rival Schools

Rival Schools are basically the stereotypical late 90's alternative rock band. Their songs have simple structures and power chords. This isn't a groundbreaking record, and there is a huge lack of originality.

Yet for some reason, they were able to make something amazing. I'm usually one for the interesting, original, and unheard of. But the amazingly catchy pop-rock tunes on this album have been stuck in my head forever without getting stale. "Undercovers On" is one of the most beautiful songs in my memory, and "The Switch" never gets old. This record is perfect for 90's nostalgia, even if you have never heard any of the songs on it.

I question whether a 5 star review is appropriate, as this stuff isnt new or original, and these guys are hardly geniuses. Hell, they were probably lucky. But if I judged it on what it meant rather than how it sounded, it would be irrelevant. I'm judging it by the songs, and the songs scream perfection.

This realy should be up there with early Foo Fighters and Nirvana guess they never had the press behind them to plug them as the greatest thing since Hendrix (yeh right!)

Still, this is a great step up sort of like a continuation of where Quicksand was going after their 2nd lp. Interesing that there are so many used and new for sale (just gives you more of a reason to check them out if their stuff is going so cheap)

This isn't a bad album, by any means. Rival Schools' strengths here are the dynamic songs like 'Travel By Telephone' and 'Used For Glue'. What makes this album less-than-outstanding is an abundance of songs with monotonous dynamics and wandering, distracted-sounding melodies [such as 'Undercovers On'].

A previous reviewer has described this as "the most mediocre album ever." That's a bit of an exaggeration, but it's not all that far off the mark.

I don't regret buying a used copy.

Reading reviews, I've learned that every band has a select few fans that will laud each album as the greatest musical achievement since the dawn of time. I know I've got my couple bands that I'll never abandon, but Rival Schools (or any Walter Shreifels project) will never be one of those for me. The album has a couple engaging songs (Undercovers On, Good Things). The tracks vary from mellow to hard hitting, and some do a good job of progressing from a whisper to a scream. But there's more energy than talent put into this album.

Just don't expect any creative playing. Shreifels, Love, and Tolman just beat their guitars harder than the drummer. This album mostly goes to show that anyone with distortion pedal and a raspy voice can record an album. Perhaps the number and price of the "used and new" copies available is the most telling information on this page.

I bought "United By Fate" on a whim one day in 2002 just because the lead singer was Walter Shreifels, former frontman for Quicksand. At best, I was hoping Rival Schools wouldn't tarnish the memory of my beloved Quicksand. What I found was a sublime collection of artistic genious that I literally listened to 2 or 3 times a day for over 2 years straight and still listen to often. If you like rock music, you will love this record. Buy it now.

Pretty good this from Rival Schools and One line drawing. Rival school tracks are very similar to their album while the One Line Drawing stuff is a little heavier than their album. As another reviewer put it, the whole thing does have a little 'free jazz' feel to it especially 'take one for the team'

Good guitar work from both bands but I feel the vocals on Rival Schools get a little drowned out at times.

Not a bad little CD. A little short thought so you may want to think about how much you are willing to pay for it.

well just want to say that it's not their best stuff for both of the band, but it is not bad

this cd is worth it for the songs "Always" and "Be Real" alone. I was lucky enough to see Jonah play "Be Real" live and on a video (2 of the 3 times he played it live before this ep came out) and adored that song. The version on the CD is great with the Rival School guys playing as it fleshes out the song and has a great loose jazz feel (though the silly guitar lead in the chorus should not be there). The other Jonah written song is "Always" and theis songs an amazing bombastic performance by the band (one of the heaviest onelindrawing songs), and it's also an amazing song. It's little similar "Wings" from the Sensefield split.

The first track is a short pseudo-instrumental, and the other 3 are Rival Schools songs with Walter singing. These songs are pretty cool but all are sort of generic beatles-esque indie orkc and get boring. the songs i've heard from United by Fate are better.

Now I know that this Jonah dude from Onelinedrawing might have had something to do with this (and God bless his emo, Pavement loving tucas if he did), but Rival Schools (featuring Walter Schrieffels -- ex-Quicksand and Gorilla Biscuits, with various other NYHC alumni) have taken Quicksand's attempts at unusual production and groove-heavy rock with understated hip-hop inflections, left out most of the silly heavy metal sonics, and come out with a record of humble, entertaining post-hardcore--just like we always wished he would. Most NYHC fans have always known that Walter was the scene's best songwriter, and it's nice to see melodicism and DC-style roots take precedence over guitar solos on this outing. Jonah of Onelinedrawing (who, according to the Some Records website, sings two of the six songs on this CD, backed by R.S.), is a little heavy-handed in the vocals department, often sounding like a pretentious and over-wraught Steven Malkmus, but even his songs are usually saved by spare but inventive production techniques that rely on shifting dynamics for variety. If you like New York post-hardcore like Quicksand, Supertouch or Eventide, if you dig DC groups like Lungfish and Soul Side, or even if you're a young pup getting off on all that new tripe everyone's pushing as "emo" lately, you should pick this up. As a step forward for Schrieffels, it couldn't sound more right--he's not reinventing himself, but not exactly treading water either. What more could you ask of him? Techno blips? Another Quicksand reunion?

Rival Schools are basically the stereotypical late 90's alternative rock band. Their songs have simple structures and power chords. This isn't a groundbreaking record, and there is a huge lack of originality.

Yet for some reason, they were able to make something amazing. I'm usually one for the interesting, original, and unheard of. But the amazingly catchy pop-rock tunes on this album have been stuck in my head forever without getting stale. "Undercovers On" is one of the most beautiful songs in my memory, and "The Switch" never gets old. This record is perfect for 90's nostalgia, even if you have never heard any of the songs on it.

I question whether a 5 star review is appropriate, as this stuff isnt new or original, and these guys are hardly geniuses. Hell, they were probably lucky. But if I judged it on what it meant rather than how it sounded, it would be irrelevant. I'm judging it by the songs, and the songs scream perfection.

This realy should be up there with early Foo Fighters and Nirvana guess they never had the press behind them to plug them as the greatest thing since Hendrix (yeh right!)

Still, this is a great step up sort of like a continuation of where Quicksand was going after their 2nd lp. Interesing that there are so many used and new for sale (just gives you more of a reason to check them out if their stuff is going so cheap)

This isn't a bad album, by any means. Rival Schools' strengths here are the dynamic songs like 'Travel By Telephone' and 'Used For Glue'. What makes this album less-than-outstanding is an abundance of songs with monotonous dynamics and wandering, distracted-sounding melodies [such as 'Undercovers On'].

A previous reviewer has described this as "the most mediocre album ever." That's a bit of an exaggeration, but it's not all that far off the mark.

I don't regret buying a used copy.

Reading reviews, I've learned that every band has a select few fans that will laud each album as the greatest musical achievement since the dawn of time. I know I've got my couple bands that I'll never abandon, but Rival Schools (or any Walter Shreifels project) will never be one of those for me. The album has a couple engaging songs (Undercovers On, Good Things). The tracks vary from mellow to hard hitting, and some do a good job of progressing from a whisper to a scream. But there's more energy than talent put into this album.

Just don't expect any creative playing. Shreifels, Love, and Tolman just beat their guitars harder than the drummer. This album mostly goes to show that anyone with distortion pedal and a raspy voice can record an album. Perhaps the number and price of the "used and new" copies available is the most telling information on this page.

I bought "United By Fate" on a whim one day in 2002 just because the lead singer was Walter Shreifels, former frontman for Quicksand. At best, I was hoping Rival Schools wouldn't tarnish the memory of my beloved Quicksand. What I found was a sublime collection of artistic genious that I literally listened to 2 or 3 times a day for over 2 years straight and still listen to often. If you like rock music, you will love this record. Buy it now.