Although it did not bring them a ton of commercial success, BRAND NEW’s The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me was, in one word, a deep record. It showed that the band could write meaningful rock songs that were at times catchy without succumbing to typical pop tendencies. Additionally, vocalist Jesse Lacey stole the show with his harrowing narratives and tense vocals. While this style of music has crept up a bit in other bands’ music (MANCHESTER ORCHESTRA), it’s still not quite as prevalent as all the ALL TIME LOWs, MAINEs, and CARTELs out there. And while it isn’t completely fair to compare PAPER RIVAL solely to BRAND NEW, there is no doubt that the Nashville-based quartet subscribes to the methods put in place on Devil And God.

As opener “Are We Brothers?” indicates, there is a lot more to PAPER RIVAL than spitting out a few songs that ape BRAND NEW (although “The Kettle Black” is dead-on Lacey-esque). In fact, PAPER RIVAL are as much schooled in classic pop and alt-country as they are in climactic, melodic rock. I’d like to think that classic pop influence shows up in “Brothers?,” but just when I think I have the sound down, the band shifts to create an almost angry interlude part that’s much more brooding than anything else in the song. This vibe shifts in “Foreign Film Collection,” which is a tune that attempts to create a twinkly atmosphere that is guided through some righteous guitar effects and even occasional bells and whistles, literally. Perhaps the biggest highlight of a song like this or any other on the disc is the vocals of Jake Rolleston. The man sings with a style that is as varied as any of his counterparts. He’ll whisper, croon, shout, and sing with intensity – sometimes all in the same song. Furthermore, his lyrics revolve around themes of finding meaning in living and dying, and occasionally, even some social commentary creeps up (“Keep Us In”). Whatever he’s singing about, it’s sure to come from the heart.

When PAPER RIVAL debuted last year with a self-titled EP, it seemed inevitable that they’d write a worthwhile follow-up. Dialog is just that and more. While there’s no song on the album that’s quite as groove-oriented and, as a result, catchy as “You’re Right” from the EP, the added lyrical depth and variety of sounds covered here more than make up for it. The direction that PAPER RIVAL are heading in is an admirable one, especially in the context of the scene they are trying to break into, and Dialog more than proves they’ve got the brains to distinguish themselves here.

Photo Finish

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