The latest offering from Philadelphia’s own Riverby finds the artist on solid footing and tinkering with an aggressive rock sound to pair with their abrasive lyrics. Riverby entered the studio with veteran hit-maker Jim Wirt (Jack’s Mannequin) to craft the album that would become known as Absolution. The band shared this about the concept behind the material, “It’s about ending fear with mortality and finally coming to solutions with your shit, closing the door on things that have been festering: your history and yourself, and making peace with God. I don’t even believe in God, but on the off chance He’s fucking real, I’d like us to be cool.” The band is able to capitalize on their hard-nosed material with one of this year’s most immediately gripping records to date.
From the opening chords of the raucous opener, “Baseless,” it’s clear that Riverby want you to pay as close attention to their music as they want you to rock out with them. The lead single’s verses reminded me of the guitar groove found on Heart’s “Magic Man,” but with a punk rock breakdown found in the chorus. The band tackles the theme of sexual assault on this abrasive opening track that snarls along with veteran poise. “The Moon” follows the romping opening statement with a more indie rock feel to it, and focuses more on the depth that Riverby can convey on their rich music. August Greenberg sings tenderly on the opening verse, “Do you remember taking me into your room / Playing songs on your guitar / Broken strings under the moon / And you bring up all the people you know / Forget to mention / They don’t like you anymore.” The singer does a great job of explaining the complexities of relationships through their lyrics.
Things continue to pick back up on the right foot with “Birth By Sleep,” that rocks along with a peppy bounce in the style of other indie punk bands like Diet Cig and early Sleater-Kinney. Lyrics like, “Another person / The best intentions / You fell in love with someone you designed,” showcase the growth of this artist since their debut, Smart Mouth. My personal favorite in the set comes in the form of “Fall in Love,” a forked-tongue song about the difficulties of navigating in and out of love. The second verse is particularly well-crafted as Greenberg sings, “It took so long for me to remember / No other person can bring a flame to these embers / And you look like someone ready to go on the run / You’re not as bright as you made me believe / You’re just a fragment of the sun.” Greenberg’s development in the lyric department showcases their ability to hone in on real-life experiences through rich imagery.
Other mid-tempo tracks like “Off With Yr Head” round out this record that sways from fist pumping anthems to tender ballads about finding out the real intentions behind the people we meet in our lives. Lyrics like, “Push a wounded animal into a corner / What did you expect it to do?” are excellent examples of strategic wordplay to bring forth the raw emotions of coming to terms with one-sided relationships. “Burn Yr House Down” opens with the famous “lawyer up” dialogue from The Social Network before Riverby rips into an aggressive-tinged punk rock song about getting revenge on an ex-lover.
”Say It” explains the pondering of going back in time to see if things would’ve turned out differently in a relationship, while “Chapel” is a tender acoustic ballad that finds Greenberg lamenting on a possible misstep in the past. The chorus of, “It’s not my fault I fell so far in / Please don’t blame me for missing a step / Please don’t leave me on my own / Who will I be, who will I be?” is as gorgeous in its delivery as it is heartbreaking.
Everything seems to build up gradually to the sprawling closer called “Imagine the Ending,” a seven-plus minute opus with sweeping orchestra elements and a grandiose feeling to it. Greenberg ponders the moments that led up to this moment in time as the song builds to a crescendo that would make Phoebe Bridgers proud. The closing lines of the first part of the song, “And now I think that I’m scared to die / Cause there’s so much more left of this life / How could I be without you all / When you’re all that I have?” pulls on the heartstrings of everyone who’s been on their last rope of hope.
This is an incredibly impressive development in Riverby’s musical growth, and Absolution is an album that deserves immediate praise in its boldness and willingness to push the envelope of what music can do for making people feel a little less alone in this world.