Young Valley's new album helps define the genre
Not every band does as well their first time out, in fact it’s generally accepted that a debut album is little more than a stepping-stone or rite of passage. In those rare instances when a first album does well, the pressure is on to create a worthy follow-up and all too many bands fail to hit that mark, flashing in the pan rather prematurely.
Fortunately for Young Valley, they have been able to bring the experience from their initial success to bear on this second release, proving undeniably that they are no one-hit-wonder.
Currently on tour promoting their newest album, the self-titled release from the Jackson, Mississippi roots-rock band went on sale back in April, available on vinyl, CD, or digital streaming format, all via the Dial Back Sound label.
Their first album garnered enough attention and critical acclaim to launch them on a series of tours crossing 34 states while sharing the stage with a variety of well-established regional and national acts.
While there’s nothing to complain about in the first album (No Filter) this latest collection of tracks is a step up, perhaps bringing a bit more maturity and road-polish to an already exemplary sound.
Put another way, there is “we’re new at this, but we play with passion” raw and then there’s “we know exactly what we’re doing and we mean it” raw and the album Young Valley is jam-packed with the latter.
A brief aside, before delving further in to the music; I have spent more words than I ought complaining about the overuse of terms like “Americana” and “roots-rock”, labels so overzealously applied as to rob them of any meaning.
Seriously, if all you knew of a band is that it was “roots-rock,” what would you suppose they sound like? Whatever your answer, there a half-dozen other answers that could just apply just as well, at least until you actually hear the band.
So “roots-rock” isn’t an inappropriate term for Young Valley, merely an inadequate one to capture what the band is all about. Having sat down with the album for a while there a few unshakeable impressions I take away.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band comes to mind, as well as the early work of John Mellencamp, (née Johnny Cougar) and that offers a clearer picture I think.
There is a country vibe, a strong one, yet not so country as to be country. There is enough rock to earn that moniker without being entirely a rock band.
There is an earnest, down home feel, similar to CCR, with some twang and steel guitars thrown in for good measure. “Til I Cross Your Mind” is a fine example not only of the excellent songwriting of the band, but also the impossible to pin down nature of their sound.
Replete with the aforementioned twang and steel, the choruses and beat could just as easily be described as an alt-band from late ‘90s or early 2000s.
“Song for Darlin’” has a much deeper country cut, at least until the beautifully filthy lead guitar kicks in and makes it a whole different beast. In that moment it sounds less country and more “When the Rolling Stones did country,” and that’s pretty damn cool these days.
Struggle as I might to encapsulate this complex band in a few simple words, the fact remains that their star is on the rise and this latest album is only bringing them that much closer to being the next big touring band everyone wants to see.
It won’t happen overnight, these things very rarely do, but if they aren’t one of those bands everyone is talking about in the next three to four years, I will be mightily surprised.