This third album was made over two continents and there’s been a lot of living from the three members that make up The Valery Trails. Originally based in Brisbane, Australia, lead singer/guitarist Andrew Bower pulled up stakes and moved to Houston, Texas. Somehow, the band has soldiered on and this new nine-track collection is the result. Reminiscent in many ways of the late ’80’s sound of Fender Jazzmasters and some fuzz (think a toned-down My Bloody Valentine or a poppier Dinosaur Jr.), it’s a crisp gathering of songs that have melody and throttle.
“OK” is just that – tuneful, catchy and wholly memorable; “Cordless” is that perfect balance between the popsmithy and the noisy, but is a controlled chaos and the title track, “Chameleon Bones” is one of those delightful curiosities – slower, poppy, radio friendly and slightly enigmatic. “Fall Around” is another in that classic, sludge-y vein with heavy rhythm guitar but swirling riffs – a not-as-tidy Teenage Fanclub; “Hide (Cannot)” is a wonderful acoustic-bodied piece with some emotionally charged synth lines and “Change My World” closes the gathering of songs in a tight and thoughtful manner.
A good collection of songs that fit together and flow seamlessly – which is always the winning mark of an album. When a band can think the process out and deliver a work that’s coherent, you know they’ve done their jobs in total. The Valery Trails have done just that.
RECOMMENDED
Chameleon Bones will be released on Friday, August 5th, 2016
http://www.thevalerytrails.com/
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