EP Review – Dissapear by The Valery Trails (2022) (Self released)
The demise of millions, economic upheaval, social isolation, huge job losses, politicians having even more layers of deceit peeled off them, sterile sporting events with mock crowd noises and permanently having to wear hankies accross our face…let’s face it COVID has been absolute pants.
Yet music/musicians/labels has somehow survived even without gigs/sales and in fact, even thrived in some cases. Reunited by COVID restrictions that culminated in all three band members gravitating homeward bound, this Brisbane trio ended a four year musical hiatus, to initially release the superlative Introvert Blues three track single in Feb 2022, which they follow up just three months later with this Disappear EP, that merely serves to remind us just how much we have missed them.
Essentially, The Valery Trails are “professional Aussies” in the very best sense of the term. The self-titled opener, immediately cements such am aesthetic, taking the gloriously lethargic Andrew Bower vocals, threading them through the driving power-pop tempos of Danny McDonald and adding jangled riffs that are every bit as special as the late 80s The Rainyard sound. It’s a mix of the best of 80/90s underground that is also the foundation of The Days of In Between, in a impressive opening double salvo.
Whilst never really veering too far from the the brilliance of the above musical template, the remaining two tracks do sidle towards different nuances. Here Brand New Start is propelled by a dominant percussion that somehow seems to accentuate the male/female vocal interplay and nibbles at the fringes of soft rock.
Similarly, the closing Goodbye, offers hints of post-punk with its isolated lead guitar riffs,chunkier basslines and slight drone to the vocals. Its an outlier on this EP, but one that intrigues and ultimatelybeguiles.
Hopefully this act will stay together in Brisbane for a long time to come, as they are simply made to play music together. In the wise words of my dearly departed Dad, they are tighter than a “gnat’s chuff” musically !
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