Ed Vallance
New York City, New York, United States | INDIE
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Press
Vallance is a truly unique new talent. He has one of the most singular voices in Indie Rock, and songs that stay with you. When I heard his voice it was instant, I wanted to hear more. I love his groove, and his vocal attitude. He creates his own world and he welcomes you to come in and listen. He has so many great songs and his music is super soulful and, at times, reminds me of golden age David Bowie. With one ear solidly rooted in classic British songwriting styles from Ray Davies and the Kinks to Supergrass, and the other schooled in the sonic approach of bands like Spiritualized and Galaxy 500, Vallance has honed his craft into a focused blend of pointed pop melodies and the ethereal qualities of his predecessors above. - Rong's Blog
combines the sonic panoramas of Spiritualized or The Twilight Singers, with the vocal stylings of Bryan Ferry or Young Americans-period Bowie. - MY OLD KENTUKY BLOG
"a brilliantly crafted album. In only four tracks, Vallance has managed to convince me of his musical artistry and leave me wanting more" - Stereo Subversion
Los Angeles, CA-London by-way-of-Los Angeles indie-folk rocker ED VALLANCE will be making his indelible first impression on the American landscape this November with his mini-album The Modern Life (Rebel Group), a collection of jagged acoustic gems, as lyrically engaging as they are catchy. Recently transplanted from London to Southern California, Ed Vallance carves his own place in the independent canon with a synthesis of 60’s psychedelic folk and alternative rock a la Talk Talk, The Smiths and The Stone Roses.
Ed Vallance is well recognized on today’s music scene for his preternatural knack for engaging, catchy songwriting. Among his admirers is the father of 60s folk-rock, Donovan, who has declared, “I love his groove…and his vocal attitude.” Vallance’s UK hit “Deep End” received play on VH1, MTV2and BBC Radio, where DJ Gary Crowley declared him to be: “a truly unique talent.” His music has won over tastemakers such as KCRW Los Angeles DJs Nic Harcourt and Garth Trinidad as well as Chuck P and Sat Bisla of INDIE 103.1, where Ed has made several on-air appearances. On stage, he has opened for the likes of Richard Lloyd of Television, Architecture in Helsinki, and Maximo Park. Vallance’s songs have also made their way over to film, with an appearance in Faye Jackson’s “Lump,” which was screened at the Palm Springs and LA Shorts Festivals to acclaim from New York Magazine.
The Modern Life, recorded over the past few years in various sessions, reflects Vallance’s transcontinental existence at the time of its recording: music firmly rooted in Anglican pop and folk infiltrated by California-style laid-back psychedelia. Nowhere is this more evident than in the album’s title track, “The Modern Life,” a jazzy shuffle with deceptive melodic twists, augmented by ethereal keyboards, echoey sound effects and Byrds-like harmonies. Of the song, Ed explains, “Sometimes it feels like we’re all being distracted by a big game show. I imagined ‘The Modern Life” as the title of that game show.’ You can feel the edgy paranoia in the song’s vocals, delivered in Vallance’s most arresting tenor: “Well blood’s blood, isn’t it? / But it’s good for business / And business is good / In The Modern Life’’.
Elsewhere, “Deep End” continues Vallance’s dystopian worldview: “What are you laughing for? / You got drafted in the Third World War / And if you want to know anything it’s easy / You just flip to Channel Four” Ed’s immediately recognizable vocal stylings are surrounded by open-chord guitar strumming, poignant piano strains and gentle reverb. The album also features the breathtaking “Echo Hill,” Vallance’s tribute to Los Angeles, replete with cello, accordion and Leslie-amplified guitars. Communicating the excitement of life in his new home, Ed sings, “See the moon on Echo Hill / Telescope trained on the stars / Shaking hands and parking cars / Over and over.” The Modern Life was produced by Andrew Williams (Old 97’s, Peter Case, T-Bone Burnett) and Vallance himself.
Don’t miss your chance to enjoy all that The Modern Life has to offer on November 4th – just let
Ed Vallance show you the way. - Altsounds.com
Ed Vallance’s freshman debut, “The Modern Life” is an album that plays tricks with your heart as well as your mind. The record starts off dipped in just a touch of melancholia, but the lilting melodies and sun drenched rhythm guitar quickly churn through the rain towards a brighter path.
The first track wastes no time in plunging the listener immediately into the melancholy world of the singer-songwriter’s indie pop twists. The songs seem to lament, but keep us up with a promise of seeing the sun again. Throughout the course of the album’s eight tracks, Vallance’s carefully thought out guitar work and cloying vocals are periodically accompanied by high-spirited piano refrains and synth-y interludes. Evoking Bee Gees-style harmonizing, and lyrics that seem to come from the back pages of Simon & Garfunkel’s notebook, the music brings one along on a dreamy neo-folk journey through Vallance’s mind.
The echoey vocals and spacey guitars give a psychedelic feel to the vibrating coffee house melodies. At times, he seems to channel the late indie singer/songwriter Elliot Smith, others, a pre-Ziggy Stardust era David Bowie (in his early psychedelic phase). Don’t be mistaken, though, Vallance puts his own tracks down on the worn and familiar path of previously folk-influenced indie-pop acts.
With upbeat choral harmonies and catchy acoustic guitar, Ed Vallance makes a valiant effort at a tried and true indie pop formula. “The Modern Life” easily reaches “radio friendly” status with it’s catchy hooks, but only if you’re biting. It’s true, you’ve probably heard the same songs before with any other artist that’s had success ala Matthew Sweet, but to his credit, the melancholy tunes have never sounded so upbeat.
Ed Vallance will be playing at the Hotel Cafe on Monday, October 20th in celebration of his upcoming release. “The Modern Life” will be out on November 4th. - Beat Crave
Ed Vallance has truly arrived in America and has done so in more ways than one. Having left his native London, he is now living in Los Angeles. He is busy announcing his arrival by releasing his mini-album The Modern Life on the November 4.
In truth Ed had already marked his future in LA when some of his music was chosen for the Faye Jackson film Lump. He has a marked ability to write instantly engaging songs that have already attracted many supporters. Most notable of these would appear to be folk icon Donovan who says of him, ‘I love his groove, and his vocal attitude’.
There are some sunny California feel good songs on The Modern Life underlining his transcontinental existence of late. The result is a heady mix of Brit pop, meshed with a slight hint of folk, and west coast Psychedelia all wrapped up in a catchy melodic coating.
Despite all these elements coming together the result creates a laid back vibe delivered in his own, soon to be distinctive, vocal style. The Modern Life opens with the melodic “The Deep End” which acts as a satisfying introduction to his style. It is built around open guitar chords, which blend with simple piano, and a touch of reverb. The cleverly constructed lyrics confirm his songwriting potential.
The title track introduces a slight edge and highlights that you simply can’t second guess him. Each track has its own character and life within it. “Echo Hill” sounds pure sixties California, complete with just a hint of “Pleasent Valley Sunday” harmony. It is an ode to California where his love for his new home shines positively.
“Spark Of Life” carries that vibe through nicely, with some jangly guitar, a strident riff, and swirling keys to the fore. “Psychic Radio Songs” takes us to a different, more intense place before ending with a brief hint in its tale of The Beatles “Revolution No. 9”.
The hypnotic “Star” works on every level, creating a trippy atmosphere in the process.
“Silent Sun” sidesteps again with its gentle acoustic and chilled laid-back presentation. “Go” brings it all to an end leaving you with the newly found knowledge that there is plenty more where these songs came from.
On The Modern Life his sound is as fresh and exciting to me as his new surroundings are to him. - Blog critics
"Ed Vallance has an honest and urgent album that is easy
on the ears and heavy on the mind" - LA CITY BEAT
"London-born singer-songwriter with grand Pink Floydian schemes" - Gary Crowley, BBC London
Discography
2008 The Modern Life
2010 The Summer Fire EP
Photos
Bio
Theres an ethereal quality to Ed Vallances music - a wide-open sonic landscape that feels like psychedelia shot through Cinescope. This is the sound of a man who, in the service of his music, has left the familiar terrain of his native London for the unfamiliar environments of Los Angeles, and now Brooklyn. But what distinguishes Vallance is his fiercely original songwriting. On his new EP The Summer Fire, he has taken his music to a new level; a high water mark in what has already been an acclaimed career, marked by recognition from the BBC, MTV2, VH1, and KCRW.
From the opening notes of Black And White Light The Summer Fire EP envelops the listener in lush synth swells and lilting electric guitars, a byproduct of Vallances new surroundings and the simpatico production of Mark Ephraim (New Pornographers, Joan As Policewoman, Au Revoir Simone). Ephraim has retained the beauty of Vallances previous work, while extracting a darker depth, making The Summer Fire EP far more than a simple a rock record.
Working with Mark Ephraim felt less like an everyday decision and more like serendipity. As Ed explains, Ive worked with a lot of producers, but there was an immediate musical chemistry with him and we hit itf off from the word go. We went up to Montauk one weekend inweekend in August and just got completely engrossed in the demos. Mark instinctively knew what I was going for. It felt like the hand of fate or something. Musically speaking, on The Summer Fire, Mark has helpedad Ed retain the melodicism that has been his hallmark from the beginning, while creating a new sense of drama and tension.
Ed Vallance has been captivating audiences since the release of his debut EP, Sleepwalk (2006), and his US album debut, The Modern Life (2008). The albums hit single, Deep End, won Vallance airplay on BBC Radio, video play on VH-1 and MTV2, and play on KCRWs Morning Becomes Eclectic. Various tastemakers have also given Vallance laudatory notices, with the BBCs Gary Crowleys comment, Ed Vallance is a truly unique new talent, being typical.
The Modern Life was released on the cusp of Eds move from London to Los Angeles, a move that began a drastic shift in perspective. As Vallance explains, I upped and left London and everything changed very quickly. Everything shifted up a gear and the songs came in very quick succession. Theres always something positive about taking yourself out of your comfort zone. I hit the ground running and I feel like it brought a new focus to the music.
A lot of my friends in London were American, and I was always into American alternative pop and rock bands, as well as UK music. So it felt like a pretty natural progression to move here. Plus my old friend Simon the guitar player in the band - was moving to the US too. We definitely grew up listening to a lot of British bands: I definitely listened to a lot of British bands growing up: The Stone Roses, Traffic, Ultravox, Spacemen 3, Slowdive, Shop Assistants, all that stuff. But we wereI was just as into Marvin Gaye, Galaxie 500, Smog andor Buffalo Springfield. We wereI was also pretty engrossed in the Garage and Techno scene in London in the 90s. So I was exposed to a lot of things. Its hard to say what influenced me most, really.
The guitars that begin Famous Last Words are a reminder of Vallances shoegaze influence, but the song takes on a lush beauty that allows a full spotlight to shine on his lyrics, melancholy and exquisite. Like much of the music on The Summer Fire EP, you can pick up snatches of lines that resonate deeply, or you can just let the music wash over you, lilting bouyant and dreamlike. Cowboys And Indians speaks to the classic myth of the American frontier, and the tautness of the music speaks to sagas both personal and universal. Bookish retains an element of jaunty, ironic pop, but is grounded in a grappling of love and death and an adult perspective that gives the song a deeper resonance.
Vallance recorded The Summer Fire EP in Brooklyn, where he has been living for the past year. He enthuses, I love this city I just get off on the pure energy of it. Ive had to work three times as hard just to keep up. Its certainly raised my game. With touring planned for the summer, and an album release in the Ffall, Ed is now happily settled in New York, and eager to find a new and broader audience for his music. He concludes, Ive traveled halfway around the world for this music. Its exciting to up and leave and to follow your instinct. My hope is that some of that excitement has rubbed off on the record.".
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