SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VALLEY – LOST IN TRANSLATION

Valley
Lost In Translation
Universal Music Canada 

The latest album from Canadian indie pop group Valley, Lost in Translation, might not be their best work, but it is still somewhat enjoyable.

The acoustic folk-driven songs are far superior to the more pop-sounding ones as they tend to fall flat and feel super generic. “Evenings & Weekends” has a great chorus, but the instrumentation is forgettable. “Natural” and “Break for You” have impressive vocals and lovely lyrics, but again, the instrumentation is lacking, making both tracks not very engaging. Unfortunately, most of these pop songs are not that interesting and are worthy of being skipped for better tracks like “Good, but not together” or “i thought i could fly”. The former is an excellent breakup song with a beautiful guitar melody, has lyrics full of insight and does a great job capturing heartbreak. The latter is incredibly poignant and has the best vocals from the album.

However, the album does have some great pop tracks on it. “Either Way, I’m Going Your Way” is indie pop at its finest. The chorus is catchy, infectious, and fun, the synths are groovy, and it is an excellent dance record. It is one of the few entertaining pop-orientated tracks. “Have A Good Summer (Without Me)” also rocks. The track screams 80s but also has a bit of a modern feel to it as well. It’s combination of upbeat and happy instrumentation with sad and melancholic lyrics are a perfect match. Both tracks are absolute bangers.

Valley does a great job in their songwriting, even if it might at times come off as corny, which is not really a bad thing. The lyrics always feel genuine and never once feel fake. “Throwback Tears” features some of the best songwriting from the album.

Lost in Translation cannot match the greatness of previous releases, Maybe, Last Birthday or The After Party, but there are some memorable tracks.

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