Since Canadian indie pop band Valley has been releasing dopamine-creating tracks sure to take you out of any funk. Since this year, they’ve garnered success with the releases of a few singles, but, today, the band is ready to share their new project, their 7-track EP Last Birthday. Valley even talked with EARMILK about the EP, confidence, growth, and next steps.
When asked about how they think they’ve grown since the release of their last EP, sucks to see you doing better, the band revealed that some songs on Last Birthday were actually written during the Sucks EP writing sessions. They explained, “Both EPs personally represent our growth as best friends, navigating being in a band while dealing with real-life shit. Sucks was all about the feeling of comparison, heartbreak and mental health. […] Last Birthday is about understanding unconditional love and reflecting about our experiences that make us understand our purpose just a little bit more."
Sonically, Last Birthday is a treat that is sure to keep the sun shining in our minds. The band said about this EP, “We’ve taken the purest forms of expression from our past songs and zoomed in on the elements that made them special.” All very true. The band really does keep the momentum of their last EP going with bursting productions and stimulating lyrics, but it still feels like a breath of fresh air.
As far as songs not previously released, “ain’t my girl” conjures up some late 90s/early 00s rock with its simple guitar melody, which sounds perfect even with a bold and advanced pop production.
Party vibes for sure, “Cure” frees so much energy with a powerhouse, chanting chorus. An instant headbanger with crashing drums, swerving guitar riffs, and reverbed vocals. That is definitely one to hear live.
One of the standout tracks, by far, is “Can We Make It? (Jim Carrey)”. While from its title, it may seem like a wild track to match the legendary comedian it’s named after, the track actually carries a lot of heart. With The 1975 vibes, the band delivers a pop-jazzy production with a soulful R&B with the incorporation of invigorating choir vocals, a steady drum, and echoed horns. Even the background is subtly tinged with cartoon sound effects.
The band said that the fellow-Canadian actor Jim Carrey came as such an inspiration to the band with the energy and talent he gave to his comedy. So, with such an icon like him around, Valley had no doubt that they could make it in the music business. Valley said, “It’s the last song we wrote as a band (just the four of us) before Mickey moved out of his parent’s house where we made our debut album MAYBE and where we started the band. […] It really feels like a little time capsule of sounds. […]I t’s about accepting the reality that those around you can only help you so much if you’re not willing to meet them halfway and do the work to get better.”
Now that the EP is out, the band is really eager to go back on tour with pop rock band COIN, their idols since they were in college and, now, best buddies. Generally, however, the band says that, apart from the rising streaming numbers for their tracks, “what really gives us that confidence is seeing people around the world connecting to the songs and soundtracking their lives with Valley. That really is the push that keeps us going and creatively stimulated.”
Listen to Last Birthday via Capitol Records! Stay connected as well, because Valley even mentioned a couple of songs that have yet to be released…
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