Joyously classic country debut sets teeth grinning.
The scene is set within the opening seconds of Ben Valley’s first record – a fiddle scratches the most classic of opening notes, and then what sounds like the best honky tonk bar band you’ve ever heard kick in with ‘Unwanted Visitors’ singalong chorus. This is unapologetically country music, echoing through the past eighty years of records, from Ernest Tubb to George Jones to George Strait and beyond, down from the hills of Appalachia and via the Broadway bars of Nashville.
What is particularly refreshing and enjoyable is the apparent complete lack of artifice or pastiche; this just sounds like skilled musicians playing the music they love, which happens to be country. Uniting behind a set of songs which are consistently strong, this is music that will put a smile on your face from the first track through to the last. Recorded live to tape, ‘Introducing…’ showcases the tightness of the band; kudos to producer Andy McLelland, who gives the record a rich, warm, vibrant tone that is like giving your ears a holiday in the sun.
The musical default setting is uptempo numbers, perfect for the dance floor or the long drive; when the slow songs come, though, they are suitably heart felt. ‘Keeping Up With An Angel’ is just beautiful, fiddles, steel guitar and accordion bleeding together in the way that country tear-jerkers should. ‘Toil and Trouble’ could have been a Gram Parsons song – with Dara Weiss providing the Emmylou harmony part, and the most gorgeous fiddle solo you may hear this year.
If this record has a decidedly and deliberate retro feel (the ‘Introducing…’ title seems to be a nod to the country records of the 60’s and 70’s, while the artwork is similarly straightforward and vintage), the music is as fresh as a spring meadow. There are no artificial sweeteners or empty calories here, just a sense of having been filled up with the best nutrition and goodness music can supply. So, let us introduce the rich musical cornucopia of Ben Vallee, and invite you to join a party where everyone is made welcome.
