Stream The First Single “Undream A Year” Via Exclaim.ca
Montreal electronic duo Valleys signed to Brooklyn, New York based label, Kanine Records (Grizzly Bear/Braids) and will release their new full-length record, Are You Going To Stand There And Talk Weird All Night? on April 30. You can stream the first single off the album, an edit of “Undream A Year” on Exclaim.ca – repost via Soundcloud. While the song closes out Are You Going To Stand There… it is really the inspirational centerpiece for Marc St. Louis and Matilda (Tillie) Perks who spent a year writing the album following a year of unexpected loss and spiritual recovery. Recorded and co-produced by Valleys with Alec “Orson Presence” Dippie, of the legendary British post-punk group The Monochrome Set, Are You Going To Stand There…? is dark, mysterious and cinematic in its scope.
Longtime collaborators St. Louis and Perks put equal weight into Valleys, as lyricists, vocalists, and skilled musicians with Marc playing guitar, keyboards, drums and Tillie playing keys, guitar and sequencer. Both take turns on lead vocal duties, often sharing center stage, where Marc’s baritone pairs sweetly with Tillie’s soft approach. Though a twosome, their sound is big, loud, alive and visceral.
Running parallel lives, St. Louis and Perks each experienced great loss and turned to their music and poetry to cope. For Tillie, her lyrics reflect the unexpected loss of close family members. Raised as a Shambhala Buddhist, Tillie’s lyrics are riddled with references to the practices and ideas of Shambhala. Though dealing with weighty events, Tillie infuses her spirituality into the music, resulting in an added lightness that gives a sense of healing, an astounding sense of calm, and an outright mystical quality. For Marc, dealing with the loss of a different type of relationship, his lyrics touch on a twisted coming of age and late night hedonism, focusing on creating scenes for characters dealing with disillusionment and heartbreak. Though tackling cheerless subjects, Are You Going To Stand There…? comprises the funniest, sad music you will ever hear. Using melody, repetition and space to invoke spirituality.
Track listing for Are You Going To Stand There And Talk Weird All Night?:
1. Micromoving
2. Hounds
3. Absolutely Everything All The Time
4. See The Moon
5. Living Normal
6. Us
7. John, Meet Me At The Precipice
8. Before Fall
9. Exing Everything
10. Undream A Year
Tour Dates:
03/07 – New York, NY @ Pianos
03/09 – Denton, TX @ Dan’s Silver Leaf
03/13/14 – Austin, TX @ SXSW Music Conference
03/23 – Toronto, ON @ Lee’s Palace (CMW)
04/02 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat Backstage #
04/03 – Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie #
04/04 – Brooklyn, NY @ Glasslands #
04/05 – Winooski, VT @ The Monkey House #
04/06 – Montreal, PQ @ Casa Del Popolo #
04/07 – Toronto, ON @ Drake Underground #
04/09 – Boston, MA @ Great Scott #
# Fol Chen