MARC VALENTINE
Basement Sparks
Wicked CoolCD/LP/DL
Release date 22 March 2024
Marc Valentine, the British singer-songwriter whose powerpop-fuelled debut ‘Future Obscure’ picked up a raft of plaudits in 2022, will release his second album ‘Basement Sparks’ through Wicked Cool Records on 22 March 2024. Working once again with producer Dave Draper (The Wildhearts, Ryan Hamilton, The Professionals)–who also contributes guitar, bass, backing vocals and keyboards–the frontman has crafted an 11-track collection that takes his lifelong love of a good tune to new and giddy heights, as he and his band whip up an anthemic, transatlantic sound that blends Springsteen and Weezer with Buzzcocks and T-Rex. Says Marc: “I had so much fun making this record with Dave. We have good studio chemistry and such great vibes. We could probably make an album a month if we were permanently under the same roof–as long as I washed all the dishes! ”Lyrically, ‘Basement Sparks’ runs the gamut, pondering such subjects as the perils of information overload, a yearning for solitude, uncanny experiences in the American desert, and (gulp) the reality of existence as we know it. There’s everything from science fiction to political friction–all delivered with that trademark Valentine diction–on what the singer describes as his “most complete album to date”.
“This record happened pretty quickly,” he says. “The songs came at me all at once–as if they were hanging in the cosmos, just waiting for me to harvest them. ”To help tend this cosmic crop, Marc enlisted a team of trusted collaborators: lead guitarist Richard Davies (Richard Davies & The Dissidents, The Snakes), bassist Steve Fielding (Last Great Dreamers, The Boys), drummer Denley Slade (Last Great Dreamers, Sister Morphine), keyboardist and vocalist Carol Hodge (The Carol Hodge Band, Steve Ignorant), and vocalist Emily Ewing (Ginger Wildheart, Ryan Hamilton). As frontman of Last Great Dreamers–a colourful power-pop band with roots in London’s ’90s glam-rock scene–Marcco wrote and performed on four well-received albums before launching a solo career with Future Obscure, an acclaimed 12-track LP that Mojo magazine described as a “masterclass in melody and energy”. Now, with Wicked Cool Records firing up Basement Sparks, he’s entering a new and even more exciting era. Says Marc: “It’s a dream come true to have this record released by Steven Van Zandt, and to be on his label with somany great artists. Sometimes the best things happen when you least expect it, and I like to think there are a few more pleasant surprises to come.”
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