MARC VALENTINE
BASEMENT SPARKS
(Wicked Cool)
While his previous outfit, The Last Great Dreamers, remains on hiatus, Marc Valentine has yet to waste time forging ahead with his impressive solo output. ‘Basement Sparks’ is his second post-Dreamers release, and if melodic pavement Power Pop is your thing, then you’re going to flipping love this. The opener ‘Complicated Sometimes’ reverberates with Hey! Hello, crossbred with nineties indie disco overtones and coming in at just over two minutes in length, then this equates to hitting repeat numerous times with a shoulder-shake dancing stick. ‘Tyrannical Wrecks’ speeds past like a dodgem in the middle lane while the brisk-paced head bobbing flow continues with the clappy clanking ‘Skeleton Key’. There are many positive musical comparisons on this tip-top album: Weezer, Ginger, The Monkees, Abba and The Wannadies. These all bubble happily under the surface on the ‘Eve Of Distraction’ and the precisely forlorn and emotive ‘I Wanna Be Alone’.
A Wes Anderson soundtrack-esque ‘Anderson Drive’ floats into space and is brought back down with the Pop meets Rock jab of an ankle kicking ‘Strange Weather’. Under the masterful stewardship of (the leg end, that is) Dave Draper, Marc Valentine (and a host of top table guests) has delivered a should be picked up by the mainstream winner. The galloping ‘You Are One Of Us Now’ is joined by the hip-thrusting ‘Open Chase Theme’ and The Buggles guzzling a supermarket energy drink rocker ‘Repeat Offender’. Finally, the piano spine of a heartfelt ‘Ballard Of Watt’ completes this musically astute whizz, pop, and glam-brushed winner.
For more Marc Valentine information, including tour dates, merch, and Basement Sparks news, head over to
https://marcvalentine.co.uk/