Melbourne band Vallee first got on my radar with their single “Jungle.” Now with the release of their new EP Vices, I’m thrilled to explore more of their music.
It’s called an EP, but with seven tracks it’s really more of a mini album. That’s a testimony to the quality of this band. They couldn’t pick just four or five songs, as most artists do, because each and every one of the seven contained here really deserve their place. It’s always exciting to hear an act who can record something which genuinely contains no fillers.
When I’m reviewing music I like to take notes as I listen to it so I can remember my impressions. However, on my first listen of Vices my computer file contained just one word: energy. It runs through every song, engaging you and demanding you to listen. It’s also impossible to escape the themes of vice, from sex, drugs, and alcohol, to addictions to love and happiness. It’s meaty subject matter and Vallee handles it beautifully.
The opening track “Heroine” is so explosive, right out of the gates. It makes a clear statement, proudly insisting “We are here.” Each track is every bit as strong, with driving drums and vocals full of passion. “Jungle,” that first track that won me over, is given greater context among this EP of melodic rock numbers. I especially love “Spin,” which shows a more philosophical side to the band. The closing track “Cuba” showcases the undercurrent of rebellion which runs through the EP.
Despite being longer than most EPs, Vices maintains its energy and spirit throughout. It was satisfying from the first listen, yet I liked it a little more with every subsequent spin. Addicted? Maybe. There are worse vices though, right?
With the passing of another week we’ve got a brand new Aussie act on top of the ARIA charts. Thick as Thieves, the new album from The Temper Trap, sees the band scoring back to back number LPs.
The Hurstville Entertainment Centre gave me the intimacy that I was craving last time. The term entertainment centre makes it sound larger than it is. It’s more like an old dinner theatre, with tables at the front to hold the cheese and dessert plates they sell at the bar in the foyer. I was perched in the front row, close enough to see Molly has barely aged since she was a teenage pinup. I certainly don’t have the legs to pull off the glitzy sequined dress she strutted out in!
She smoldered through “Sooner or Later,” convincing us all that she could have easily taken the Madonna role in Dick Tracy she auditioned for. More songs from her album Except Sometimes came, as well as tracks from an upcoming release and others she felt deserve a place in the Great American Songbook. I appreciated the set list, which if my memory serves correctly was a bit more eclectic than the one on her first tour. Jazz standards were well represented, of course, alongside modern cuts from Rufus Wainwright and Elvis Costello and show tunes from My Fair Lady, West Side Story, and Guys and Dolls. Few artists could so convincingly deliver such varied material, but Molly’s acting chops served her well here. Credit should also go to her band; only the pianist tours regularly with Molly but they gelled so well.
The songs were punctuated by Molly’s musings. I hung on her every word. I loved hearing why she selected certain songs, what they meant to her, about roles she’s auditioned for and her life as a wife and mum. While great music matters to me, that personal touch you get when an artist shares themselves with you really makes a concert special. Molly Ringwald might be better known as an actress, but she certainly holds her own as a singer.
Flume continues to dominate the albums charts, debuting at number one on the ARIA charts with his new album Skin. It features three top 30 singles and counting, “Never Be Like You,” “Smoke & Retribution,” and “Say It,” which currently sits at number five. This album follows Atlas and Bloom, which also topped the charts.