The Valery Trails – Chameleon Bones – Album Review by Killian Laher

American/Australian rockers The Valery Trails release their third album. The album distils a sort of nineties indie sensibility right from pounding opener OK. It’s the poppiest, catchiest thing here but it’s let down by a very basic chorus where Andrew Bower sings “you are ok, we are ok”. However from here on the album takes a turn for the better, some gorgeous fuzz on the vaguely shoegazey Cordless, which hits precisely the same spot vintage Lemonheads and Buffalo Tom were aiming for. There are highlights across this album, special mention for the jangly guitars on Doesn’t Have To Live There and, on the other hand, Fall Around’s gloriously distorted guitars, reminiscent of Ride.

The title track just sounds so effortless, it’s easy to succumb to its lazy charms, particularly when you hear the fine guitar solo midsong, while the simple melody of closing track Change My World is the kind of thing REM used to do quite well. Of course this very brief album isn’t radically original, but it spectacularly avoids indie landfill, perfectly recreating the glory days of 90s guitar-rock.

Track List:

1. OK
2. Cordless
3. Segue
4. Doesn’t Have To Live There
5. Chameleon Bones
6. Pop
7. Fall Around
8. Hide (Cannot)
9. Change My World

OK: