Album Review: Marc Valentine - "Future Obscure"

 

Marc Valentine is probably best known as the frontman with Britrock mainstays the Last Great Dreamers, a band who have produced a couple of genuinely great albums since reforming around a decade ago (2016's Transmissions From Oblivion and 2018's 13th Floor Renegades) before going on hiatus last year.

As you'd maybe expect, there isn't a huge amount of distance between Future Obscure and the LGD's but that's definitely no bad thing - this is an album stuffed full of cracking old-school pop-punk that recalls groups like the Boys (indeed, Boys' guitarist Matt Dangerfield shows up on here as a guest on Mornington Avenue). The opening one-two-three-four of Last Train Tonight, Swiss Launderette, the aforementioned Mornington Avenue and Linear Slopes is an absolutely killer opening salvo, fair bursting out of your stereo with choruses that will be echoing out from your stereo all summer and more hooks than Peter Pan's nemesis with the likes of Ghosts of Amsterdam and Zodiac Motel (which could easily be a great lost Silver Sun track) keeping the form up throughout.

It's not all big singalongs though - Fade Out In Blue takes a gentle '60s power ballad, gives it a Hanoi Rocks style makeover and comes up with something genuinely special while the reflective Break My Heart Anyway has some mournful country style slide guitar thrown in to give it some genuine pathos. Broken Satellites is a wistful look back at pre-gentrification London with its pounding drums and sugar sweet harmonies while Death Is Overrated is a big sweeping Lennon-style power ballad that reminds me of the Silver Ginger 5's Church of the Broken Hearted. Basically, there's hardly a weak song on here. 

I wasn't sure exactly what direction Marc would take with his solo album but fair play, the guy has really struck gold here - Future Obscure is definitely identifiable as having that ultra-catchy Last Great Dreamers sound but it builds on that as well to create something which is up there with the best albums I've heard this year so far. A perfect soaring summer listen, track this one down asap and get it on your stereo the next time you find yourself sitting out on a sunny evening with a nice cold drink in your hand - it's the perfect soundtrack.

Bandcamp Link

NITE SONGS RATING: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑 (9/10)

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