I / (TIME)

VLY is such an interesting story, so much so, that I'm going to use a lot of information provided by the press releases at the time. It all began when the CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX guitarist Karl Demata who had been working on some demos and ideas was introduced to a NYC vocalist and artist named Keith Gladysz. A mutual friend of both did this and Karl started sending Keith his ideas, while Keith in turn worked on them adding his Indie sensibilities and his dreamy vocal style. It was a new way to work as the eventual five members never did meet before the album was made. There was no gauge or reference point except for the actual music they were trying to create. It was a total shot in the dark.

Described as being a combination progressive rock, classic rock, folk, early Floydian psychedelia, intimate pop melodies, massive walls of epic guitar riffage, post-classical, post rock and electronic music. It's the diverse background of it's members that led to the breadth of their sound. The progressive sentiment of Italian keyboardist Elisa Montaldo quickly attracted the ear of Karl Demata. She is from the band IL TEMPIO DELLE CLESSIDRE. "The first time I heard her play I knew we had to be in a band. Her innate melodic approach and instrumental understanding and knowledge of anything prog is simply remarkable." Elisa relates how Karl asked her about joining this band at the very beginning, and that her knowledge of prog was somehow more vintage, seventies Italian to be specific. But after experimenting with the arrangements and sound she found that right balance. She's a pro.

Connecting with strangers and expanding circles of mutual friends became the pattern for VLY. Next Karl brought in fellow CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX member Chris Heilmann on bass. Lastly Karl needed a drummer and who else but Mattias Olsson? Yes lets add Sweden to the mix. Karl talks about Mattias in glowing terms. "He's simply a genius, and he's never predicatable as a drummer. Mattias also contributed some vintage keys and odd analog noises, which have a definite effect on the band's sound." I have no idea why there wasn't a big buzz about this album back in September of 2015 when it was released. This record is gorgeous. I was constantly repeating words like dreamy, spacey and drifting. Very Floyd-like at times but there's that post-rock flavour that the two CRIPPLED BLACK PHOENIX members here know a lot about.

We get just over an hour of music and twelve tracks. My top four include the opening two numbers and the final two tracks, but this is a consistent recording. I love that all five members met in England just prior to it's release for some photos, and hey, they all finally got to meet physically. Kind of cool. Easily one of the better Floyd-like albums. Keith on vocals really adds a lot. He's in bands like DIET KONG and TYPICAL REPTILES, and while I have not heard either, his voice really works well here. Easily 4 stars.