The Valium – “White Roses”

The Valium – “White Roses” – Single Review

More than a decade.  That’s wild.

When I first started writing for sleepingbagstudios, I don’t think it ever once crossed my mind that I’d still be doing what I love more than ten years later, never mind the fourteen-plus years this place has been around for now.  When The Valium popped back onto our playlists the other day, I finally realized that I’ve been here for SO LONG, that at this point, there could be an entire DECADE in between the last time we featured someone on these pages of ours.  That seems insane to me if I’m being honest with ya.

Anyhow, here we are, and that’s precisely the case – the last time we had The Valium posted up at SBS was way back in January of 2016 for a song called “In My Life.”  Back then, there were five members in the band, and now, from what I understand, they’ve paired it back to the two brothers, Marco and Luigi.  Coincidence that “White Roses” reminded me of music made by a different set of brothers on an album they called What’s The Story Morning Glory?  It might be…though even the strangest of coincidences usually have some kind of logical explanation.  I’ll let them answer that question for themselves one day, but yeah…first impressions of “White Roses” immediately had me thinking back to a sound that once took over the world three decades ago.  You can cite other versions of that vibe that exist in bands like Eskimo Joe out of Australia, or even in the more medium-paced tunes found in the Foo Fighters catalog, they’re all kind of one and the same and would end up fitting real well together on tour.  Maybe now that they’re officially back in action, The Valium could open the show!  You’re welcome promoters – I just cracked the code for you, and put together a triple bill that the world would happily go crazy for.

Lots of ways you could look at a single like “White Roses.”  The first, and least important detail I can tell ya, is that YES – I’d listen to it.  If the roots of the sound of a song like this do indeed trace back about three decades ago like I’ve theorized…well…that’s right when I was in the process of growing up, so of course I’d be into something like “White Roses.”  Obviously, I’m not alone in my age group either – there are tons of people around the globe that would be stoked to hear this song, and I’m equally sure of that.  Are The Valium recreating the wheel with “White Roses?”  Again, you can draw to the conclusion based on everything I’ve already said here – no, they’re not…they’re very much borrowing a sound that has been tried, tested, and true in a wide variety of bands.  That being said, as I remind you all the time here on these pages of ours, doing things differently doesn’t always need to be the aim of every band or artist out there – and perhaps more importantly, maybe they’re recreating their OWN wheel this time around.  As I’ve read in the details I was sent along with this new single, The Valium have essentially pushed reset after their last album (2017’s Amazing Breakdown) released…and in paring the ingredients back down to two players in an effort to preserve their sound, vision, and values as a band…I mean, it’s hard to imagine many scenarios like that where a reset doesn’t equate to a bit of a holding pattern while the musicians involved figure out those next moves for the future, rather than break major new ground.

So…I suppose what I’m saying is, “White Roses” is an important single to have put out, in that it confirms the sound you love from The Valium is still fully intact, even after shaking up the whole band’s lineup.  I like what I hear in “White Roses” – it’s more like what you get out of an addictive feeling, more-so than what you find in a song that has the typical kind of hooks you get attached to & start singing along with.  When it comes right down to it, “White Roses” is all-hook…which I think works to the song’s advantage when reaching its potential audience.  I didn’t really find any one piece of this single to be any more interesting or engaging than the next…to me, that can be a really good thing – it’s like consistent quality straight across the board.  To others, that can be a bit more problematic in that it’s harder to establish identity or something massively memorable that you can connect with inside the song itself.  I’m not here to tell you “White Roses” has either of those things – but I don’t see that stopping anyone from liking or loving this song, or turning it right the fuck UP either.  Ultimately, I’d say what I’m hearing in this single is most comparable to bands like Eskimo Joe, or even Canada’s Change Of Heart…both bands that had an excellent grip on Alt-Pop & how to go about making music with a frenetic energy designed to endure over time.  Here in this resurgence of The Valium as they head into this next exciting chapter of the band’s history, it strikes me that endurance might just be their most crucial ingredient.  You’ll easily hear that the music of “White Roses” is spot on and packs real punch to it, while the vocals are a massive reason as to why The Valium ends up with such impressive melody and irresistible energy.

What I don’t hear, is anything out of place.  In fact, I’d tell you that “White Roses” proves that The Valium sound every bit as together as a two piece as they ever did with more members, and that they genuinely seem revitalized right now.  Excitement & authentic investment in the material counts for a lot when it comes to the art of making music…and just like I’ve always told ya, the more YOU are into the music you’re making, the more of an opportunity WE have as listeners to join in on the fun you’re having.  I can only imagine what it’s like to be in The Valium gearing up to take another serious run with their music after having established themselves more than a quarter century ago.  Super cool to hear them thriving with such impressive energy, melody, and songwriting chops on display after all this time – “White Roses” will certainly convince you that the band hasn’t missed a beat, and that they’ve still got plenty left in the tank to turn their reset into the most pivotal chapter in their story as a band so far.

Find out more about The Valium from their official website at:  https://thevalium.com

Ya ha!  This link right here is the key to being the next artist or band featured here at sleepingbagstudios, so instead of just ignoring it, click it instead!