The Valery Trails
"Chameleon Bones‘ first single “OK” is comprised of an anthemic hook paired with a jangling alt country/alt rock sound — in other words, slightly fuzzy guitars fed through subtle effects pedals, thunderous and propulsive drumming along with a throbbing bass line in a song that sounds as though it was channeling Big Star, The Smithereens, Murmur-era R.E.M., Dinosaur, Jr., The Church and others, complete with a radio-friendly, arena rock friendly air. But what distinguishes The Valery Trails from those familiar sources is that this particular single also manages to channel shoegazer rock and 90s Brit Pop in a way that puts a subtle new twist on a beloved sound." - The Joy of Violent Movement

"Part Australia, part Texas…that’s the story of The Valery Trails. Their sound, well, it’s going to take you back to classic 90s radio sounds, filled with a solid melody and distorted guitars. The chorus of “you are ok, we are ok,” is catchy too, so you’ll have something to sink your teeth into while you jam this one. Think of bands like REM or maybe a happier Dinosaur Jr and you’ll no right where this group stands. They’ll release their new LP, Chameleon Bones, on August 5th, so look to the end of your summer for this rad release." - Austin Town Hall

"Most of the songs come steeped in toe-tapping melodies and are defined by catchy guitar hooks, as well as Bower’s lived in vocals.

Highlights include the utterly infectious In Your Heart, which combines an instantly head-nodding back-beat with some almost indie guitar hooks that resemble (vaguely) the heyday of the Stone Roses era. Put together with Bower’s gritty, yet hushed vocals, it makes for a potent cocktail.

Hollywoodland has a more laidback, slacker vibe akin to the likes of Psychedelic Furs (circa Pretty in Pink, while Children inflicts the guitar sound with a kooky organ melody that slides in and out playfully.

Waiting drops another of those more alt-rock slacker vibes akin to Dinosaur Jr or Nada Surf and is a great track to just kick back and enjoy on a lazy day, especially instrumentally, but with a vocal that sounds amplified as if sung through a vocoder or something.

Fragment Hanging rocks its way into your subconscious in fine fashion (with more classic riffs), There Is Love blatantly lifts from The Cure’s seminal Close To Me instrumentally (and could almost be a cover until the lyrics take it in a different direction), and Black And White has a beautifully sombre tone to it that, again, takes its cues from The Cure – but some of their more melancholy work. It’s dark but hypnotic.

Put together, this is a mighty fine listen from a band that deserves to find a much wider exposure."

Jack Foley, IndieLondon (April 27, 2014)

Not a Grand Atlantic spin-off by any means, but The Valery Trails is the band/brainchild of singer/songwriter/guitarist Andrew Bower, big brother to Grand Atlantic's Sean Bower.  The Valery Trails is Andrew's outlet for his evocative, gently psychedelic tales of desperation and longing.  I'd previously reviewed the Valery Trails debut album, "Ghosts and Gravity" and as much as I liked it, in truth "Buffalo Speedway" is heads and shoulders above the debut.

Each moment of "Buffalo Speedway" is a journey down some misty road of mood and nuance with something surprising lurking just around each corner.  Andrew has developed leaps and bounds as both a songwriter and guitarist since the debut.  He still maintains his languid vocal style that slowly drags me in like a cloudy dream.  His guitar works shimmers and glistens over the impeccable bass of brother Sean and drummer Dan McNaulty.  Guest vocals by We  All Want To's Skye Staniford are an angelic presence, as on the final cut "Rise and Fall" -- the lilting of her gorgeous voice perfectly complimenting and emoting Andrew's own tones.  She helps to fill in spaces and adds another ethereal layer to the songs.

In addition to the presence of Skye, We All Want to is warmly represented by drummer Dan and vocals and outstanding production for Tim Steward.  Working the dials with The Valery Trails, they combine talents to create an album that is energetic at times and unhurried at others.  Always gorgeous.  Always mesmerizing.

Grand Atlantic is also richly represented her by brother Sean's throbbing bass and keyboards by Morgan Hann.

Simply a gorgeous album from start to finish.  And a special nod has to be given to the title track "Buffalo Speedway" as both the rockingest cut on the album, but also on a personal level as I used to live just off Buffalo Speedway in Houston myself.  If there was ever a street name that begged to be a song title, this is it.  Cheers Andrew.  Well done.

The Ripple Effect
"Brisbane’s Valery Trails skew more melodic than the bands listed above; their reference points are late ’80s college rock, which they channel into songs that are rugged and melodic — think the best moments of Sugar and Buffalo Tom and you’re getting close. In gently-gleaming “Hollywoodland,” frontman Andrew Bower recalls a week spent in a run-down hotel in Hollywood, and the insight it gave him into the other side of glamor — the city’s seedy underbelly where optimism begins to decay and despair slowly seeps in. But despite the lyrics’ dark subject matter, the song feels driving and triumphant, chords crashing like white waves on the beach as Bower stumbles in the dark toward an epiphany." - J. Edward Keyes, Wondering Sound (April 16, 2014)
"The Bower brothers, joined by the immaculate drummer Dan McNaulty, create energetic yet calming alternative rock songs that are extremely reminiscent of the days when college radio reigned supreme, and the term “alternative” meant something, anything at all. Buffalo Speedway is an exceptional collection of proof of just how talented and important The Valery Trails are. The sound is not too extreme, but definitely not without sass and grind. It is just loud enough to be exciting, but calm enough to not leave you in disarray after a complete listen. It is an album that just leaves you feeling good all over. ... You owe it to yourself to throw this band’s sound into your life." - Ron Trembath, Trainwreck'd Society (Feb 24, 2014)
"This sophomore album hits it out of the ballpark with its firm grasp of neatly chugging rock that bristles with a wealth of tasty hooks and sparkling harmony. The vocals are smooth and expressive, the arrangements tight and tuneful, and the sharp songwriting once again ably explores a perfectly touching vein of bittersweet reflectivity. This is the type of music that lifts one’s spirits in the most direct and immediate way possible: There’s a straight-on honest sincerity at work that’s impossible not to be moved by. Moreover, this group sure knows how to rock out something stirring when the urge overtakes them, as the super snappy and rousing titular track irrefutably confirms. A lovely little gem." -  Joe Wawrzyniak, Jersey Beat (Mar 18, 2014)
“Split between Houston, Texas and Brisbane, Australia, the Valery Trails return with "Starsong," which blurs the already quite blurry line between the band's tense shoegaze and wide-open, melodic guitar rock.” - KDHX Song of the Day (Feb 05, 2014)
“Yeah, we’re diggin’ this tune [Starsong], and not just because it reminds us of “Pretty In Pink” by Psychedelic Furs. OK, maybe that’s the main reason we like it, but we also get a Social Distortion vibe; that’s cool, too. And hey — e-bow solo!” - The Big Takeover (Jan 21, 2014)
“Aussie brothers Andrew and Sean Bower form the core of the Valery Trails, an understated pop-rock outfit that specializes in low-key, wistful tunes. Opening track “On the Perfume River” hits the sweet spot, with Sean’s gently propulsive bassline nicely underscoring Andrew’s guitar arpeggios and mournful vocals in a song that establishes a tone simultaneously backward-looking and forward-moving. At their best, the band mines this vein effectively, with songs like “Straight Line” and “Ghosts and Gravity” earning their emotional heft both from Andrew’s crooning and the band’s atmospheric instrumental work. Not every song is a winner—“Words Fail” and “As I Live and Breathe” both suffer from formless melodies and uninspired arrangements—but there are more hits than misses. If you’re looking to make your road movie about wide-open spaces and foolish choices coming back to haunt you, this just might be your soundtrack.” - David Maine, PopMatters (Feb 27, 2012)
“Marvelously moody and melancholy, this album broods it up with often beautiful and captivating results. The hushed vocals possess a certain quietly arresting quality and project a feeling of forlorn regret with admirable restraint. The arrangements really hit the soothing sonic spot as well, with the calm buzz of the guitars, the gentle undertow of the basslines, and the relaxed, yet persistent clip-clop of the drums seamlessly blending together to create a sound that’s mellow and mesmerizing in equal measure. The thoughtful songwriting likewise deserves kudos for the way it adroitly mines a finely affecting line in rueful reflectivity. An intoxicating cocktail of sheer aural pleasure. ” - Joe Wawrzyniak, Jersey Beat (Dec 13, 2011)
"This American/Australian outfit manages to conjure a trance-y vibe with a minimum of keyboard textures. The hypnotic aura of numbers like “On the Perfume River” establishes a sonic recipe that washes over the listener. Elsewhere they sound a bit like the better end of the 80s college rock/new wave spectrum, with hints of Echo & the Bunnymen and Modern English. Imagine a more laid-back, less excitable Midnight Oil. Subtle hints of other disparate styles – Americana, shoegaze – add to the musical breath of this release. Chiming guitars and sturdy songwriting make Ghosts and Gravity well worth checking out." - Bill Kopp, Musoscribe (Jan 26, 2012)