/Album marks new era for Jackson twang rockers Mississippi Today

Album marks new era for Jackson twang rockers Mississippi Today

The band is known for its “twangy rock n” roll sound. They embrace this description and how their music connects to its audience. Zach stated that it shows people that, no matter where they are located, they’re all the exact same. “We all feel similar things.” Young Valley’s debut album, “No Filter”, was released in 2014. Its members were just graduating from college and eager to share the songs they had written. Although their music was still in its infancy at the time, Young Valley quickly gained a following. Jacksonians included, were quick to embrace Young Valley’s blend of country and rock, with harmonicas, finger-picking on guitar, and melodic harmony that proudly displays a Southern drawl. The band affectionately calls it “twang”, a sound similar to the loud, harsh sound that a banjo string makes. Spencer Thomas, drummer, said that “By the release of ‘No Filter,’ we were like Wow, there’s a lot in this town behind us. “Let’s go on the road.” The Jackson-based five-man (sometimes six-man) group has toured extensively and recorded many other projects over the past four years. To name a few, the band has performed in Texas, Kansas and Oklahoma as well as Louisiana, Colorado, Colorado, Colorado, Colorado, Colorado, Colorado, Colorado, and Nebraska. Fans will also notice the new logo and lineup. However, many song titles from the band’s sophomore album, “Young Valley”, which was recorded at Dial Back Sound, Water Valley, aren’t brand new. The songs are now alive. Zach stated that some lyrics have changed in the songs over the years, since the band began playing them out in public. Zach stated, “In contrast to the first record where these songs were just recorded and played on a record,” “We have seen the effect they make people feel so we know how they should feel on a record. The band decided to perform all of their tracks live, since they “felt different” when recording on different tracks and then stitched together. The album was self-titled by the band, and debuted at Duling Hall’s release party on April 20. Dylan Lovett said, “We put so much effort behind this record… It feels like the dawn of a new Young Valley age.” “Almost like a new debut in a certain sense. This is not to discredit the original record. It’s just another era, a new line-up, and a kind of different sound.” Young Valley’s music has been described by many as somewhere in the middle of Americana and alternative country. The band’s inspiration comes from artists who are country or rock music oriented, like Gram Parsons, The Flying Burrito Brothers and Eagles. Three new Young Valley members have replaced Carson Braymer as bass player: Ethan Frink, Kell Kellum and Phill Thompson. Young Valley’s core songwriters are still Dylan and Zach, fraternal twins on acoustic guitar and electric guitar respectively, harmonica and vocals, and Spencer on drums & vocals. In the years that have followed the release of their debut album, Young Valley has grown as a band. Spencer recalled the early days of Young Valley. I would say that we started the band from there, and it just kept growing. We were then like, “Well, we are here now.” Do we want it to go further? “Taking risks with songwriting and sometimes taping into difficult emotions and experiences on the album was a way for us to take our music further. Spencer’s song “Til I Cross Your Mind”, reflects on a recent split. There were more songs in “No Filter” where the band sang lead together. Zach explained that on “Young Valley”, the lead singer for each song is most likely the member of the band who wrote it. The other members of the band sing harmony. Spencer said, “It gives the record a really great texture” and added that it adds a lot of variety. Many songs found new life after being influenced by different audiences nightly. Spencer stated, “Especially when you’re performing on Tuesday nights in Flagstaff, Arizona. No one could really care too much whether you were there or not.” Dylan said, “Or if your do something else.” “Nobody is going be studying it. It’s possible to throw anything out there.” The band gained valuable touring experience that helped them identify the sounds and instruments that matter to them. The new lineup allows Young Valley to feature more country instruments, which allows them to push their music further to country or rock. Dylan stated that these songs are ones Dylan has been playing for many years. “… The songs have taken on a new life inside the studio due to the new lineup. Our current band has taken over the songs. He said, “At their base, the songs sound identical.” “But when (Kell on pedal steel or electric guitar) is added, you can make the sound more diverse.” Young Valley embraces its “twang”, as it has earned them a loyal following across the country. Zach said that “people have said (twang), a lot,” citing how many fans describe the band’s sound. “I didn’t want to write country songs. I feel like I’m part of a rock band. Because I’m from Mississippi, it just flows out of me. It is true to form. It’s true to form.” The band enjoys improving their repertoire and exploring new possibilities in the spotlight.