Jack Valero today releases his new EP ‘Not In Kansas Anymore’, which features the new song and focus track ‘Innocent Light’. The build-up towards its release has been full of big moments, with its previous tracks earning the support of John Kennedy Radio X, BBC 6 Music Chris Hawkins and a recent live session for Dave Monks at BBC Introducing Merseyside alongside shows with the EP’s co-producer Jamie Webster as well as The Clause, Jack Jones, Lottery Winners, Tom A. Smith and Mick Head. Listen HERE.
As the ‘Not In Kansas Anymore’ title suggests, this EP takes Jack Valero well out of his comfort zone to create his most engaging and accomplished project to date. The recording process was completely different, this time working in Liverpool with Jamie Webster (who also contributes backing vocals) and co-producer Tim Cunningham. Stylistically it’s another evolution, capturing the energy of Jack’s live band and blurring the lines between modern indie and timeless folk rock, while Jack’svocal harmonies and duets with Amie Shouler are elevated to the forefront of the sound. And it also represents his first full release for Modern Sky UK, who have achieved significant chart success with The Lottery Winners and Red Rum Club.
What hasn’t changed, however, is Jack’s flair for evocative lyricism. As we’ve come to expect, the ‘Not In Kansas Anymore’ EP is rich with stories, characters and emotions which light a candle on those formative moments in life that are hard to articulate – often infused with flashes of poignancy and sharp-witted humour.
That poetic touch is particularly vibrant in the new single ‘Innocent Light’. Opening as a tender, reflective rumination of a relationship that unravels, the song suddenly, dramatically ruptures into a ragged wall of psych-rock dynamics. But the music leaps from calmness to chaos, it unlocks a wealth of cathartic emotions – mirroring how its characters can see the value of what they’ve learned after the initial heartbreak subsides.
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