{"id":19104,"date":"2022-06-23T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-23T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=19104"},"modified":"2022-06-18T18:57:40","modified_gmt":"2022-06-18T18:57:40","slug":"marc-valentine-future-obscure-arcane-wires-records","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/?p=19104","title":{"rendered":"Marc Valentine \u2013 \u2018Future Obscure\u2019 (Arcane Wires Records)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium\"><a href=\"http:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/artwork-440x440-1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/artwork-440x440-1-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-19105\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/artwork-440x440-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/artwork-440x440-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/artwork-440x440-1-65x65.jpg 65w, https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/artwork-440x440-1.jpg 440w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>When a band goes on hiatus, however brief, it\u2019s usually a reliance on the back catalogue to get the fans through the downtime; not so Last Great Dreamers, the once-antiquated dandies of the UK rock scene dusted off and rebooted in the last decade. No, the merry band of loyal supporters of this regenerated outfit revolving around the core of mainstays Marc Valentine and Slyder Smith has not one, but two new spin-off albums to get excited about while the Dreamers catch up on some much-needed beauty sleep. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Slyder Smith &amp; the Oblivion Kids (Dreamers\u2019 rhythm section, bassist Tim Emery and drummer, Rik Pratt) have a debut long player, \u2018Charm Offensive\u2019, released on 19th August through Ray Records, but first out of the last great gate is Marc Valentine and his \u2018Future Obscure\u2019 album, coming to a stereo near you on 8th July. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the short space of time that news of this new, ten-track (twelve-track if you get the bonus-track-riddled compact disc) album has been with us Marc has wasted little time by releasing four (count \u2018em!) tracks as digital singles: album opener, \u2018Last Train Tonight\u2019; \u2018Mornington Avenue\u2019, featuring Matt Dangerfield from The Boys; and double A-side, \u2018Death Is Overrated\/Break My Heart Anyway\u2019, the latter featuring a guest appearance from Wreckless Eric. So, I have to approach this review from a slightly different angle: listeners already know what to expect from the album, I simply have to reassure them that the best tracks haven\u2019t already been lifted from the tracklisting leaving nothing but filler. Spoiler alert: everything is going to be okay&#8230; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Marc Valentine - Last Train Tonight (Official Music Video)\" width=\"1140\" height=\"641\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Y2BKfDG1sTA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A Summer release is perfect for \u2018Future Obscure\u2019; the tracks blurring between that expected lilting power pop that is trademark Valentine and a hazy, lazy sentimentality, both conspiring to make a perfect soundtrack to long, hot days and cooler nights of reminiscence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With synths set to stun, some of the power pop tunes that litter the tracklisting \u2013 the glorious \u2018Swiss Launderette\u2019, the great \u2018Ghosts of Amsterdam\u2019 \u2013 have every chance of filling a Fountains Of Wayne-shaped hole in the New Releases section of your record collection, while the more emotional-button-pushers \u2013 the terrific throwback that is \u2018Arcades\u2019, the fine \u2018Fade Out In Blue\u2019 for example \u2013 will have you questioning if that funny feeling that you have in your head as the sun sets is from the Summertime cider or the inevitable clawing back of memories. There\u2019s even a tip of the bowler hat to the LGD day job via the lowslung rock \u2018n\u2019 roll of the fantastic \u2018Zodiac Hotel\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Marc Valentine, featuring Matt Dangerfield - Mornington Avenue (Official Music Video)\" width=\"1140\" height=\"641\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/I6gtWPA-qkM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Mixed and produced by Dave Draper, that \u2018Future Obscure\u2019 sounds great should come as no surprise. That goes for the musicians that Valentine has surrounded himself with too: Richard Davies on guitar, and a return for former Last Great Dreamers rhythm section, bassist Steve Fielding and drummer Denley Slade, the latter so consistent in his work that he sounds almost robotic. Catch these guys backing Marc on a UK tour that starts on album release day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We need great nights out at rock shows with friends and bright and breezy rock \u2018n\u2019 roll records like \u2018Future Obscure\u2019 at times like these. That three minute songs and small rooms full of sweaty people can help save us from the stresses of modern life is testament to the true power of music. Forget what that man from Sheffield with a creaking voice once (almost) told us; you CAN stop the hurt inside, when love and hiatus collide&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p> Buy <a href=\"https:\/\/linktr.ee\/MarcValentine?fbclid=IwAR2Lng5GPGnQz3pIoIHn5jG_qMzuCcibYIdlENphKmY6hz7aX7fwTIJOM_8\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/linktr.ee\/MarcValentine?fbclid=IwAR2Lng5GPGnQz3pIoIHn5jG_qMzuCcibYIdlENphKmY6hz7aX7fwTIJOM_8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Here<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Author: Gaz Tidey<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When a band goes on hiatus, however brief, it\u2019s usually a reliance on the back catalogue to get the fans through the downtime; not so Last Great Dreamers, the once-antiquated dandies of the UK rock scene dusted off and rebooted in the last decade. No, the merry band of loyal supporters of this regenerated outfit [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":19107,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[2113,4117,1818,223],"class_list":["post-19104","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-review","tag-gaz-tidey","tag-marc-valentine","tag-new-album","tag-power-pop"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19104","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=19104"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19104\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19108,"href":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19104\/revisions\/19108"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/19107"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=19104"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=19104"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rpmonline.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=19104"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}