By “Tampa” Earl Burton
Review: Black Valley Moon’s EP Songs from the Black Valley – Release date February 2022
As an overall genre of rock music, one of the most overlooked tentacles from that tree is that of surf punk. You can take it back to Dick Dale and Duane Eddy for the early roots of the sound, while Southern Culture on the Skids tries to keep it alive after a couple of decades of non-stop touring. Add into that mix Tampa, Florida’s Black Valley Moon, who are putting their own gothic twist on the surf punk format on the excellent Songs from the Black Valley.
Black Valley Moon used to be just guitarist Sam Williams, who was also a part of the band Down by Law. Putting surf, punk, pop, and goth into the grinder – and adding vocals from singer Ray Vega – the band was born in 2019. Before this current album, the duo put out their debut album (The Baleful Sounds of Black Valley Moon) and an EP (Spectral Melodies). It is safe to say that, with this current album, Black Valley Moon has reached a proficiency in their sound but have many more avenues left to explore.
The album kicks off with an outstanding traditional surf punk sounding song, “Choppin’ and Changin’.” While it is the usual “guy loves girl” song, it does take a twist with the gothic ideas softened a bit by the surf punk melody. I personally found “Bikeage,” an instrumental work, to be one of the better songs on the CD (nothing against Vega, definitely!) The intricate drum and guitar interplay on the song show a group that has an extremely tight sound, something that is necessary in surf punk to provide for a great sound.
If there were one song that stepped away from the surf punk sound, it would be “Blackest Night.” The song is about as straightforward as Black Valley Moon is going to get, but Williams and Vega still provide the right mood for the tune. It demonstrates the virtuosity of the band, that they are accomplished in their craft and ready to experiment outside the surf punk arena.
The entirety of Songs from the Black Valley has an eerie, gothic sound to it, but it does not bog down the surf punk sound that they have carved out for themselves. It is also not a CD that you have to dedicate a great deal of time to; only one of the songs (the album ending “Magic Man”) clocks in at over 3:30. You really do not notice this, however, as the songs are so well done that you don’t realize their brevity.
Surf punk is alive and well and taking intriguing steps forward with Black Valley Moon at the helm. For fans of the genre – or just those that are looking for something a little different in their entertainment approach – Black Valley Moon’s Songs from the Black Valley is a worthy addition to your musical library.
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Started in 2019 by Down By Law guitarist Sam Williams and drummer Dave Kamrath, Black Valley Moon uniquely blends surf, rockabilly, retro-Americana and western with goth and horror punk.
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