09/23/09
Text: Scott Indrisek
Valleys is a Canadian band that specializes in unorthodox pop arrangements, ample fuzz, melancholy melodies, and guy-gal vocals that are more Ida than Mates of State. (We could abbreviate that and, copping an anonymous journalist, call it "synth-infused fear-folk.") They're quietly beautiful without ever verging on cute and cloying. But rather than take our word for it, just buy their debut full-length, Sometimes Water Kills People, which also features some of the most moodily awesome cover art we've seen in a while. Band mates Tillie Perks and Marc St Louis weighed in on inebriated performances, the eternal excellence of Montreal, and the comfort level of their therapist's couch.
Valleys plays Bruar Falls in Brooklyn on October 8th.
BAND NAME: Valleys
HOMETOWN: Montreal
YOUR SOUND IN TWO SENTENCES: Marc St. Louis: "Our short answer is usually slow rock, but my favorite description was from a local paper who called us 'hallucinogenic, hollow-hearted, synth-infused, fear-folk.'"
FAVORITE NIGHTSPOT IN THE CITY YOU CALL HOME, AND WHY: MSL: "Casa Del Popolo. It's one of our favorite places to play, best nachos and cheap whiskey."
THREE BANDS OTHER THAN YOUR OWN THAT YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT: Slint, Liars, Six Organs of Admittance
YOUR MOST HORRIFIC CONCERT ACCIDENT: Tillie Perks: "Years ago, when we were still a two-piece I got too drunk before a show and insulted the sound man by repositioning his mics then I fucked up all our songs and had to apologize to the room afterwards."
YOUR NERDIEST EQUIPMENT FETISH: MSL: "I wish we were a band who had equipment to be fetishized about."
MUSICIAN, LIVING OR DEAD, YOU’D MOST LIKE TO SLEEP WITH IN AN ALTERNATE REALITY: Marc: Katie Perry. Tillie: Kurt Cobain
FAVORITE RECORD LABEL: Drag City
MOST INTERESTING OR OVER-THE-TOP ARTICLE OF CLOTHING IN YOUR WARDROBE: Tillie Perks: "Dragon-printed kimono."
FAVORITE PIECE OF FURNITURE: MSL: "My shrink's couch. It's got memory foam."
PIECE OF TECHNOLOGY YOU WILL FOREVER NEED: MSL: "Chopsticks."
SOMETHING THAT'S ALWAYS IN YOUR POCKET/PURSE/WALLET: MSL: "Purell."
LYRIC YOU'RE MOST PROUD OF:"He makes the kindest mistakes/but not the kind of mistakes we can ignore."
WHY SHOULD WE BE AFRAID OF THE MURDEROUS POTENTIALS OF WATER?: MSL: "Because its gonna get you."
YOUR DAY JOBS WHEN YOU’RE NOT BEING A ROCK BAND:Busgirl (Tillie) / Waiter (Marc)
SCALE, FROM 1 TO 10, OF HOW MUCH MONTREAL STILL FITS ITS MEDIA-GENERATED REPUTATION AS A MECCA FOR MUSIC LOVERS AND ARTISTS (AND WHY): Tillie Perks: "10! The music scene here is amazing. Musicians from everywhere are drawn to Montreal so the music scene is really diverse and interesting. It has the best conventional and DIY venues."
FAVORITE GUY/GIRL INDIE DUO IN MUSIC HISTORY: MSL: "Are the Carpenters 'indie'?"
