The new single for Melbourne band Collegians is a blistering indie pop rock song that’s as anthemic as it is reflective, a high-octane blend of rousing melodic fervour splayed over a pulsing undercurrent of personal introspection.
The new track follows a string of recent single releases including Vaccine (finalist in two categories of the USA Songwriting Competition), Black Mass (#09 debut iTunes rock charts, Top 5 AMRAP) and Killer (top ten iTunes alternative charts, Top 5 AMRAP).
The Valley was mixed by Grammy-nominated Travis Ference (Imagine Dragons, Eagles of Death Metal, St. Vincent). The new track ushers in a new era for the act, with its expansive sonic palette, celebratory lyric and radiant dynamics. Fronted by British-born Glenn Patrick, The Valley brings to life all the spirit and spark of a live act in the dizzying throes of a performance. As Glenn says of the song, ‘With this track we really wanted to merge the two sides of the band, to bring together the more deliberate and meditative side and marry that to the raw immediacy of our live set’.
The Valley is a vivid encapsulation of a band honing their sound, exploring the balance between the hypnotic intonations of pop and the voracious elements of rock. It kicks off with a melancholic melody that segues into a sparse yet ascending pre-chorus and explodes into an expansive uplifting chorus, replete with soaring vocals, evocative guitars and ambient textures swirling in the background.
There are healthy doses of indie-pop here but hat’s kept in check by loads of energy, with the incessant new wave drum part leading the charge.
The song can be viewed as lyrically ambiguous but there are undeniable sparks of hope embedded into the huge chorus, with the key line, ‘tonight the lights that will go out could go on forever’, conjuring images of renewal and regeneration amid the passing of time. The Valley is an interesting indie rock record and one that marks a notable evolution in the Collegians story.