Every Valley PSB

Unusual experience yesterday. I read a review of four new albums in the pop section and knew what they were talking about. I'd not heard of Broken Social Service, but I am aware of Arcade Fire and War on Drugs who apparently followed in their pioneering wake.

Then there was Calvin Harris whose name rang a bell (as did those of Pharell Williams and Arian Grande who are involved on this album I think).

There was also Haim who I've got (rightly or wrongly) next to the Staves in my galaxy of bands I don't know much about.

Anyway, I'm only aware of these becasue I have or have had teenage sons. The fourth album reviewed was a new one by Public Broadcasting Service. I became aware of them when I heard the track Go on Radio 2 one Saturday afternoon. I consequently purchased most of the album The race for space. The other items didn't quite grab me. This new album Every Valley however is about the rise and fall of the South Wales coal field and was recorded in my home county. Having grown up on the eastern edge of the coal field (one of my uncles was a miner as was a great grandfather in Cwmbran itself) I was drawn by this offering and after a listen through on itunes downloaded it in digital form.

Some potential cliches are there (a song in the Welsh language, the final track is done by Beaufort Male Voice) but plenty of others are avoided - a song about Aberfan and references to Margaret Thatcher, Scargill, etc. Rather, the whole thing is done in a more general way in my opinion comes together very well.

Worth checking out. Start here.
This is also well worth looking at.