MARC VALENTINE - ‘Uncommon Side Effects’ Album review

At 28 minutes long the album is shorter than many a guitar solo, Prog intro or indeed some of my track-by-track reviews (which you may be glad to read this isn’t). But if you’re going to release 10 songs on a sub-30 minute album this is how to do it. Short bursts of glorious power pop to the brain. Insanely memorable keyboard riffs which will have you Twisting, standing or seated (maybe that was just me, but I think not) in ‘NY UAP’; a massive ‘Living After Midnight’-style guttural, raw guitar riff in ‘High in the Underground’; the Bolan-esque ‘You Are the Jet’ (okay, let’s admit it - the glamtastic influence of the metal guru is felt throughout this album); and the closing communal sing-along of ‘When The Light Has Gone’. Not to mention sing-along choruses and melodies … always and everywhere.

And produced by no less than Dave Draper and Little Steven this is nectar to the ears and sonically soars.

‘Uncommon Side Effects’ provides a glorious fusion of power pop and glam rock, and a shot of musical dopamine for the soul; as his third solo album, it also importantly firmly establishes Marc Valentine as an artist in his own right and who deserves to be much more widely known as such, rather than just as an erstwhile Last Great Dreamer - another much-loved band with huge promise for whom the breaks sadly didn’t happen.

Ladies, gentlemen and non-binary friends, I give you Marc Valentine. No other explanation required.

‘Uncommon Side Effects’ is released on Wicked Cool Records and is available now on all of the usual platforms.

GMcA