In the years between 2005 debut Valencia This could be a possibility [I Surrender Records] and the forthcoming release we all need a reason to believe that much beloved pop-punk quintet - vocalist Shane Henderson, drummer Max Soria bassist George Ciukurescu and guitarists JD Perry and Brendan Walter - have held the kind of positive attitude that you can not find in most rock bands today
"So a lot of music out there now is negative," said Valencia frontman Henderson with a heavy sigh, "It's about someone complaining about their lives, but it is We wrote this record, we wanted to write about how you should be happy and how you should not let what's happening in your life upset you "
In order to really understand the gravity of this statement needs to go back to the beginning of 2003 onwhich point the members of Valencia had just started to play the Philadelphia underground punk scene Just like their musical heroes before them, the band's career began with playing sweat-soaked show in the basement and vet halls while trying to balance the usual routine of early morning college courses and afternoons spent on a dead end job "In the beginning it was just a lot going on" remembers Walter "There was a point where I, George and JD were all the finals during the day when we would go back and forth between the studio Then we would have to break away for a show, it was a lot of work and at that time we did everything ourselves "
At the time Valencia ended his first album, this could be a possibility in the autumn of 2005 thereas hard work had paid avf released on I Surrender Records (a modest indie companies run by one of his boyhood idols before Midtown drummer Rob find) album was quickly praised by magazines such as Spin and Alternative Press, while the band's live performances degree from the dank Veterinary halls for wrapped dates with hugely popular artists like Fall Out Boy
All and all it was a promising time for the band, but during the tour that May Henderson (then 21) got some cutting news back in Newtown PA girlfriend were injured in a freak accident and had been rushed to the hospital show that night was canceled and the members of Valencia immediately turned around the van and headed home, unfortunately they were too late when they came home, Henderson's girlfriend was already deadexplained
The tragic death of the spring sent shock waves through the Valencia camp, but they persevered and started to eventually work on an album of new material by winter 2007, the band found themselves camped out in Los Angeles where they teamed up with producer Ariel Rechtshaid [PLAIN White T's We Are Scientists Say Everything] to record their sophomore release
The end result is we all need a reason to believe an eclectic affair that explores what happens when five young men suddenly forced to deal with some very adult issues that remain is full of pop-punk hooks, but also with a much more mature statement is on tracks like "All At Once" that Valencia is still churn out the kind of inch-thick hooks that made this could beone possibility, however, a cult hit When Henderson lets out the songs final verse, a full-on orchester backs him and his band mates in other places on the arrest of singing "Listen Up" and "Where did you go?" songs take on surprising musical depth, while the band get a little help on vocals from the starting line's Kenny Vasoli and Rachel Minton from Zolof The Rock 'n' Roll Destroyer
One of the album's most convincing moments can be heard on "The Good Life" a rollicking alt country song that was inspired by the sudden death of Henderson's girlfriend "The whole experience deeply affected my life," says Henderson, "We wanted to write a post that looked at the brighter side and has songs on the album that portrays the hope and optimism"
end that is what Valencia haver done on other groups that spend the years between adolescence and adulthood complain about their latest resolution the members of Valencia have made an album with the kind of unrelenting optimism that one can not help but admire
