In Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, shadows of its industrial past linger like ghosts. Once flourishing from the fruits of coal mining, the region has since grappled with economic desolation, unsettling crime rates, and the disheartening tentacles of opioid addiction. These troubles have led some academic analyses to label this locale as the “least happy place in the US.”
Yet, amidst the grayness, a defiant spark ignites: Death Valley Dreams. This native ensemble, with its intoxicating blend of indie alternative and synth rock, seems to drink deeply from the town’s poignant, if somber, spirit. Rather than succumbing to the pall of despair, the group transmutes the very essence of their environment into symphonic alchemy. Their craft unveils a mosaic of evocative melodies, profound poetic ponderings, richly layered guitars, and entrancing synth orchestrations, capturing the raw emotional breadth of a town familiar with struggle, but unfamiliar with surrender.
Death Valley Dreams has released a new single called “Leave Me Alone,” featuring Brandon Yeagley of Crobot. The song is a vibrant mix of new wave pop and showcases the band’s exceptional musical skills. The release comes ahead of their appearances at the Louder Than Life and Aftershock Festivals. With the song, the band ensnars listeners with magnetic hooks that cling, thumping rock rhythms that demand a foot-tap, ethereal guitar wails that speak to the soul, and lush synthesizers that engulf one in a sonic embrace.
Evoking the electrifying dynamism of The Killers, the gritty edge of The Strokes, the danceable allure of Franz Ferdinand, and the brooding mystique of Interpol, “Leave Me Alone” is a tempestuous, yet exhilarating ride.
“Originally we had a certain a singer with a higher voice of a well-known band from the UK in mind for this song,” teases vocalist Nick Coyle, coyly. “When that ended up falling through, I thought who do I know whose voice would fit what we were hearing? Instantly I thought of my old friend Brandon Yeagley of Crobot. I called him up and he came down to my home studio and absolutely killed it.”
Listen below:
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