Following an unfortunate period in the immediate aftermath of the White Stripes, two-piece acts seemed to be all the rage. However, it’s been some time since a hard rocking duo emerged to take the world by storm, making Sky Valley Mistress something of an exciting prospect. Influenced by a heady mix of psychedelic, stoner rock, and indie, Sky Valley Mistress nod to the likes of Blues Pills, Pink Floyd, Spiritualized, QOTSA, The Kills, and more, pulling everything together for an eclectic, 9-track album titled Luna Mausoleum.
Honestly, opening number, An Eagle’s Epitaph, tells you little as to what’s in store, given that it’s largely an ambient haze of noise and semi-spoken word elements. As such, when The Exit List takes elements from stoner rock and trip hop, it comes as some surprise. The resulting psychedelic brew captures the attention, with the band nodding to the acid-etched indie-rock of bands such as the Cooper Temple Clause with their brisk, breezy sound.
Having grabbed the attention, the band focus on keeping it with the airy Too Many Ghosts, which has a sweeping indie-rock vibe that nods to the likes of The Kills, The Pixies, and The Breeders. The deftly balanced mix allows the nimble bassline to breathe here, while placing a well-deserved focus on Kayley Davies’ vocals. It’s a cracking track and, by the time No Sleep comes into view, the band have found their groove, delivering a blistering rocker that combines the dark groove of The Kills with the punky crunch of the late, lamented Seafood.
Emerging from the sound of a rainstorm, the subtle, bluesy House Of The Moon is perfectly suited to Kayley’s smoky, soulful vocal and the band happily resist the temptation to let it swell too soon. When the central riff does kick in, it stabs at the listener, probing the way for the hulking great psych-rock explosion that follows. A dynamic piece of music that covers the gamut of the band’s influences, it finds the band raging at the sky before leaving the listener with an unexpectedly cinematic coda reminiscent of Clint Mansel’s work on Requiem For A Dream.
Segueing directly from its lengthy, exploratory predecessor, Live Past Life has no such delusions of grandeur, the band opting for a full-tilt rocker that races towards a conclusion that allows for one of the album’s most thunderous riffs. The pace slows on the soulful White Night, which provides another showcase for Kayley’s wondrous voice, as Maxwell Newsome lays down a backing that nods to Mad Season’s earthy blues.
Aptly arriving on a riff that detonates like a thunderbolt, Thundertaker is a dynamic rocker that cruises the desert in search of heavenly pyrotechnics and, when the chorus lands, it more than delivers. Heavy, groovy, and with a stellar performance from both Kayley and Maxwell, it’s a gloriously timeless slab of hard rock that will threaten the foundation of any venue the band choose to grace with its presence.
This short, dangerously addictive album wraps up with the slinky, dynamic, Blue Desert II. Beautifully paced, this epic finale takes its time to fully reveal its charms, and it’s one of those songs that just needs to be turned up loud to fully appreciate the tidal wave of guitar-driven bliss when it finally arrives. Combining elements of vintage Floyd with Portishead and Kyuss, it’s the ending the album deserved, and it leaves you very much wondering where Sky Valley Mistress will take us next.
Luna Mausoleum is one of those albums that creeps into your consciousness. The first time I heard it, I was impressed but was perhaps expecting something more immediate. Nevertheless, when the record finished, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I needed to hear it again and, by spin number three, I was entirely hooked. Beautifully produced and arranged it’s a record that deserves your time and attention and, like the best albums, it really does benefit from being heard in a single sitting (with some great physical editions available, the band have this angle covered).
Take your time with Sky Valley Mistress. A band who are much more interested in writing great songs than courting the attention-span deficit generation who have become hooked on Spotify, Luna Mausoleum is an album that will last. Grab a copy while you can. 9/10
