Jack Valero’s rising star vibes have been amplified in recent weeks. After signing a new deal with Modern Sky UK (Lottery Winners, Miles Kane), he enlisted his friend and labelmate, the acclaimed singer-songwriter Jamie Webster, to produce his upcoming EP ‘Not In Kansas Anymore’ which follows on September 6th. The EP’s first single ‘Always Something You Can Do’ introduced a kaleidoscopic sound with soaring choruses and harmonies and was supported with tastemaker approval from BBC Introducing, Radio X, This Feeling and Amazing Radio. Jack’s slow and steady graft continues with today’s release of the new single ‘Karaoke Dreams’.
Like ‘Always Something You Can Do’, ‘Karaoke Dreams’ continues Jack’s forays into raucous rock gems with big crescendos.
In a song that will surely become an attention-grabbing moment of his live set, Jack takes us from a simple acoustic guitar introduction and layers further flourishes of detail at every turn: guitars bloom to stirring effect and ‘whirl and thrill with perfect guitar chords that have that Johnny Marr sense of perfection‘ (John Robb). In keeping with his affinity for kitchen sink drama story telling the story that Jack shares is a poetic observation on a couple who look as if they’re destined to be together – if only one of them has the courage to make the first move. Told primarily from a third-person perspective, it’s a narrative thatJack has lived through.
As Jack explains, “This song is very personal to me, it’s about being in love with someone who you’re pretty sure feels the same but neither of you will step forward and admit it. Being stuck in a place where you’re both kidding yourselves nothing’s there and you both know it, but it’s never said aloud. It’s all looks and gestures. You both want it to burst out, but it just can’t. You never know if what you’re waiting for is ever going to come and if you’re just being a fool… or at least not yet. This happened to me and I wrote this song after spending an amazing day with that person and feeling so sad when they left. It had a good ending though, ‘cos now we’re getting married.”
‘Karaoke Dreams’ was written by Jack and was produced by Jamie Webster with his regular collaborator Tim Cunningham and performed with the rest of the ‘scouse wrecking crew’ – Jim Sharrock (drums) and Danny Murphy (guitar). The video was filmed in Liverpool and directed by Joe Campbell from renowned local production house Culture City.’
Jack Valero and his band Theo Williams (drums), Jake Mason (guitar), Pedro Silva (bass) and Amie Shouler (vocals) recently played in Europe for the first time. The Amsterdam-based UK new music showcase London Calling picked their packed out set as the highlight of their 2024 event and they know what they’re looking for, having previously presented early shows from big names such as Wet Leg, Wolf Alice and Blur. Having also made a big impression on the Hope Not Hate tour, Jack and the band now get summer underway with big festival dates at Glastonbury, Isle of Wight and Sziget. Their upcoming shows are:
JUNE
22nd – 23rd – Isle of Wight Festival
26th-30th – Glastonbury Festival
JULY
5th – Bolton, Right To Roam
7th – Blackpool, Bootleg Social (with Tom A. Smith)
17th – Bexhill-on-Sea, De La Warr Pavilion, JackoFest
AUGUST
8th – Budapest, Sziget Festival
24th – Hereford, Indie Festival
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