Review Summary: A much under-appreciated album from a consistently underrated band: here, there's at least one thing for absolutely anyone
I've long had the temptation to create an account and lay down some reviews, and when I saw the 2.9 rating for Valencia's latest release I knew the time had come. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a pop-punk fanboy (or a fanboy of any kind for that matter); and to give any album a "5" is a VERY bold statement to make - but I do believe I am completely justified in giving this elevated rating, because based on how I personally feel about this album, 'classic' is exactly the word I'd use to describe 2010's Dancing With a Ghost.
Perhaps the more than underwhelming rating for this album stems from Valencia's adaptations in their sound from their previous more generic punk releases; and I'd be willing to bet that the same people who disliked this would also be posting negative reviews saying "no attempt in growth", "this band has not progressed", "good attempt Valencia but it would be nice to see you leave your comfort zone" had the Philadelphia quintet stuck to the formula used for their previous two albums.
Instead, the band has noted the most successful aspects of previous successes and made a brave movement towards releasing something different; something new. Something fresh for the pop punk scene to sink its teeth into, while appealing to a much wider set of people. Each and every song here from the 10-tracks (12 if you include the more traditional-sounding b-sides "Adrenaline" and "Fight or Flight", 15 with the rare additional tracks "Pieces", "Airwaves" and "Wake Up" which I unfortunately don't own) has something unique to offer to the listener, each as appealing as the next. And here's why.
01. Dancing With a Ghost
The album opens with a typical fun little pop punk track, with an added sprinkling of something that makes it extra enjoyable. The first 40 seconds or so of the song are enough to keep you interested to see where it's going, and then the chorus drops in - there is emotion behind the chorus and it manages to be a sing along chorus without having to resort to gang vocals. The second verse flurries onward, featuring a sweet little melody playing behind the vocals and guitars on what sounds like a marimba while also incorporating a more classic sounding electric guitar tab over the top. The lyrical content is showcased finely with lines such as "you'll feel better when you face all of your fears" - the title track sums up what the rest of the album is going to be, which is fun, pretty, and highly enjoyable.
4.5/5
02. Spinning Out
Opening with a more gentle introduction, aided by some strings (pizzicato?) and piano in the background, the second track deepens the emotive mood as it progresses towards the (slightly more generic) chorus. Despite this standardisation of guitar usage the song retains its sincerity well and is certainly something different from your run-of-the-mill pop punk. As the closing harmonisation quiets out, there is of course every possibility that Valencia have played their two best cards first off.
3.5/5
03. Still Need You Around (Lost Without You)
No. That's not the case. What's this, a pop punk band trying their hand at an emotional piano-lead song...? Folks, here is reason number one why this is album is above amazing: track numero 3. Lyrically, this song references Shane's girlfriend who died in a car crash before the release of their sophomore album 'We All Need A Reason To Believe'. On a personal level this is one of the few songs in my entire life to bring me to tears - Henderson sings with absolute conviction, also mentioning his (perhaps also dead?) father, and we completely believe that he means what he is singing. The song addresses loss of loved ones through more than the superficial boundaries of mere break-up or estrangement - because you see, death is something just as real, twice as tragic, and impossible to go back on. Nonetheless, as the song builds up and climaxes towards the end we are not overrun by depression and angst - instead the lyrics channel a far more positive attitude, like a conclusion of the thoughts of the first half, and Shane tells us to "live it up, live it up - because you'll never know. Time is always running, it'll always guide you home" while reminding us that he doesn't want to go on alone. And we pay attention to his advice because of the honesty in his singing - this is a guy who knows what he's talking about. Highlights of this song are (as per usual) the lyrics, the sweet almost scared-sounding voice that sings "I don't want to go on alone" between verses, the overall masterful piano work, and finally the undescribably atmospheric and moving climax. It would be lovely to hear this on the radio, and it's certainly capable - Adele, Rihanna etc are great and all but the existence of songs like Still Need You Around yet their complete lack of airtime just underlines the fact that Valencia don't have the popularity they so convincingly deserve.
5/5
04. Consider Me Dead
One of the slower and less appealing tracks on the album - in complete honesty this song took me a while to get into, and is among my least favourites on the album (alongside Spinning Out). But a lot of Valencia's fans seems to approve of this song nonetheless. This song almost seems like some vocal form of an interlude to me, as although the song achieves momentum and power it also has something very laid-back to it. The song closes with screams of angst matched up over the top of guitars and standard singing. For me this track would have been better off as a b-side while one of the b-sides became track 4 - I think if the b-side Fight or Flight (another catchy little more punk-aligned tune) had been placed here, the rating of the album could have been bolstered a bit more for other uses. Least enjoyable on the album, however just as savoury as most pleasant pop punk tracks.
3.5/5
05. Losing Sleep
Consider Me Dead melts into track 5, a far more traditional sounding Valencia song. There's not really a lot to say about this one asides from the fact that it is Valencia's roots shining through and they do a good job of keeping it as catchy as you'd expect it to be. The song doesn't feature anything unique or adventurous but it works just as well, because most of the songs surrounding it ARE unorthodox pop punk, therefore this is one that will please older fans while still shining out.
4.0/5
06. Friday Night
Once again another old-school Valencia fan pleaser, the opening of this track incorporates an interesting chime and strings based melody reminiscent of fairy tales; before sliding back into that great formula that worked so well on their previous releases. This is a song that will go down well live. Production wise it's really nice to hear a clear depth on the bass to support the vocals in the more passive verses. Lyrics again shine with lines such as "I only regret the things I haven't done yet".
4.0/5
07. Somewhere I Belong
To be straight, this has become my favourite song of all time - I've never heard anything quite like it, and everyone that I've shown it to agrees with me on the beauty of it. This track is reason number two why this album should not have an average rating of 2.9 - there is an incredibly unique and beautiful side to this record that offers something entirely different from the generic music Valencia's peers so consistently rush to produce. We desperately need to see more experimental aspects from not just Valencia but the whole genre - Valencia themselves are the flagship for this and it's no wonder when they produce tracks like this. The song utilises flawless harmonisation of vocals, strings, percussion; and when the chorus arrives, there is a whole plethora of instruments to appreciate that you would not expect to hear from the punk genre. When the chorus hits, it hits hard; the whole track is highly atmospheric and once again Shane's emotion blazes through via his perfect vocals - I realise I'm probably starting to sound gay about now, but that's okay, because I can't use words enough to do justice to the impeccable state of this track. Another track more than adept enough for radio play, I will still be listening to this one in 10 years like it's the first time I've heard it.
5/5
08. Days Go By
Opening with twinkling bells and our pop brethren's familiar hand clapping, the vocals persist at their high rate throughout while classic punk permeates into pop. This track really encases the amalgamation of genres that we idly refer to as 'pop punk', as it features prominent aspects of both genres; once again, another catchy little tune, this one firmly bracketing Somewhere I Belong. A nice little edit to make Shane's "f***ed up sense of pride" just "screwed up" and I can once again see a real contender for the charts here.
5/5
09. The Way
Track 9 contains influence from Henderson's side project, Promise of Redemption, as shown by the acoustic opening melody. The song quickly progresses into our favourite type of Valencia guitar lead chorus, with Shane delivering more convincing animation to his vocals. The vibraphone makes a brief appearance in the bridge just before Shane sings with frustration "my best is never enough" and the guitars fade out, rolling us into the closer.
4.5/5
10. Stop Searching
The beginning of the song, some gentle slow-paced piano playing, is well placed in juxtaposition with the delicious burst of guitars some 15 seconds into the track; while again sticking to a more well appreciated design, the song might not be anything too new (unlike some of the other tracks) but it does not prevent Stop Searching from being a loud and fantastic conclusion to the record. The track does briefly feature some "Hey! Hey!" gang chants but this has never been overdone by Valencia and as it is the only real chant to be featured on this record (alongside the "oooooooh"s on the title track) the technique is scarce and therefore not a cheap gimmick in the slightest - serving only as further solidifying the palatable offerings the closer has. Stop Searching ends quite abruptly however and is one of the rare moments the album borderlines on being unsavoury - for the pure reason that the last 36 minutes have been so enjoyable, it's a shame to be so suddenly interrupted. I'm not going to pretend that this is a good effect either - excluding b-sides and unreleased/unofficial tracks, Valencia has produced a mere 30 songs in 5 years, and so anyone who has only bought their standard LP's will be left suddenly thinking "so that's it for the next two and a half years then...". Good thing then that this album is one of the most replayable and lasting records to be released since ... ever.
4.0/5
11. Adrenaline
12. Fight or Flight
Valencia have since released a 12" (or maybe 7") called "B-sides & Rarities", including these two Dancing With a Ghost b-sides. They add a more traditional Valencia sound to the album and Adrenaline in particular plays well off the back of Stop Searching's sharp finish. Adrenaline finishes up just under the 2 minute mark, in a very classic punk form, and does not outstay it's welcome at all - if you hear the song, you'll understand why 1 minute 57 seconds is just the right length, and it works well. Fight or Flight is particularly nostalgic of Dancing With a Ghost's predecessor, We All Need A Reason. Adrenaline would have worked well as a final track, and a minor track listing re-work to fit Fight or Flight in to perhaps bracket one side of Consider Me Dead would have worked well too for those with more skeptical opinions on their advancement and growth as a band. This is what I think would have pleased most other people a little more however - so for me this is still a solid 5. It just means that had the b-sides been included, I'd have to request sputnik add an extra rating above that topmost 5.
4.5/5
Man Overboard want to Defend Pop Punk, and I don't think they could have a better ally to accomplish that with than Valencia. While retaining much of their original charm, Valencia have expanded their talent and knowledge of musicianship even further with 2010's Dancing With a Ghost - small details added to the songs, particularly the intros, makes this record something completely different from what any other pop punk band has to offer. The sheer uncommon ambient sound of Still Need You Around and Somewhere I Belong yet their suitability completely blows what anyone else has to offer out of the water, alongside charming ventures like Days Go By and Spinning Out.
Dancing With a Ghost contains sounds that will have something to offer to absolutely anyone - any person would find at least one thing to enjoy from this album, old/young/RnB lover/metalhead, and the enthrallment of it all is that Valencia haven't had to sell out to accomplish this - new sounds may equate to new fans but the whole thing remains a delightful listen for anyone who's ever enjoyed pretty much any aspect of pop punk - and all of this is accomplished without the slightest trace of arrogance on their behalf. I cannot WAIT to see what Valencia will have for us over the next few years, and I'll be wishing hard that they start to receive some of the attention they deserve.
Concluding summation
Production - 5/5
Crisp, flawlessly clear and powerful where it needs to be
Lyrics - 4.5/5
At times as cheesy as pop punks loves, and needs to be, but in purely original & relatable ways
Sound - 4.5/5
Growth (and success in it) that few bands could even comprehend
Replay value - 5/5
Some of the tracks presented will just never lose their prominence
This band is a cute quintet of sheer honed talent of musicianship lyrically, musically and vocally, and I can once again only stress the importance of the fact that this will be an album I can play through endlessly without getting bored and I'm sure I will be able to do the same when I'm growing old and reminiscing about my crazy young days. In decades, I will look back and wonder why I once listened to A Day to Remember, Bring Me the Horizon, Emmure etc... but I will NEVER tire of Valencia. This is music.
And that is why I personally believe Valencia's monumental 2010 release, Dancing With a Ghost, is highly deserving of a 5/5 rating.
