Fall Out Boy has a song entitled ‘Sophomore Slump or Comeback of the Year?’. For Valencia, the answer to that question is the latter.

We All Need a Reason to Believe was arguably the rock/pop album of the year in 2008.

Their debut, This Could Be a Possibility, was released in 2005. It had a very pop/punk sound but I feel it was greatly overlooked because at this point EVERYONE wanted to be in a band with that sound. It was definitely well done though, and those of you who have not picked it up should do so (see Amazon and iTunes links below).

When I initially listened to We All Need a Reason to Believe I expected more of the same. I was completely wrong; as this album has much more of a pop/rock sound to it. It’s much more polished, but unlike the new All Time Low cd, which i was extremely disappointed in, this is not a bad thing. In fact, for ATL is was straight-up awful.

These songs by Valencia, however polished they may be, are not any of the junk you will hear on the Top 20 Countdown on your local radio station. If pop/rock music is done well, it can be very catchy and very good. The gurus behind the board of the artists who churn out songs for the radio surely are masters of the first part. The second part is the one that they, more often than not, completely ignore.

From the opening track of We All Need a Reason to Believe you’ll know this is a record you can’t help but play loud and sing along to. ‘Better Be Prepared’, the aforementioned track, is a song the lead singer wrote about the passing away of his girlfriend. The song has an ubelievable chorus, and I have heard that the song is extremely powerful and emotional when they play it in concert. The bridge and chorus are:

So here’s a couple words for you
To let you know what I’ve been through
I’ve got this off-track set mind
Where everything is fine
If I know I got a ticket to the other side

And I’ll breathe you in tonight
I’ll find my own way home
You know I’ll be fine

You got me walking through
The back door, back door
Hoping that I’ll find you sitting there
You know that I will find you somehow
And I better be well prepared

This song is just one of several on the album that allude to this loss. I have a feeling the lines
Have you been through what I’ve been through?
From the top of the world you’ll see
It’s safe to just let go
from the song ‘Free’ also references the loss Shane encountered.

‘Head in Hands’ is another song that hits the subject:

Head in hands I’m fine
But I’ve fighting it just isn’t worth my time
It’s not a way to die/Suffocated by stress
My life is a mess its not right

Not unlike Sherwood (Sherwood review), the songs are extremely upbeat and easy to relate to; whether or not we have experienced a loss as tragic as his. The twist in these songs as opposed to a lot of other songs is that there is always a positive message ingrained between lyrics that may not be as cheery.

Click the album artwork below to purchase songs or the entire albums from Valencia on iTunes:

This Could Be A Possibility

We All Need a Reason to Believe

Or, if you prefer to shop at Amazon, check out their discography in CD and MP3 format: Valencia

Check out the video for Valencia’s single from We All Need a Reason to Believe:

Valencia – Where Did You Go?

All photos, music, and videos copyright of their respective owners. Used only for promotional purposes and to gain notoriety for the artists featured.

08162009