Dark Matter

They Say...

Review by Eduardo Rivadavia, All Music Guide

Although its title suggests some kind of celebration for the more mysterious nooks and crannies of the (un)known universe, 2008's entrancing Dark Matter may just be the least "spacy" album of Valis' career. Indeed, where previous discs often found vocalist/guitarist Van Conner (ex-Screaming Trees) and his cohorts embarking on interstellar travel like a secondary sister ship to supreme Space Lords Monster Magnet, Dark Matter sees their feet planted firmly on earthly soil, and the end product may just be the group's most diverse and immediate album to date. Now, don't fret none; it's not that Valis have abandoned their post-stoner rock songwriting comfort zone, but rather discovered a newfound desire to suck the marrow out of each and every song idea in order to cash out instant dividends, regardless of their stylistic provenance. Starting with the more familiar-sounding material, the head-nodding "Daylight in the Swamps" is classic rock defined, and heavier-handed numbers like "Resurrection Sickness," "Grapevine Earthquake, and "Battleship" boast colossal fuzz-rock riffs, as ominous and dangerously acidic as earthlings are bound to hear this year, Van's strained but effective Ozzy-esque cries sailing above them. But Valis will really open some eyes with more experimental tracks like the post-psych power pop of "Down Like Rain," the achingly mournful ballad "Hands of Grace," and the misleadingly named "Under Satan's Will," which, with its bubblegum synth lines draped over a surprisingly alternative rock-like descending riff, sounds like the Dandy Warhols on valium. And no, that's not an especially hoarse Mark Lanegan you hear singing on the quietly acoustic "Everyone Sun," but Van's baby brother Patrick Conner, who also takes lead vocals on the less memorable "Blood on Blood" and aforementioned "Hands of Grace." When it's all said and done, Dark Matter isn't necessarily perfect, but it's damn, damn good, and a more ideal starting point for new Valis fans to punch their tickets than any one of their prior releases.