Mundy's Bay - Lonesome Valley

It would appear more than a coincidence that most of the great new albums that I've listened to lately are from Canadian bands and every one ploughs a different furrow, so it isn't a scene. Mundy's Bay are a quartet from Montreal and they offer up some great Guitar Pop.

Whilst dwelling in Indie, whatever that means these days, the band could easily stick to Twee Dream Pop with a vocalist as good as Esther Mulders, but it is a credit to the band that they explore many directions and that is what makes this such an accomplished debut album.








Mulders is such an exceptional vocalist that she can adapt to whatever you want her to be. Visions Of You is classic Shoegaze which she purrs through, then it could be Shirley Manson on Heavy Bloom and at other times Wendy James or Kirsty MacColl spring to mind.

That isn't to say that this is an album of nods to others, it is just that the variation leads you that way. Dreams is classic Glasgow C86 onwards and Moonlight borders on being a Torch Song. Seasons Pass sounds like a rocked up KT Tunstall and is probably the best song here.








The maturity in the arrangements and the fact that not many can be as accomplished on Indie Guitar albums, particularly newer bands who tend to front load albums and allow them to run out of steam. There's not a sign of that here as Mundy's Bay provide an exceptional debut album and I look forward to hearing more in the future.







You can listen to and buy the album here.


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