The Valley
In 2020 Emma Ruth Rundle and Thou released a 7 track album that has literally haunted me in my sleep: May Our Chambers Be Full.
I'm not (or at least wasn't) a devoted Thou or ERR fan, and only heard about this album through friend sevenparameters.com. Since this introduction, I have skimmed the Thou and ERR discographies, and dived deeper into some albums. This release is unmistakably Thou, and also unmistakably ERR. Their styles are so well suited to each other, and have been blended together perfectly.
The Valley is the final track on the album, and on the first listen it confused me. Why would this long, slowly building track be at the end of an album? Shouldn't it be part of the build up at the beginning?
When I listened to the rest of the album it all fell into place. The songs are like sets in ocean swell, with peaks and troughs coming at you relentlessly, and effortlessly. The first 6 waves you can float over. The Valley is the big wave of the set. The wave that picks you up, turns you upside down, and sends you crashing down into the water, filled with confusion and adrenaline. The one that leaves you wanting more, but maybe after a break on the beach for a while.
Listen to this song. Listen to the whole album. And while you're at it, listen to the cover of The Cranberries' Hollywood.
