Valley Maker – When I Was a Child – Album Review

Brick Lane Records

By Erin Donnelly

Seattle’s Valley Maker released When I Was a Child in 2015, and it is phenomenal.  Singer-songwriter Austin Crane, who is also the lead vocalist, not only has an exceptional voice, but is also a fantastic guitar player. Valley Maker plays sweet and romantic songs that any genre of music fan would appreciate.

The album consists of twelve profound and emotional tracks about love, life, death, and the many unanswerable questions in life. The gentle sounds from the acoustic guitar, and combination of Crane’s voice and Amy Godwin’s delightful background vocals have formed beautiful and passionate music.

“Only Time”, the fourth track, would be my personal favourite. The melody and lyrics are simply remarkable. The way that Crane writes his lyrics has made it easily relatable for listeners, with a line from the song that is: “I don’t even try, I don’t even try that much these days.” I find the entire song to be very powerful, but this line stands out as a moment when he may have felt weak, or was going through a tough time in his life. Throughout the track he sings of the importance of life, as well as someone important in his life, with a poignant and memorable line of: “only time goes away”, sending a strong message to listeners.

The entire ensemble does a great job of expressing Cranes lyrics. “By My Side”, “Pretty Little Life Form” and “Another Way Home” are a few other fantastic tracks to watch out for.

If you’re looking for relaxed, folk music, the album When I Was a Child by Valley Maker is one that you will enjoy, and is available now.

Valley Maker is currently on tour and will be playing at Let’s Be Frank on March 11th in Toronto.

http://www.valleymaker.com/