Some songs give you that feeling. You know, THAT FEELING – the one that causes involuntary noises of appreciation and also sends a shiver up your spine in the best way and also makes you feel wistful even as you’re still in the moment of appreciating the song.
The eponymous 2023 debut album from Central Victorian duo Valley Road was an enormous well of that feeling. I wrote about the album at the time and later interviewed band members Rebecca Howell and Marty Mckenna about the songs they had so exquisitely crafted. And while I have not been in any rush to move on from that album, it was wonderful to learn that they have a brand new song, ‘Rising Moon’.
This song is glorious – and having its premiere here today. It does not attempt to mimic anything from the first album; indeed, while it contains Valley Road’s warm country-folk sound, it also moves that sound along, adding texture and building through each chorus to the end. It’s a song about longing and longing for escape. About chasing the moon and seeing where that takes a person. And it’s a song that gives you THAT FEELING.
Howell and Mckenna sound like they were made to sing together but, of course, anything that sounds that effortless usually takes work and diligent attention. It’s just lovely to hear them sing together again, especially knowing that there is a second album on the way later this year, and again they are produced by noted producer Rod McCormack.
If ‘Rising Moon’ is your introduction to Valley Road, it’s a great one. And hopefully it will encourage you to go and listen to their album. Their music will make your life richer.
Listen on bandcamp (or above)
‘Rising Moon’ will be available on streaming platforms from 19 June 2026.
