Morton Valence
It could be a person, a product, a washing powder or a type of car,鈥 explains Robert Jesset, 鈥渂ut we just called the band Morton Valence, as that鈥檚 where a friend of ours had a recording studio.鈥 For such an incidental naming, the heroic-sounding Morton Valence perfectly suits the stylized romance of the band.
Concept album, Bob and Veronica Ride Again, tells the tale of an unlikely couple who embark on a dreamy journey, leaving behind past disappointments to eventually find domestic bliss. Backed by musical three-piece, The Medellin Mafia (Leo Fernandez, Camilo Parra and Alex Paleaz), the vocals of Robert Jesset and Anne Gilpin narrate the legend of Bob and Veronica. Male/female duos are not synonymous with cool, however, mainly due to the seductive quality of Gilpin鈥檚 voice, the vocal pairing of Jesset and Gilpin manages to evoke the glamour of a by-gone era whilst delivering a truly modern sound.
From the aesthetic of the album art, inspired by 1970s Mills & Boon romance novels, Morton Valence enthusiastically embrace the sound and style of popular culture. 鈥淭he word 鈥榩op鈥 has become sullied, boy bands, girl bands, Simon Cowell etc,鈥 explains Jessett, 鈥渂ut beautiful pop is magical, escapist music that gives you a larger than life feeling.鈥 First track, Veronica鈥檚 Revenge, opens with the sound of the London tube train, recorded on Jesset鈥檚 Olympus voice-recorder. Capturing the sound of London, this layering of real-life street noise over often-surreal narrative adds an extra dimension to these uplifting, country-infused rock鈥檔鈥 roll ballads. Add heavy synths and electric strings to the mix, and Morton Valence is an idiosyncratic art conceit worthy of comparison to seminal artists Phil Spector, Art Brut and the Butthole Surfers. The uniting factor among this seemingly dissimilar cohort of influences is the timeless appeal of undeniable individuality.
Signed to an independent label, Jesset became increasingly disillusioned. 鈥淚t was hugely frustrating, we were forced into having a record cover we didn鈥檛 like, and lost control over what we were doing.鈥 The unorthodox solution was to leave the label and sell album shares directly to their fans via the band鈥檚 Myspace page. 鈥淭he response was amazing,鈥 reveals Jesset, 鈥溌20,000 raised so far.鈥
This tactic of floating shares is not an easy option, so why has it been so successful for Morton Valence? Jesset has a genuine, passionate respect for his fans. 鈥淔ans are the lifeblood of any band. We鈥檝e been gigging for a long time, we鈥檝e built up a solid group of fans, and we鈥檙e collaborating with them,鈥 Jesset expands, 鈥渨hen a record company comes along, they help themselves to your fans鈥 money and give you a small cut. We want to generate profit for our fans.鈥 Cutting out the middlemen has allowed the band the purity of creative vision, whilst simultaneously proving idealism can drive a commercially successful venture. In the age of the pirate download, this direct route could revitalise gloomy predictions on the industry鈥檚 direction.
鈥淎t the end of the day, it鈥檚 just a different model of getting our music out there. If nobody likes your music, it鈥檚 not going to happen. We want to be known as a band for the music, not the band that first came up with selling shares to their fans.鈥
Bob and Veronica Ride Again is out now on Bastard Recordings. .
Samantha Cracknell
