Sam Weber’s new album, Valentina Nevada, firmly establishes the 23-year-old
B.C. native as one of Canada’s most powerful young songwriters. Using the
vintage Laurel Canyon sounds of Jackson Browne, the Eagles, Neil Young and
Joni Mitchell as their foundation, Weber and his band guide the listener on the
journey they have been on for the past two years. They are joined by the title
muse, Valentina, a symbol of finding meaning in the superficial, and hope amid
cynicism.
After releasing his full-length debut album Shadows In The Road in 2014—which
Grayowl Point described as “Packed with emotion… there’s scarcely a note out
of place”—Weber and his loyal compadres Marshall Wildman, Hugh Mackie, and
Esme John, chose to make Valentina Nevada without any outside opinion or
influence.
The band got all of the experience and inspiration they needed from their time
together on the road over the past two years, playing a combined 155 shows.
These included appearances at Canadian Music Week, Breakout West, Tall Tree
Music Festival, Rifflandia Festival, and SunFest in Duncan B.C. The band’s
mandate is to play anywhere and everywhere, which has brought Weber a
devoted following that spans generations, made up of folks from both large
cities and small towns off the usual touring grid.
Ultimately, the timeless, slow-burning beauty of Valentina Nevada is what sets
Sam Weber apart from so many of his peers. As he describes the album himself,
“All the songs are about the struggle, but Valentina is the only one that gets past
it. When choosing a name for this record, I wanted to put Valentina forward,
because she’s ahead of me in a lot of ways.”
Track Listing:
- 1. Charlotte
- 2. I Wander Around in the Dark
- 3. Good Love
- 4. The Heat
- 5. Valentina
- 6. Anybodys’
- 7. Buddy
- 8. North American
- 9. Tunnel of Light
- 10. What’s The Matter?
- 11. Faith No More