Music Review: Valium Eels

Valium Eels is the 1st Ep of the local band Sunday Sunday. The Ep was released last June 14, 2014 at The Outpost Lahug. Their Ep was recorded at DLV Studios and mastered and mixed by sound engineer Paolo de la Victoria. This is the second Ep recorded under DLV studios with the first being PALTIK’s Here Come the Guns of the South.

The band members are Bobbi Olvido on vocals/guitar, Cortz Cortes on guitar/vocals, Robbie Decilio – bass/vocals and Jeremy Rigodon on drums/vocals.

The first thing that attracts you about the Ep is of course, the title and album cover- Valium Eels. You might not get it at first but Valium Eels is wordplay for Value Meals. And that covers the whole concept of the Cd. The rice, the sauce or the gravy in the inlays all follow the album title.

Though “Valium Eels” was also used by another band from Maryland around 2000-2005, I don’t think the Maryland band connected it with Value Meals so kudos to the band for giving us the wordplay.

The album cover somehow diverts a bit but a claw crane with eels still stands out as a smart album cover.

As advertised, Sunday Sunday’s songs all fall under the Indie pop genre. Their music is less abrasive and more melodic compared to the standard rock sound of old. Olvido’s voice and vocal style also adds another dimension to the band’s sound that it reminds me of Britpop bands like Suede and Blur without the screaming.

“Wawat Man” and “ Deep Truth” are the two gems from this Ep. These two are well arranged and show the creativity of the band. Watch out for the bass solos! Everyone usually expects guitar solos but it is indeed a surprise to hear a different instrument getting the spotlight this time. These two songs with their pleasing tunes, catchy riffs and well mastered recording are indeed ready for FM radio.

Sad to say, my favorite songs from the band is not included in their Ep and is only available at their Soundcloud page. I am talking about “Red Letter Day” and “ Dance the Bean”. I am still wondering why the band did not include these two songs on the Valium Eels Ep.

The only explanation I see here is when sound engineer Paolo dela Victoria of DLV Studios shared to me one time that the band will continue recording their music when he returns from the U.S. around 2015. So maybe the band is saving the two songs for the 2nd Ep.

Sunday Sunday’s Valium Eels Ep is more of a tip of the iceberg of radio-friendly tunes that is about to come to us next year. But before 2015 comes, let’s try to seize the day and show our support. Grab a copy of their Ep, check out their Soundcloud site, like their Fb page, and most importantly start going to their concerts.

About the author: N.M. CABANGBANG graduated Bachelor of Fine Arts Major in Painting at University of the Philippines Cebu. He is currently teaching grade 6 – 10 Art at B.R.I.G.H.T. Academy. He also plays the bass and sings for the band – PALTIK.