Album Review: Fortitude Valley – Fortitude Valley (Fika Recordings)

Named after an area of her home town in Brisbane, Australia, Fortitude Valley is a fitting moniker for front woman Laura Kovic’s first outfit. Combining elements of power-pop, indie-pop, pop punk and indie rock, their diverse approach takes influence from the likes of Weezer, Belle & Sebastian, The Beths, The Weakerthans, and Pavement.

Addressing themes of the passage of time, friendships and relationships growing apart, and feelings of insecurity, depression, and anxiety—as well as searching for love and salvation—the debut self-titled album is very much a product of our times.

Fortitude Valley will be released on the 29th October 2021 via Fika Recordings.

We’ll never get tired of the kind of honesty that bleeds through every track on this album. Nor will we tire of reflective lyrics sung by an imposing but vulnerable sounding vocalist. That’s what we get and then some with Fortitude Valley’s debut record. Well, that and some indie pop/rock and punk tunes to get you up and moving too, even if you’ll be in deep thought while doing so.

Sometimes you’ll want to dance along to tracks like Baby, I’m Afraid, The Right Thing (Part I), I Won’t Survive (one of the album’s best tracks) and It’s Not U, It’s Me.

Then sometimes you’ll want to sit and think about what you’re hearing. Such as on tracks like It’s the Hope That Kills You, What You Wanted, Forget About Me and The Right Thing (Part II).

The latter track (the finale of the album too) is simply phenomenal and it might bring a tear to the eye.

Though sometimes it’s also a combination of both such as found on Wreck, All Hail the Great Destroyer and Cassini. Regardless, it’s hard to not find every single track a satisfying and thought-provoking listen.

While a lot of this lands at the feet of the vocals, it’s only right that instrumentation gets a nod too. Solid throughout; the mix of energy, melody, mournful passages and upbeat tempos ensures that this debut is not one you will be forgetting anytime soon.

Fortitude Valley – Fortitude Valley Full Track Listing:

1. Baby, I’m Afraid
2. Wreck
3. All Hail the Great Destroyer
4. The Right Thing (Part I)
5. It’s The Hope That Kills You
6. Cassini
7. What You Wanted
8. I Won’t Survive
9. Forget About Me
10. It’s Not U, It’s Me
11. The Right Thing (Part II)

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