Released late last year, the debut self-titled album by the duo Valley Road is a distinctly Antipodean folk affair, courtesy of both the lyrics and richly rounded accents of Rebecca Jane Howell and Marty Mckenna – two friends based in Central Victoria. 

The pair really understand the power of space and pacing in a song. They utilise a sparse canvas where harmonies slow dance and intertwine and words hang in the air. Musically, the focus is on acoustic instrumentation, mostly in the form of guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, dobro and minimal percussion and bass – another factor in the effectiveness of the rural atmosphere of the songs.

The sweet and forlorn sound of Howell’s voice places her somewhere between Fanny Lumsden and Gillian Welch – a real contrast with McKenna’s more melancholic, baritone style. Combined, there’s a real grace and pastoral stateliness to their music, where the contrasts create an even stronger symbiosis. A perfect example being the opener ‘1982’.

On their first album, Valley Road have already proved their innate ability to create music that chronicles heartache and pain through the lens of the Australian landscape.