With what they have christened a Rhythm and Blue Collar sound the Bank Street Martyrs have released their debut album Leven The Vale and its single of the same name. The 11-track project is a love letter to Scotland’s Vale of Leven from the band’s founder and lyricist Ian Morris Retson who, as he describes it, is ‘reflecting as an older man, back to where it all started’.
The bittersweet album was released Dec 10th, 2022, with a performance at the Library in Alexandria. The album’s lead single ‘Leven The Vale’ was originally written by Retson as a poem read at his 60th birthday. Named after the river The Leven that runs through the Vale, the song reflects on the lyricist’s return to his hometown. The songtakes inspiration from the sounds of the 60s/70s but comes complete with flourishes of modern production.
The single’s accompanying music video carries its melancholic homecoming themes further. Directed by local filmmaker Harvey Smart, the black and white video shows a man awaken by the river before taking a tour of the town’s landmarks. Cutting between aerial drone shots and intimate street level views, Leven The Vale’s music video is an absolute must for anyone with a connection to the area or love of contemporary melancholic rock.
Leven the Vale’s single follows the songwriting footsteps of the rest of the record’s tracks. The album’s songs begin as Retson’s poems which he passes on to cousin and musician Andrew Marsland who teamed up with vocalist Joseph Montenegro Watema.
Joe, being the only member not born and raised in the Vale, brings an intriguing external input to these universal themes. Whilst the Vale Boys, Andrew and Ian are the latest musical ambassadors of the region. With this release, the Bank Street Martyrs join the canon of The Vale’s remarkable musical output which boasts the likes of Sharleen Spiterri.
