We are children of 80s pop and we're addicted to melody," says Chris Qualls, one half of the Huntington Beach-based electropop duo ELECTRIC VALENTINE. If the debut album Automatic (release date: August 18, 2009) is any indication, their addiction is incredibly contagious. Together with Lauren Baird, Electric Valentine extracts the soul of 80s pop and injects a heavy dose of modern electro/synthpop lovingly, creating a much more authentic and honest sound that's appreciative of both the past and the present. A touring band as well as an efficient studio team, they will be embarking on an extensive tour west of the Mississippi (tour dates below).
"We grew up loving those songs that get stuck in your head, the hook you hum all day without realizing," he confesses. "We hope to stand out as an electronic-based band that focuses on songwriting rather than relying on a light show or gimmicks to attract fans."
With Automatic as their proof, standing out should not be a problem. With songs like the techopop-tinged "13 Reasons" to the winsome electropop balladry of "Chasing the Sun" to the New Wave handclaps of "The Opposite of Name Dropping", Electric Valentine bounce and pop with all the right grooves.
Electric Valentine carries a very DIY attitude, which is surprising considering how professional and slick Automatic sounds.
"We write, record, produce, mix, book shows, release albums all on our own," he says of their work ethic. "For example, I had a lot of fun producing and tracking 'Waiting For The Harmony.' It's a little different than the rest of the album in how organic it is. It's very acoustic guitar-driven, which is a change for us. Plus I love Lauren's vocal performance. She killed that song!"
Lauren, on other hand, finds the severely infectious "Body to Body" as "one of my favorite tracks on the album.
"This was the first song I really felt I put my mark on. In the past, Chris wrote most of the songs. This time around, I wanted to be more involved as a songwriter and feel a deeper connection with the music. 'Body To Body' just makes me want to dance. I love it!"
With their debut album ready for release, the band is looking ahead to support it.
"After the album comes out we'll pretty much be living on the road," explains Chris. "We have a six week tour of the West Coast that starts the week the album drops and are currently working on an East Coast run for the fall. Hopefully we'll make it over to the UK again soon as well. We love touring and are looking forward to playing these songs for a different city every night."
With w Blood On The Dance Floor, Metroid (all ages unless noted)
Aug 18 Slide Bar Fullerton, CA
Aug 21 Channel Twelve25 San Diego, CA
Aug 22 TBA Los Angeles, CA
Aug 25 Ignition Cafe Palm Springs, CA
Aug 26 Qbonkers Riverside, CA
Aug 27 Hot Topic In-store Scottsdale, AZ
Aug 27 Modified Arts Phoenix, AZ
Aug 28 Modern Cultures Yuma, AZ
Aug 29 Club Congress Tucson, AZ
Aug 30 Code Red Cafe Las Cruces, NM
Aug 31 Launchpad Albuquerque, NM
Sep 1 University Center Roswell, NM
Sep 4 The Meridian Houston, TX
Sep 5 The Door Dallas, TX
Sep 6 The White Rabbit San Antonio, TX
Sep 7 The Compound Corpus Christi, TX
Sep 8 Bora Bora (18+) Oklahoma City, OK
Sep 10 Rock Island Live (18+) Wichita, KS
Sep 11 The Loft Colorado Springs, CO
Sep 12 The Lifespot Denver, CO
Sep 14 Club Red Electric Las Vegas, NV
Sep 16 Why Sound Logan, UT
Sep 18 Show Murray, UT
Sep 19 Studio Seven Seattle, WA
Sep 20 Olympian (21+) Portland, OR
Sep 23 The Underground Reno, NV
Sep 24 Club Retro Orangevale, CA
Sep 25 924 Gilman St Berkeley, CA
Sep 26 The Venue Los Gatos, CA
Sep 27 Modesto Virtual Modesto, CA
Sep 28 The Venue Sanger, CA
Sep 29 The Dome Bakersfield, CA
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