Danielle Duval

On Friday's show, Danielle Duval performed a fresh and fierce rendition of 'Day Becomes Night' from her debut LP 'Of The Valley'. If you missed it, don't worry - just check it out below. And if you like what you see, be sure to check her website for tour dates. - CBC Television

Key Tracks:
“Imposter”
“It’s Obvious”
“Ambulance”
“We Got It Made”

Over the last several months I had begun to fear that I had lost my passion for music. As an album reviewer, you are expected to apply as much objectivity to your opinion as possible (a patently ridiculous notion). I began noticing that even the albums I thoroughly enjoyed I didn’t want to listen to again after the review was written. That would be work I’ve already done, and there are so many artists I’ve yet to fawn over or offer backhanded compliments toward. I was beginning to think that finding out how the sausage was made was robbing me of my ability to blindly love something. That was until I popped Danielle Duval’s Of The Valley into my headphones. I honestly haven’t been this excited after a first listen since Gogol Bordello’s Underdog World Strike. Duval has found a perfect mix of fun pop and interesting guitar rock, leaving her sound at times like Iggy Pop playing a Freddie Mercury song.

A Montreal expat to California, the heart of Duval’s sound can be found in AM pop. She isn’t mopey or overly difficult and her hooks are ultra-crisp. Typically, one might think that description spells disaster (anyone think the description was a little reminiscent of the last Strokes’ record?). In Duval’s hands however, there are a lot of things to love past her accessibility. These songs are jammed with interesting sounds and her lyrics are every bit as finely tuned as something one might find on a great Patti Smith record. Here is another important note, while Duval undoubtedly has plenty of references, she doesn’t seem beholden to any of them. It is nearly impossible to listen of Of The Valley and place Duval in any sort of class with contemporaries. If you look hard enough you can find punk, disco, album rock, R&B, and even ragtime in this collection. Yet somehow, the work stands on its own and in grand fashion.

Of The Valley begins with a guitar rock manifesto in “Control”. It’s a carpe diem ditty that will have you throwing a celebratory fist in the air by song’s end. “You Can’t Come Any Closer” is pop in the Of Montreal vein (though much less self-absorbed). The album really kicks into gear however with “Imposter”. There is a piano stomp on this song that is undeniably charming, coupled with Duval’s endearing vocal interplay with a great lead guitar performance. Following up is my single favorite song on the record, “It’s Obvious”. This is the song that I think Duval might have stolen from a late-70's Queen songbook. This is also where Duval officially decides to make Julian Casablancas her personal bitch. There isn’t a weak moment to follow from that point forward. “Ambulance” has a wonderful guitar groove that should please even the snootiest of indie kids. “Sundowner” and “We Got It Made” are the closest attempt at balladry on the album, and they both work (particularly the mini duet on the latter). “Eagle Cathedral” provides just more evidence of Duval’s keen hand with fun pop songs (as if we needed any).

Each of these songs is a case study in pure fun and enjoyment. I think that is what I appreciate about Duval most. She is proving that you don’t have to be difficult to be artistic. This sounds like it was fun to make and Danielle wanted to share it with us. Very rarely does an album come along that makes me truly thankful for its existence. Of The Valley is unquestionably one of those records. On “Sundowner” Duval says “the face of the future is kind”. If she keeps making music like this, I have no doubts about that. This is a perfect record.

- Earbuddy

We love the video for young indie rocker Danielle Duval's latest single "Ambulance." You might recognize Duval's voice from the Season 3 soundtrack of Californication, which featured her song "You're the One That I Want." We can't wait to see more from her!

READ MORE at http://www.omgblog.com/2012/03/omg_new_talent_alert_danielle.php#ixzz2BasznrBF

Under Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives - OMG

Montreal-native, Toronto-resident Danielle Duval releases her first full length record on May 29th. The album, Of The Valley, was produced by the Zeus tandem of Carlin Nicholson and Mike O'Brien.
Duval doesn't have a lot of tricks and gimmicks to unload on you. She doesn't strip it down to the bare (ie boring) folk basis either. Instead she opts for pretty straightforward rock with a pop flare.

A pop sensibility creeps into the fray. The lead single "Abulance" is catchy without being sappy. "Eagle Cathedral" is slick, effortless fun. A bold rhythm section helps power the irrepressible "Day Becomes Night".


A twang is a warm, welcoming sound on a number of tracks. It makes one feels they are lurching back and forth atop their best filly on "Imposter". It creates a dingy barroom atmosphere on "We Got It Made", and turns the album closer, "The Start", into a full-on weeper.

The start-and-stop vocal cadence of "You Can't Come Any Closer" cedes way to an old fashioned piano rag outro. It's amazing the amount of depth a well-placed cello can bring, as heard on "The Wild".

The Zeus boys are not the only big-name Canadian musicians involved. Duval as recruited Bahamas, Jason Collett, and members of The Golden Dogs to pitch in. Not so bad for a debut album is it?

Danielle Duval plays a CD release show at The Dakota in Toronto on May 29th and plays The Rivoli as part of NXNE on June 15th.

Best tracks: "Imposter", "Ambulance"

- Snob's Music

By Jaymin Proulx

www.ofthevalley.com
www.myspace.com/Danielleduval

With a characteristic strong hook (“Control”), Danielle Duval sings with much purpose, but with a joyous vigour and fun frolic that doesn’t often come with careful behaviour.

Her voice is reminiscent of a time when Joan Jett ruled the roost with her Runaway band members; however, Duval does not seem like the type to adapt her music or look to mimic those women before her. She exudes that ‘edge’ that is going to catapult her to the top of the Canadian independent music industry, mainly because her stoicism and strength in composure doesn’t seem to sway with the times. “I am who I say I am,” she sings in “Imposter.”

This Montreal-rocker will be on George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight on May 18th, performing live. She has joined forces musically with The Golden Dogs, Bahamas, and a duet with Broken Social Scene’s Jason Collett. CBC is taking every chance to feature the new album’s first track, “Control”, which has made fifth spot on the CBC Radio 3 Top 30 chart and “Imposter”, with CBC Radio 3 claiming it “Track of the Day.” Another crowning achievement is that her music has been featured on television shows, such as David Duchovny’s Californication.

This album is a cool collection of bluesy-grit and “grrl rock” that is atypical of sexualized female pop artists that use silliness to sell to a wider audience. Duval’s independence shows in her lyrics and doesn’t seem to be hampered by the “what should I do’s?”

“The further I go, it shows,” she remarks in “Imposter.”

Why be stupid and objectify when you can be smart and solidify?

Good job, Duval!

- Lithium Magazine

Carlin and I have just completed tracking on a new record by our new best bud, Danielle Duval. We produced and recorded this thing with full fledged Zeus passion and we're all really stoked about it. It's a great collection of Rock and Roll tunes and the studio has been giving us the juices that's it's become known for. Danielle is a great singer, so it's been lots of fun recording her rippin vocals. During the process we got are blood bros The Golden Dogs in as well as some sweet drumming and guitaring from Senior Bahama aka Afie Jurvanen in on a couple tracks. One song even features a duet with Mr. Collett. Lots to chew on, can't wait for the final mix so we can share it. Here's a picture of Duval strummin an A-minor on my Ricky in the Zeus lair. - Zeus - Mike O'Brien

" [Danielle is] a unique and important musical force who`s voice and contribution to music in Canada and the World over should be given every opportunity to be heard."
-Sam Roberts, Recording Artist


"Her ingenious use of words and melodies grabbed my attention the very first time I heard her songs. Above all else, it is the sincerity which she conveys that impresses me most both as a producer and artist, while her witty prose colours the journey."
- Roger Audio, Music Producer/Recording Artist


"Danielle's music sounds fresh and familiar at the same time. Her voice is incredibly unique and expressive, and she is a master of the studio ... her album is surely gonna turn some heads."
-Mike Evin, Recording Artist


"Listening to Danielle develop as a singer and songwriter over the past number of years, has been thrilling. She`s a rare kind of Artist."
-Amy Fritz - Music Supervisor, Belmont Music Supervision





- danielle duval

New Music West 2008 - Day One
Posted by Ace in Music Reviews, Vancouver Bands

Danielle Duval

The Cellar - 8pm

Also performing tonight, and just in from a Toronto to Vancouver flight, was Danielle Duval, a singer/songwriter (and sometimes back-up singer for the likes of the Sam Roberts Band) based out of Montreal. One of the main things you immediately notice about Duval is that she doesn’t accompany her songs with an acoustic guitar. Rather, she plays a GODDAMNED RED GIBSON SG (cue Jack Black “Mint condish!”?) and she plays it very, very well in a super interesting folk/blues/rock hybrid style that is far from ordinary. Truth be told, I tried as hard as I could to think of a comparison to help describe her sound, but it’s so unique that really no one out there is doing anything like it right now. For instance, one of the tracks played “I Will Wait”? really showcased what this performer is all about; a very small girl with big booming keyboard chord progressions and an even bigger voice to match. The highlight of the set, for me at least, was when she performed “Bright Galactic”?, an amazing song which she said was written on an airplane. Her playing style is a great start-then-stop-then-start, strum-then-pick-then-strum in the same vein as Leslie Feist, however unlike Feist Duval sings with a level of honesty and soul that would be useless in a perfume commercial. Thank goodness for that! I would highly recommend checking out the songs she has posted on her MySpace, and then hope like I do that she comes back soon for a proper concert. - Ace

"Truth be told, I tried as hard as I could to think of a comparison to help describe her sound, but it’s so unique that really no one out there is doing anything like it right now. For instance, one of the tracks played “I Will Wait”? really showcased what this performer is all about; a very small girl with big booming keyboard chord progressions and an even bigger voice to match. "
-Ace, Ronatron.net - Vancouver


“While talking with Danielle Duval after her Hillside showcase, Ron Sexsmith told her that her set was his favourite. That's got to count for something.”
- Joe Chisholm, Indiecan Radio

“Last night’s [Canadian Music Week] crawl was bittersweet. The sweet... Danielle Duval.”
- Stacey McLeod, Toronto.com


“Multi-talented Danielle Duval once thought of pursuing a career in the Canadian navy, and came within a few days of being enlisted before backing out, but the armed forces' loss is the domestic music industry's gain.”
- Daniel Vest, chartattack


“...her slow-burn blues rock take on [You're The One That I Want] was so compelling I went and bought the EP…”
- Ian Mathers, Stylus Magazine


“Over the course of my musical meanderings around Toronto, I had the pleasure of meeting danielle duval. She's a down-to-Earth gal who writes, produces, and plays her own brand of rock & roll. Put it this way: she's not just the front-woman for the band (a common phenomenon in Canadian indie rock), she is the entire reason the band exists.”
- Kevin Au, blogTO



WEBLINKS

Joe Chisholm, Indie Can: http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=62773586&blogID=298427343&Mytoken=95D18716-2C68-4EE3-90DF357E49D58F3D32193910

Stacey McLeod, toronto.com (Thursday, March 9, 2007): http://www.toronto.com/bars_clubs/article/501156

Daniel Vest, chartATTACK: http://www.chartattack.com/damn/2007/05/1603.cfm

Ian Mathers, Stylus Magazine: http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/weekly_article/hillside-the-festival-in-my-backyard.htm

Kevin Au, blogTO:
http://www.blogto.com/music/2007/06/no_stranger_to_toronto/ - danielle duval