Much like their home base of New York City, A Valley Son is an anomaly. The group is comprised of three Southern transplants that grew up on Stax and Motown and one Yonkers-born Gospel drummer turned bassist, who have come together to play a Southern Gothic, harmony-laden, soul-infused brand of roots rock & roll that aims to invoke a Sunday service as much as it does a barroom.

From the outset, A Valley Son (whose name comes from the title of a deep cut from Grandaddy’s catalog) had one goal; to write and play honest songs. After seeing a generation of bands seemingly value aesthetics over substance the four members vowed to make music that strips away all of the unnecessary decoration and puts songwriting, emotion and raw musicianship back at the forefront. Their debut EP, Sunset Park, does just that.

Tracked live at Studio G in Brooklyn over a whirlwind 27 hour period, A Valley Son was determined to simply get in a room and walk out with the songs sounding the way they were played live. The stories the songs tell are no less truthful and honest than the playing. They reveal intimate details about lead singer and songwriter Trey Powell’s childhood, the confusion and anger surrounding the current social angst around the country, along with dissecting the vagaries of love and loss.

As a band that is barely a year old, this collection of songs is simply a starting point for A Valley Son, but it’s a strong one. The band will tour in support this release throughout the Northeast and Midwest, before heading back to the studio to finish up their debut full-length.