Album Review – Ben Vallee’s “Introducing…”

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#510.1 (Classic Country) on the Country DDS.

If you’re a fan of genuine throwback classic country music, you’ll find very little to fuss about, and lots to favor in the songs of steel guitar player turned frontman Ben Vallee’s debut album aptly titled Introducing… As it says on the back cover, it’s “Something so old it sounds new.”

This is sincere old-school country music that emanates from what you might consider an unlikely place. Forget having to trek above of the Mason-Dixon Line, you’ll have to present your passport and head north of the U.S. border to find the epicenter of the Ben Vallee universe. Montreal, Quebec is where Vallee hails from, where English isn’t even the primary language. “Parlez-vous français?”

But none of these geographic factors have hindered the formation of a strong group of Montreal musicians who’d rather choke to death than drop a snap beat into one of their songs. Ben Vallee is the steel guitar player for another country music outfit called Steel Saddle. He’s collaborated in the past with Montreal country singer/songwriter Bobby Dove. This album is produced by Andy McClelland, also known as Li’l Andy, who’s considered one of the Quebec’s best country artists.

Truth be told, Montreal might boast a better traditional country scene than many medium-sized towns in the American South basking in the glow of their local Wal-Mart’s marquee lights, fascinated with methamphetamine and the music of Jelly Roll. What you figure out quickly when scouring the globe for the best in country music is that you can find it anywhere. Country is the universal language of the heartbroken.


You’d expect the steel guitar throughout Introducing… to be stellar since that’s Ben Vallee’s primary discipline, and you would be right. It’s the level of songwriting that leaves you downright shocked. You can tell time and study went into composing these tracks to be both mindful of the traditions of classic country, while also presenting something relevant to present-day ears.

Then as a steel guitarist, Vallee can leverage his own more personal understanding of the melody and lyrics to make the most ideal musical accompaniment. Most of the time a frontman throws it to the steel guitarist and hopes for the best. In this instance, Vallee is the frontman. Weather it’s chickin’ pickin away to raise to pulse, or bending the strings to make the lonesome moans that mimic the cry and yearning of the human soul, it all drifts in and out of Vallee’s writing so exquisitely, and reminds you why country music is your favorite poison.

Though it all fits into classic country era, there are plenty of varied textures and moods on Introducing… to keep things interesting. You probably won’t be selling your friends on the virtuosity of Ben Vallee’s singing as a reason to check this album out. But he does a fine job presenting these songs with sincerity, heart, and conviction.

The imports we’re used to from the Quebec province are cold fronts and hockey players. But lo and behold, they’re cooking up some good ol’ fashioned country music of a quality that could kick the ass of some of the domestic fare south of the border. It’s not just the Canadian Rockies and the ranches of Alberta that give rise to great country music. Leave room in your listening rotation for Ben Vallee of Montreal and Introducing … And hopefully this is just the beginning.

8.2/10

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