MARC VALENTINE - Uncommon Side Effects

The third solo album from Marc Valentine, former frontman of the Last Great Dreamers, is a curious revival of new romantic filtered through 1990s England, delivered with hefty grunge guitars and pop melodicism. Deep down, Marc Valentine has never really moved: he holds his ground, paying little heed to compromise or passing trends.
"Uncommon Side Effects" gives the sound a slight 2026 update and moves confidently on the shoulders of the whole power pop and pop punk tradition; so here we get the energy, the catchy melodies and the polished, meticulous production (courtesy of Dave Draper), across 28 minutes and 10 tracks. Nothing radically different from the previous "Future Obscure" (2022) and "Basement Sparks" (2024): Valentine stays true to form, with luminous guitars, lively keyboards, radio-friendly hooks and a punk-glam sheen inspired by Buzzcocks, The Boys or "Sweet Jane" by Velvet Underground. 

The lyrics play with themes of urban alienation and the search for genuine connection: weariness with everyday chaos, romantic dreams, loneliness and hope in a cynical world. The album pulses with youthful endorphins pitted against existential apathy, with a punk optimism that urges you to dance and live intensely.
"NY UAP", the album's explosive opener, is built around a simple melody and sets urban disillusionment against the hope of an alien signal; "High In The Underground" pays homage to "Sweet Jane" and is among the (relatively) tenser, darker moments; the opposite of "Tiger On Glass" and "Temporary Buzz", both energetic and infectious. 

In conclusion, here is power pop distilled to its purest essence, one that exploits the genre's energy and immediacy to come across not as contrived or mannered, but urgent and vital. 

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12/07/2026