By Nick Christophers
Now here is an interesting name for a band, Slow Burn Drifters, and one that leaves much to the imagination. The band was formed by lead vocalist Ray Vale and veteran of the music circuit who has released twelve albums over a decade. He has shared the stage with acts like Nirvana, Queens of the Stone Age, and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. The band’s name is derived from what Vale explained – “for what someone’s about to hear”. An interesting way to explain the birth of a band’s name. Before creating his own music, Vale was influenced by Motown hits, singer-songwriters from the 60s-70s, 70s & 80s rock, punk, and post-punk bands, and film soundtracks.
“We wanted the band name that conjures up a scene in your head. So, the name was born out of Frankensteining together a bunch of words that conjured a certain mood or wide-open space. Slow Burn Drifters sounded like it could just as easily be the title of a book or a film—something you’re familiar with but can’t quite put your finger on. That appealed to us, and it stuck.”
Vale who a native of New Jersey now resides in the scenic country of Austria. A far cry from New Jersey. Here he searched for more inspiration for his musical journey. He is joined by pianist Violet Booth, drummer Jack Irons, guitarist Alain Johannes, saxophonist Chris Ward and Matt Owens on trumpet. Currently, the band has released a new single “The Divide” off their new album “Golden (Deluxe)”. The album was mixed by Martin Biegger and mastered by Dave Gardner. The band originally garnered their inspiration from acts like Leonard Cohen, Nick Drake and Scott Walker
The band believes in an album format that is solid and should be taken in and listened to as a whole. For Vale it was crucial to sequence the tracks to fit the vibe. The original album had ten songs, but some were left out that were added to the deluxe version. So far, the band has performed their new material in Spain and Austria and are looking to branch out to other venues globally.
As of this writing the new single they just dropped “Divide” has received an unexpected strong reaction from the masses and strangely enough it was not even intended to be a single. The track was originally written in 2022 but did not fit in till recently. “Divide” whose distinct guitar riffs and spellbinding rhythms carries an emotional pull that draws the listener in and allows them to embrace its nuance. They also filmed a video for the track in Austria which they plan to release relatively soon. They are also gearing up to perform throughout Europe for the next few years.
