Vallory Falls, 'To Save You'

(Self-released, digital)

There’s a kind of bravery to revisiting teenage passions. Certainly, warnings about indulging in nostalgia and living in the past are salient — one need only look to the past decade or so of Hollywood remakes, relaunches and rebrands to know what it looks like when a snake eats its own tail.

There is a way to revisit old flames without sacrificing artistic integrity, however. Take Richmond pop-punk act Vallory Falls, for example. The four-piece band, formed in 2021 by vocalist and guitarist Tristan Gilliss, is a case study in reinterpreting a genre that was initially geared toward adolescents through the lens of adulthood.

The band’s debut LP, To Save You, is a raging, fist-pumping, melody-laden piece of pop-punk that fits snugly beside obvious influences such as Blink-182. You won’t find any dick jokes or sophomoric humor in Vallory Falls’ songs, however. Instead, the band writes about grown-up concerns, like divorce and the concept of the nuclear family, as in “Rosie.”

That’s not to say To Save You is full of dark misgivings and downer tunes. Despite emo-adjacent sing-along choruses, including “It’s OK to feel like shit” in the tune “Art School (Time to Leave),” the album’s catchy melodies, bouncing beats and crunchy guitars establish an undeniable sense of energy and fun.

Yet it’s Gilliss’ dedication to creating a more introspective and (dare we say) sophisticated take on pop-punk that elevates Vallory Falls above a slew of nostalgia-loving acts trying to re-create the Warped Tour from 2002.

On “Clown,” Gilliss and lead guitarist Meghan Burke stack power chords, building a tower of distorted melody while bassist Dan Lecours and drummer Riley Burridge thrash away. “Is that the punch line? Is that the joke?” Gilliss roars over the furor before the song breaks down into an indie-rock coda that would be at home in a tune by the Smile, Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood’s Radiohead side hustle.

The band isn’t reinventing the pop-punk wheel. “Consistently Inconsistent” hits all the hallmarks of the genre, from palm-muted, chugging guitars and heart-on-sleeve lyrics to a big sing-along chorus. Send that song back in time 20 years and you can see all the kids’ hands, stamped with big Xs, punching the air.

In many ways, the title track serves as the album’s thesis. If modern rock radio were still a thing of consequence, it’s easy to picture “To Save You” dominating the charts, such is its catchiness. Past all the shiny, anthemic music is a song about learning to let go of old commitments that no longer serve. “In a perfect world, I could tell when I’ve asked too much,” Gilliss sings. “I gave up my weeknights just to save you.”

While you rarely see a pop-punk record described as “adult,” To Save You is refreshingly just that. The fact that it never sacrifices youthful energy or musical sophistication makes for one impressive debut. The record is out on all major streaming platforms.