Carley Varley
Better Without Me
Carley Varley hails from the South Coast in the UK, and began writing music at the age of 13. Although her earlier releases are primarily acoustic based pop, it’s not hard to draw a line between where she comes from musically, and where she is now - finding herself comfortably in the pop/rock vein of Paramore and The Pretty Reckless. Here’s our review of her latest release, “Better Without Me.”
Great intro! It starts with just her vocals, kick and a guitar to give a preview of the chorus. Quick full scale interlude with the band before we get to a true verse and pre-chorus that showcases her crystal clear voice. The 8 bars with the full band are right in line with the most current tones of the day in terms of drum compression, guitars and keyboard fills. With the first verse, she and Producer Matt Cahill do an exceptional job of building the track’s intensity - adding just the right amount of instruments and effects to properly tell the story. Of note is the clarity of her lower register as well as the higher tones. She definitely has a voice that stands out.
First chorus punches you right on the nose, and the mix is stunning. All the parts are clear as day, without losing any of the intensity. Second verse is a double-time feel with a half-stick on the snare and building guitars before it goes full out again with the pre-chorus that sets up that killer chorus that should be screamed at the top of the lungs of any young woman who’s had her heart broken. Bridge continues to build the intensity as the delivery of the vocals quicken. Last chorus features added vocals and harmonies before we’re left in a heap of energy when it ends at 3:47. Our favorite parts of the arrangement and production have to be the drums, her lead vocal track, and the subtle thickness of the backgrounds. This is a solid pop/rock track from start to finish.
Make sure you scroll down to catch her socials and impressive catalog. She’s putting together a solid repertoire of material that should serve her well on the many gigs she plays on the South Coast and in London. “Won’t Say Sorry” is probably our favorite track from her earlier releases - we can definitely see this as a killer in a live setting - great vocals, drums and guitar track. We look forward to what she’ll be doing next, she’s definitely found a home in this genre!