Morton Valence

Morton Valence are an enigmatic male/female singing duo based around the vocal paring of Robert 'Hacker' Jessett, from London, and Irish chanteuse Anne Gilpin. Jessett has played and collaborated with a variety of bands, including Alabama 3 and the Band of Holy Joy, and is a prolific songwriter. They have recorded 7 critically acclaimed studio albums, consistently procuring 4 and 5 star reviews from publications such as Mojo and Uncut, yet in spite of the plaudits they have never hit an equivalent level of commercial fortune, for instance, the BBC website writes that, Morton Valence 'released best single you’ve probably never heard of the past decade'. Their current lineup includes Shane Gilliver on bass, drummer Matt Donovan, as well as pedal steel guitar legend BJ Cole, who apart from producing their most recent album, collaborates regularly with the band both live and in the studio. They term their music 'Urban Country', which blends avant-folk, psychedelia and anglo-centric americana, the net result of which produces a sound and songwriting style that is very much their own, loaded with harmony and candid narratives, which have been captivating music lovers and pretty much anyone who happens to stumble into their orbit for some time now, think of Lee & Nancy drifting down the River Thames, and you'll be getting close.