Fans of legendary goth/glam-meisters Sex With Lurch should rejoice at Lurch instigator Robbie Quine's latest foray into Rockabilly territory, and can safely ignore the above star rating. Everyone else take note: while musically something short of the caliber of sonic shock value that the Cramps are known for (and not to mention the high camp of the long-departed Celebrity Skin), at least Quine's lyrics are provocative enough to give you a lot to think about. His ironic and iconic musings remind one of Brian Eno, a personage he name-checks in track number three, "Fire of Love." Quine's vocal delivery itself is a gentle and sincere Bowie/Ray Davies/Ian Hunter blend, albeit minus the considerable talent of each, and as Beyond the Valley... progresses, the songs get downright sentimental and syrupy. Indeed it borders dangerously on the maudlin, as Quine takes on a strong hint of Neil Young in "Tarot Cards" and "I Killed Love".

On the other hand, the raunch factor is turned up to the max on opener "Hellhound" and track seven, "Baby Wants a Corndog," bringing with it all the sleazy desires that only males (of both sexual persuasions) can relate to. But only the sincerely bubblegum-ish "Candy Store" makes the best use of the Barbarellatones' bizarre and eclectic intent to synthesize a new hybrid of classic American rock 'n' roll. More polish and better playing throughout the CD would do wonders for tracks like the cross-dressing ode "Wicked Wahine", and generally would make the disc's simmering eroticism "pop". Only the ending of the bonus track "Cobra Dance" hints at the performance venom (pun intended) this release is capable of.