Natalie Carol’s Vocals Endow Valley Queen’s ‘Supergiant’ with Vitality

A supergiant is the largest and fastest moving star in the universe. Assuredly, this is also the trajectory for the Los Angeles based indie rock group, Valley Queen. Their debut album, Supergiant, is a feat of musical strength and vehemence. Seeped in brash indie rock instrumentation, front woman Natalie Carol’s vocals resonant and endow the album with vitality. Together, the quartet flawlessly moves from audacious to effervescent but it’s impossible to know where they’re bound. Supergiant is a madcap melodious journey that summons remembrances of influential bands while carving a distinct identity for Valley Queen within the current indie scene.

“Silver Tongue” showcases Carol’s vocal agility that hints at Grace Slick’s confident vibrato or Tanya Donelly’s otherworldliness. Throughout Supergiant, Carol showcases a folk-styled vocal lilt that gives the band’s indie-rockness a distinctive acuity. Her register shifts from growling to piercing then changes pitch to exhibit her expansive vocal range. Carol’s voice is especially clear and golden when compared to the instrumental distortion that serves to add musical color. Her vocals ring out in the subsequent “Supergiant” as she projects a monumental pitch change mid-note. The volume and echo render an aural depiction of infinite space thereby providing a humbling reminder of the universe’s paramountcy and reestablishing the track’s purpose. In “Bedroom” she holds notes for nearly 20 seconds while her bell-like delivery conveys raw emotion and deep spiritual turmoil. The band takes their name from the location where ancient Egyptians buried their deceased matriarchs. It’s clear their power transmitted to Carol whereas her crown is her musicality.

Yet Valley Queen is not a solo endeavor, and I’d be remiss to ignore the band’s collectivism. The joy of Supergiant is the musicians’ ability to riff off each other and reach for crescendos that only serve to variate musically. Several times throughout the album, Valley Queen is so cohesive and intimate that the listener feels like a complete outsider. “Gems and Rubies”, for example, demonstrates a vicious back and forth between the guitar and vocals.

Moreover, “Chasing the Muse” illustrates the band’s ability to further find musical balance. In the song’s post-chorus, Carol lays emphasis on the lyrics “So put the record / Put the record on its needle” as Mike DeLuccia’s drum roll carries the momentum over to Shawn Morones’ riotous guitar. The track shifts to a slower rhythm in order to purposely ascend. Carol’s vocal apogee on the lyric, “and I only mirrored the pain”, epitomizes the despondency that’s reiterated by Morones’ guitar. Carol, Morones, and DeLuccia are anchored by Neil Wogensen’s bass that is easily missed among these other elements. But that’s the sign of a masterful bassist, one who can influence the timbre while holding everything together. Indeed, this is unconditionally valuable in a band such as Valley Queen that features distinctive and iron-clad musical identities. This is Wogensen’s role throughout the album, as he clearly influences Valley Queen’s uncluttered sound.

Lyrically, Supergiant is equally heartbreaking and empowering. “Ride” was penned after Carol’s pregnancy scare. The lyrics suggest “Cause I create and I destroy / And it’s not wrong but it’s not right” thereby maintaining an equal perspective towards those who choose to terminate or go full term. “Boiling Water” depicts raw and abraded resolve as “Now fire, fire helped your mind / It’s burning down your place / Your mind it is like boiling water.” The track “Carolina” is a display of keen storytelling mediated by Morones and Wogensen, who together create a truly haunting vibe. Supergiant‘s lyrics establish vulnerability against the musical power.

What makes Supergiant so captivating is the combination of Carol’s crystalline vocals underscored by the band’s tenacious rock. Carol evokes passion and despair without overshadowing the strong supporting instrumentation. Rather, the combination of unparagon vocals with instrumental ardor soars and plummets to create a furious album.