In the Whale
In The Whale | |
---|---|
Origin | Greeley, Colorado, United States |
Genres | Alternative rock, hard rock, punk rock |
Years active | 2010–present |
Labels | Unsigned |
Website |
www |
Members |
Nate Valdez - Lead Vocals, Guitar Eric Riley - Drums, Vocals |
In The Whale is an American alternative rock band from Greeley, Colorado composed of Nathaniel Valdez and Eric Riley.
History
Early years and Cake
In The Whale began as a solo project for vocalist Nathaniel Valdez while obtaining his Masters in Educational Psychology at the University of Northern Colorado. With the addition of drummer Eric Riley, the duo relocated to Denver, CO. Both Valdez and Riley were raised in conservative and religious households. However, most of the content of their songs displays rebellious attitude against the views they were taught as youths.[1] Valdez also cites his experience as an undertaker as a catalyst for the morbid nature of the band’s lyrical content of its newer material.[2][3]
First release
Cake was their first commercial release in 2012, produced by Tickle Me Pink guitarist Joey Barba. The album is generally well-favoured, receiving positive reviews on iTunes.[4] This gave scope for the band’s growth across the state of Colorado which eventually landed them an opportunity for a supporting slot on The Photo Atlas' Spring 2012 tour of the Midwest and inclusion in KTCL's annual Hometown for the Holidays contest.[5]
Two tracks from Cake were licensed to TV and films: “Woman,” in a Victory Motorcycles national TV commercial, and "Heels," in the award-winning documentary Why We Ride.
A live version of “Heels” has a record for the opening track on Colorado Public Radio's OpenAir 2015 Record Store Day release.[6]
Nate & Eric
In the Whale’s subsequent release, Nate & Eric, gained press and radio play beyond their home state.[7][8]
The seven-track EP rated as high as #38 on the combined charts reported from various college and community radio stations.[9] Nate & Eric reached #119 on the CMJ Top 200 and was one of the 20 Most Added Records, during the week of its debut. Nate was featured in a story published by Denver's Westword [10] that detailed his day job - when he's not playing music.
The band earned the opportunity to open the Denver installment of 2014’s Riot Fest and got to play at noted Regional Music Festivals like Treefort Music Festival and The UMS.[11] In the Whale spent the summer and fall of 2014 touring alongside Guttermouth, Jane's Addiction and The Presidents of the United States of America.[12][13]
Full Nelson, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits
The release of 2015’s Full Nelson EP got them to #92 on the combined college radio charts. The band continued to receive favourable reviews not just for this release,[3][14][15][16] but also for their live shows.[17] Reviewer Brian Johnson calls the band "consistently enthralling;"[16] reviewer Jed Murphy stated his only complaint about the album is "how short it is."[15]
In 2015, the duo played at major music festivals such as Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, Canadian Music Week and South by Southwest, which received reviews from the likes of the Chicago Tribune and others.[18][19][20][21] The band's inclusion in the Lollapalooza line-up was a major distinction as they are among the five Colorado artists to play the event in the last decade.[22]
In the Whale served as the Official Correspondent for Denver's Westword newspaper during 2015's SXSW Music Festival in Austin, TX.[23]
The band was also selected for Taco Bell's 'Feed the Beat' and Quiznos 'Toasty on Tour' artist programs and included on New Music Seminar's Artists on the Verge list for 2015.[24][25]
Neighbor
In the Whale entered a working relationship with Red Bull GmbH’s music incubator, Red Bull Sound Select, recording a two-song release with production by No Age (Sub Pop records), in September 2015.[26][27] The title track “Neighbor” premiered October 14, 2015 via Substream Magazine, with the B-side track, "Pray for the Prey," following on October 22, 2015 via CMJ.[28][29][27]
In support of the release, the band toured with The Darkness, Toadies, and Nashville Pussy during the fall of 2015.[30][31]
Discography
Extended plays
- 2012: Cake (Self-released)
- 2014: Nate & Eric (Self-released)
- 2015: Full Nelson (Self-released)
- 2015: Neighbor (Red Bull Sound Select)
Singles and covers
- 2013: Add It Up (Violent Femmes Cover)
- 2014: Sliver (Nirvana Cover)
- 2014: Ride
- 2014: (Mile High) Ride
References
- ↑ "Move Along Folk, We'll Take it From Here". The Rooster Magazine. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ↑ "In the Whale's Nate Valdez Has a Job to Die For". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- 1 2 Cordova, Felix. "In the Whale: On the Rise". Pueblo Pulp.
- ↑ "Cake - EP by In the Whale on iTunes". iTunes. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
- ↑ "Hometown For the Holidays 2011 Finalists Revealed...". Westword. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ↑ "For Record Store Day, OpenAir Unveils First Vinyl Release". Colorado Public Radio. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ↑ "Album Review: In the Whale Nate&Eric". New Noise Magazine. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ↑ "Album Review - In the Whale "Nate & Eric"". Vandala Magazine. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ↑ "04.07.15 Weighted Chart". College Radio Charts. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
- ↑ "Death is a constant presence in the life of In the Whale's Nate Valdez". Westword. Retrieved 2014-04-16.
- ↑ Demo, Andrew. "In the Whale talk Riot Fest". AXS.com. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ↑ "Jane's Addiction at Ogden Theatre in Denver Review". Hey Reverb (Denver Post). Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ↑ "In the Whale hits the East Coast". Holy Underground. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ↑ "In The Whale- Full Nelson : Colorado Music Buzz Magazine". www.colomusicbuzz.com. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
- 1 2 "Album Review: Full Nelson — In The Whale | BandWagon Magazine". www.bandwagmag.com. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
- 1 2 Johnson, Brian (2015-04-01). "Marquee Mag". Marquee Magazine. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
- ↑ "In The Whale @ Double Door". THE SOUND ABOVE GROUND. Retrieved 2015-12-01.
- ↑ Villanueva, Raquel. "Denver band part of Lollapalooza". 9news.com. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ↑ "Lollapalooza Day Three". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ↑ "In the Whale Rocked Austin City Limits". Red Bull Music. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ↑ "South By Southwest Official Artist Page". SXSW.com. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
- ↑ Miller, Matt. "In the Whale's path to Lollapalooza: Ego Checks...". Reverb. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ↑ "SXSW 2015 Coverage From In the Whale". Westword. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ↑ "Taco Bell Feed the Beat". FeedtheBeat.com. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ↑ "New Music Seminar's Artist on the Verge Class of 2015". Billboard. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ↑ Tavana, Art. "Why is Super-DIY Band No Age Playing a Corporate Sponsored Music Festival?". LA Weekly. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- 1 2 Geslani, Michelle. "In The Whale shares raucous new single "Neighbor", produced by No Age". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
- ↑ Heisel, Scott. "In the Whale's Neighbor is a No Age Produced Noise Punk Banger". Substream Magazine. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ↑ "Track Premiere: In the Whale Pray for the Prey". CMJ. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ↑ Walton, Kirstine. "The Darkness at House of Blues Chicago". National Rock Review. Retrieved 16 November 2015.
- ↑ Akre, Markus. "The Darkness with In The Whale at the Varsity Theatre". Twin Cities Media. Retrieved 17 November 2015.