In The Whale

Artist Information

Biography

In 2008, Trailer 77 front man Nathaniel Valdez evolved a side project into the up-and-coming folk act called In the Whale. Fort Collins, CO, based In the Whale draws inspiration from early 90s alt-rock—Valdez noted the likes of the Smashing Pumpkins and the Smiths—and current indie acts like Death Cab for Cutie. Valdez has already garnered widespread attention throughout Colorado’s Northern Front Range, but he said he wants to build a loyal following instead of catering to the mainstream.
“I’m not shooting for the main scene,” he said. “I’m shooting for the underground scene, like Wilco and Built to Spill.”
Expect earnest, personal songwriting and folk-rock with an alternative twist on In the Whale’s upcoming EP, Songs About You, expected to be released late August 2009. Songs About You was coproduced by Greg Heimbecker (The String Cheese Incident, Boubacar Diebate) and Nathaniel. ~Alana Curtis, Scene Magazine~

Instrumentation

Nate Valdez-guitar, vocals, keyboard
Eric Riley-Drums, vocals

Discography

Songs About You - 2009

Crush - 2010

Links

• itunes
• Youtube
• CDBaby

Audio

• Send Off
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• Drinking on the Job
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• Wolves
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• Summer Time
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• Penitent Man
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• Release
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• Heaven Above
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• On Your Way
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Lyrics

• Release
• On Your Way
• Letter Home
• Penitent Man

Video

Drinking on the Job

Photo Gallery

Press

• In The Whale - CRUSH EP [+ Show ]
  

  Jonah disobeyedand ended up inside a whale for three days and three nights…or so the story goes. Ima...Jonah disobeyedand ended up inside a whale for three days and three nights…or so the story goes. Imagine instead that, upon sliding down the whale’s massive tongue and sloshing into its (presumably) fishy stomach, Nate Valdez and Eric Riley were there, providing the indie punk soundtrack to a time of trials and tribulations.
  Crush highlights all of In the Whale’s strengths: great dynamics, songs that demand attention, strong writing and the ability to cover a wide range of sounds both within each song and as an entire album. They exemplify a punk rock mentality, but with an undercurrent of vulnerability that gives the album resonance.
  The understated song “Summertime” displays this dual nature well, utilizing a simple melody and well-written lyrics chronicling memories of lost love, but never crossing the line into cliché. “Drinking on the Job” ranges from solitary, subtle guitar lines to a full-blown, drink-in-hand finale complete with a number of (possibly inebriated) voices joining in.
  “Send Off” and “Wolves” possess the strongest overarching vibes of the punk rock mentality, with hefty guitar lines and energetic transitions. “Wolves” is my favorite track on the album, demonstrating an aggressive slide guitar and rollercoaster dynamics that give the song an infectious energy.
  Crush is an EP that truly exemplifies the fact that this Fort Collins duo is actively creating, changing, and pushing themselves to craft a sound wholly their own, and they are succeeding.

• Futaba wins Scene Magazine’s 18th Annual Battle of the Bands [+ Show ]
  

  The bands that played at this year’s Battle all showed wonderful musical diversity, extraordinary ta...The bands that played at this year’s Battle all showed wonderful musical diversity, extraordinary talents and a willingness to play their hearts out for an audience. Two of the other bands that stuck out in terms of performance and overall individuality, however, were The Honey Gitters and In The Whale.
  The Honey Gitters put together a well-rehearsed yet fun and spontaneous show, delighting the audience with novel tricks (TV antennae creating ambient noise, anyone?) and musical skills. They have a bluegrass ambience, complete with banjo, thumpin’ bass and song titles like “Groundhawg,” but with a little bit of a psychedelic jam band vibe thrown into the mix, their sound is beyond compare.
  In the Whale, comprised of Nate Valdez on guitar and lead vocals and Eric Riley on drums (and kazoo), played a set that reminded all the old punk-rockers in the crowd exactly where that type of music has its roots: experimentation and expression. They had excellent dynamics and a wide variety of sounds that made them the most eclectic and varied act of the evening.
  This year’s Battle of the Bands was strong, impassioned, and inspiring to all the musicians and music lovers in the audience. We hope to see all of the bands that played again next year, and congratulations to our winners!
  
  Molly McCowan

• Indie: In the Whale: Crush [+ Show ]
  

  The newest release from the Fort Collins’-based duo In the Whale is the EP, Crush. While the four-so...The newest release from the Fort Collins’-based duo In the Whale is the EP, Crush. While the four-song compilation gives an accurate description of the attempted versatility of the album, there is far too much to dissect. I would classify the sound as Independent Rock with each song having an underlying tone, from modern goofy Rock to Hard Rock/Metal. While I wonder whether this duo knows what their own intended sound is, I also question the motives behind which these songs were written, whether for soul searching, musical integrity, or simply to be able to play their own creations at parties. If I had to choose a single I would pick “Summertime.” I would play it during June, and dream of the boy I once pretended to have. The EP release was on the 18th of February, and recording for the next (an instrumental release) begins later this month.

• Indie-Folk Rock; In The Whale [Nate Valdez] [+ Show ]
  

  Music and lyrics written by Nate Valdez, Nate Valdez: main vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar,...Music and lyrics written by Nate Valdez, Nate Valdez: main vocals, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, toy piano, organ, piano, harmonica, mandolin, bass guitar … whew, Nate is not a one-man show, but he could be, and he gets some amazing talent to come play with him – Brittany Quintero: female vocals (“Lost the Nerve”); Greg Heimbecker: organ (“On Your Way”); Micah Craig: violin (“Letter Home”); Aaron Pomeroy: drums, vocals; Tom Myers: lap steel (“Penitent Man”) – and pulls together a little soundtrack for the soul.
  
  
  
  The melancholy, dreamy chords of “Letter Home” seems a prequel to “On Your Way”; if melancholy could be both sad and upbeat it would be this tune. As Folk sounding as many of these songs are, it’s “Penitent Man” that is the darker, weird uncle of the CD. With heavier acoustic as well as electric, it's dirty compared to the rest. I would have liked Nate's voice to be a little dirtier, as well.
  
  
  
  A toy piano opens “Lost the Nerve,” a Simon and Garfunkel-esque, lyrical, movie soundtrack tune. Very sweet, and so crystal clear are Brittany Quintero's vocals that I want to know when she's busting out with a CD.
  
  
  
  MySpace.com/SongsInTheWhale
  
  by Judy Wolf

• In The Whale- Songs About You [+ Show ]
  

  Are musicians natural-born sinners? Just like the bear takes its silent, secret dump with in the woo...Are musicians natural-born sinners? Just like the bear takes its silent, secret dump with in the woods, the average guitarist is doing lines off a 16-year-olds ass during the after party.
  
  Maybe that’s playing to the stereotype though. The only way we can know for sure is a musician is indulging in closed-door debauchery is through observant listening. As it is, In the Whale’s debut EP manages to tell us that singer-songwriter Nate Valdez is a bad man.
  
  What sin he is guilty of is open to interpretation on the standout track “Penitent Man,” but make no mistake: Valdez has some serious atoning to do for something he’s done in real life. As he rides across the brimstone crackles of a lap steel guitar, there’s a revealing of a practically genuine, the same kind of magic made listeners 40 years ago believe a 15-year-old Michael Jackson was capable of actually loving a woman twice his age. One can’t help wondering what’s going on Valdez’s head as he sings; this song is that good
  
  Then again, that quiet desperation is heard on many of the other tracks, just with a less unsettling effect and duller lyrics on each country spun tune. “Letter Home” shows off another hungry vocal approach, stumbling when “great” is rhymed with “sweet”. Meanwhile “Heaven Above” suffers from a cheesy guitar melody. And the romantic bent of several other songs suggest that the talented Valdez’s worst crime against humanity is that be broke a lover’s heart. –Erik Myers
  

• The Block Party! [+ Show ]
  

  Main Stage (9th ave and 16th St) 5:00 In the Whale 6:00 Trump Mother Jones 7:00 Alan Baird Proje...Main Stage
  (9th ave and 16th St)
  5:00 In the Whale
  6:00 Trump Mother Jones
  7:00 Alan Baird Project
  8:00 What About Pluto
  9:00 The Epilogues

Setlist

Covers: Sitting on the Dock of the Bay-Otis Redding, Polly-Nirvana, Closing Time-Semisonic, Freshmen-Verve Pipe, Disarm-Smashing Pumpkins, Motorcycle Drive by-Third Eye Blind, Into the Dark-Death Cab For Cutie, Leroy Brown-Jim Croce, Heart of Gold-Neil Young, Joy to the World-Three Dog Night, Boys are back in town-Thin Lizzy, Futures-Jimmy Eat World, 9 crimes-Damien Rice

Originals:6-20 depending on length of set allotted

Basic Requirements

Calendar