Romantic, dark, sweaty, throbbing, foggy… while these words could easily apply to a romp in the sheets, they’re also how Angela Gail and Jeffrey Jacob describe the songs that have spawned from their lovechild that is In The Valley Below. The duo’s hauntingly sweet vocals, utilized in equal measure, set a dreamy tone to accompany their synth-infused tracks. And it is this powerful marriage of voices that sets this L.A. based band apart. Both Gail and Jacob cite power ballads as major musical influences in their lives, so it was a natural movement to incorporate each voice as a focal point of the project. In The Valley Below was born when they decided they weren’t fully content with the music they were making; at the time they were the bassist and guitarist for “a proper rock band” as Jacob calls it. Each expressed the desire to simply make music they would want to listen to, and that goal remains the backbone of this musical endeavor.
In The Valley Below is one of those acts that is as visually pleasing as their music. Their garb fits the bill of an indie couple longing for the simplicity and authenticity of a time too far gone. Gail is usually adorned in vintage dresses, and Jacob in suspenders and pressed shirts. That authenticity which they project to the frenzied modern world around them matches the way their vocals interact with their instrumentation: purity that shines through a sea of synths, heavy bass, creative drums, and the occasional ripping guitar solo. And if you have the chance to see them perform, you’ll notice they employ a single mic stand fitted with two mics so that they can sing directly next to each other, reinforcing how well these two voices sound as one.
Article by Andrew Born
In The Valley Below at Spike Hill during CMJ Music Marathon
