In the Valley Below

In the Valley Below is an American band from Echo Park, California, formed in 2011. The band is led by Jeffrey Jacob Mendel (vocals, guitar) and Angela Gail Mattson (vocals, keyboard).^[1] The band's first studio album, The Belt, was released in 2014, featuring the single "Peaches", which peaked at number 18 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart in 2016. A new EP of material, Elephant, was released on July 14, 2017 via Bright Antenna Records.^[2]

History

Mendel and Mattson are from Memphis, Tennessee, and Muskegon, Michigan, respectively. Formerly of the band Sabrosa Purr, they met in the Los Angeles music scene, and played in several local bands before starting In The Valley Below. After a trip to SXSW in Austin, Texas, they formed a new bond and decided they needed to write music together. In the Valley Below began in 2011^[3] as a studio project, and they self released a five-song EP before the end of that year.^[4][5][6]

In the Valley Below made its US network television debut on The Late Show With David Letterman (performing their song "Peaches") on August 28, 2013,^[7] and have also appeared on Conan ^[8] and The Harald Schmidt Show in Germany.^[9] The band has supported North American and European tours for White Lies,^[10] The Airborne Toxic Event,^[11] Cold War Kids,^[12] Tricky,^[13] Robert DeLong^[14], and Sir Sly^[15]. With their touring live drummer Joshua Clair, they have also performed at Reading and Leads, Rock en Seine, Pukkelpop, The Great Escape, SXSW and Austin City Limits music festivals.

The Peaches Remix EP containing remixes by Passion Pit, Kele Okereke of Bloc Party, Dirtcaps, We Love Machines, Death by Misadventure, Omniflux and Owlle was released on June 3, 2014.^[16]

Their debut album, The Belt, was released in different territories around the world throughout 2013 and 2014. Written, produced and engineered by Jeffrey and Angela, the LA Weekly listed their debut album among the 10 Best Albums of 2014 by L.A. Artists.^[17][18][19] The Huffington Post named "Peaches" the #5 song of 2014,^[20] while Noisey named it their #17 track of the year 2013.^[21]

The band performed at SXSW in 2017.^[22] After three years on the road, the band moved from California to Grand Rapids, Michigan^[23] where they have been living and recording in a 93-year-old house.^[24] Their new EP of material, Elephant, was released on July 14, 2017.^[25] Elephant features the lead single "Bloodhands (Oh My Fever)," which is inspired by the Ferguson, MO shooting of Michael Brown.^[26] When asked what Angela hopes people listening to Elephant will take away, she said "I’d like for someone to find a part of themselves in it; maybe we can get down into their emotions and make them feel a certain way – not necessarily have them think about who we are while listening to it.^[27]"

Discography

References

External links

• Official website