PREMIERE: Valley Queen Are Finally Feeling Right on “Ride”

Natalie Carol and company spread out on the fourth single released from their upcoming Supergiant LP.
PREMIERE: Valley Queen Are Finally Feeling Right on “Ride”

Natalie Carol and company spread out on the fourth single released from their upcoming Supergiant LP.

Words: Dean Brandt

photo by Pooneh Ghana

June 27, 2018

Valley Queen are a psych-indebted folk quartet situated on the Left Coast, and Supergiant is the debut album they’ve been (officially) teasing since April. With its July 13 release date set in stone, the manifestly LA-based musicians are serving up a fourth tempting preview with their latest single, “Ride.” Like its predecessors—including the contents of their 2017 Destroyer EP—“Ride” is largely defined by frontwoman Natalie Carol’s sweeping, slick vocals (how slick? Grace Slick.) and sunny guitar, together more sprawling and less to-the-point than “Boiling Water” and Supergiant’s title track, both shared last month.

“I create and I destroy / It’s not wrong, but it’s not right,” coos a conflicted Carol, who penned the track after a pregnancy scare. “The song grapples with desire to move and the groundedness that motherhood requires,” she explains. I dedicate this song to women that have chosen to be mothers—as well as those that have chosen not be mothers—and the courage that both paths require.”

Catch VQ on tour this fall with Justin Townes Earle and *squints at cue card* Social Distortion?

7/6–8 – Winnipeg, MB – Winnipeg Folk Fest
7/28 – Los Angeles, CA – Moroccan Lounge
8/1 – San Francisco, CA – Cafe du Nord
8/2 – Davis, CA – Sophia’s Thai Kitchen
8/3-5 – Happy Valley, OR – Pickathon
8/7 – Seattle, WA – Sunset Tavern
8/8 – Spokane, WA – The Bartlett
8/9 – Missoula, MT – Top Hat
8/11 – Denver, CO – Lost Lake Lounge
8/12 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
8/15 – San Luis Obispo, CA – SLO Brew
8/26 – Santa Cruz, CA – The Catalyst (w/ Parsonsfield)
9/11 – Tempe, AZ – The Marquee*
9/13 – Austin, TX – Stubb’s*
9/14 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues*
9/15 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall*
9/18 – New Orleans, LA – House of Blues*
9/20 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues*
9/22 – Athens, GA – Georgia Theatre*
9/25 – Richmond, VA – The National*
9/26 – Norfolk, VA – The NorVa*
9/28 – Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory*
9/29 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore*
9/30 – Harrisburg, PA – Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center
10/1 – Boston, MA – Middle East Upstairs
10/3 – Brooklyn, NY – Union Pool
10/4 – Pittsburgh, PA – Club Cafe
10/06 – Toronto, ON – The Drake
10/7 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom
10/9 – Goshen, IN – Ignition Garage
10/10 – Chicago, IL – The Hideout
10/12 – Davenport, IA – Raccoon Motel

10/13 – Minneapolis, MN – 7th St Entry

* = w/ Social Distortion & Justin Townes Earle

Supergiant is out July 13 on Roll Call Records. You can preorder it here.