Wingspeak – “Valley”
Wingspeak – “Valley” – Single Review
Right on – I’m happy to hear this new single from Wingspeak come out sounding so complete.
Especially when you consider what Bianca, the mind behind the music, was aiming for. She was lookin’ to create something in that Americana/Pop/Rock realm…something along the lines of what you’d have found in the Wallflowers back in the day, and I feel like she’s really succeeded in that with her latest song called “Valley.” It’s got a lot in common with the stuff you’d find in the low-key humbleness of bands like The Wallflowers or Soul Asylum…the Alt-Pop vibe and indie cred you’d get by being featured on a soundtrack like Empire Records…I’m all about songs like “Valley” when it comes right down to it. So heck yeah…personal-taste wise, this single hits a direct bullseye for me, and I’d bet it will for you too.
Because it’s more than that if I’m being truthful with ya. Sure it’s freakin’ NICE when a song lines up with what I’d listen to outside of my playlist as a reviewer in my daily life, but I always look at music from a much more objective angle than that. When I started listening to Wingspeak back in 2022 on an EP called College St., I genuinely liked what I heard, but I could hear the potential for more than what was there, know what I mean? I listen to a track like “Valley” and it feels like Bianca has found her way to what she was always meant to do…this is the kind of song that feels like home. Every so often, if we’re lucky enough, an artist will stumble right into the sound that works best for them – and I’d say that’s what “Valley” sounds like to me. It’s not pretentious, it’s not over-produced, it’s actually pretty much perfect from start to finish if you ask me…and like I was tellin’ ya at the start, I’m very happy to hear Wingspeak come out with such a decisively audible victory. This is an achievement in Bianca’s catalog without a doubt, and though she’s already put out a few tunes I thought worked out really well for her and what she’s creating in Wingspeak, I’ll be directly honest with ya – “Valley” is her best so far.
That’s not a matter of personal taste, that’s a matter of universal accessibility, stunning hooks & melody, and flawless execution. None of that has anything to do with me other than the fact I’ve got the ears to hear it…all praise belongs to Wingspeak and not overlooking anything in this new single. From the distant harmonica in the background, to the presence of the bass guiding the rhythm section, to the perfection in the way that Bianca sings her insightfully dreamy words on “Valley,” everything about this song fits. Each and every time I spun this song, and she summons that extra strength to the melody of the main hooks in the chorus as it came around again, I couldn’t help but admire just how right Bianca got “Valley” and how close it came out to the sound she was aiming for. “I was breathing in the smoke to find the way out” is a wonderful line, and ultimately, this song is full of a bunch of’em. The magic is right there in the melody though y’all, make no mistake – Wingspeak has got something truly golden in the way this song shifts from its drifting & dreamy verses into the focused heart of its chorus hooks, and I feel like every single person out there listening would instantly take notice of how special that sounds.
Would I change anything? Not much, if anything at all. On my system here, the bass comes out a bit on the dominant side, but nothing too overpowering. I can still hear the rest of what’s involved and added into this tune, but sure, I’d probably say it has the opportunity to come up a bit more to match the bass, or maybe bring that bass down a bit so the rest gets its chance to shine just as much. It could also be my own system over here…maybe I’ve got the bass up on my settings a bit too far…I’m just tellin’ ya what I hear. I’m more than fine with the mix exactly the way it is right now though y’all – don’t mistake my observations for any kind of substantial complaint! In my opinion, Wingspeak should be extraordinarily proud of how every second of this song came out – “Valley” is a remarkable tune by every conceivable definition, and it sounds like the most inspired version of Wingspeak’s music that I’ve heard to-date. If that’s not a sign of great things to come in the future ahead for this project, I don’t know what else could be; it’s awesome to hear potential being realized in real time – “Valley” is a real achievement in Bianca’s songwriting and Wingspeak’s catalog, and I can’t wait to hear what else comes out from this band over the next years ahead. This is one of those statement cuts if you ask me…an audible line in the sand that’s drawn between the past & the present…I think Wingspeak is set to soar right into its prime.
Find out more about Wingspeak from the official page at Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/wingspeakmusic
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