Val Halla review by drummer Gary Allen of the Charlie Daniels Band
in his newsletter “Gary Allen’s Music City Beat” Issue #50 October
“I was calling Val, Marilyn from the first look at her picture and after listening to her Sonicbids EPK. After just a few strums and her no nonsense approach to the guitar, suspected she would be the winner of this round. Her sound is a little bit pop with a big dose of electricity. If Nancy Wilson could sing like Val Halla, she could have kept all the money. I have always been a fan of Chrissie Hynde, because she sings and plays as good as any male. So does Val Halla.
Val riffs and revs it up like a rock star and knocks you over with tasteful solos. The songs are clever and brings to mind Bonnie Raitt with the bad attitude of Joan Jett. Val is not afraid to step out of the ladylike gender roles from times gone by, and she no doubt invokes a lot of air guitar with her live show.
Elle Magazine did a top ten list of female guitarists and in my opinion Val could make that list along with rocker Orianthi, from Michael Jackson’s band. She ranks up there with any rock and roll guy as well. Carlos Santana said he could pass the torch to Orianthi. Val is bad ass however and may just club you over the head with the torch. She possibly would not beat me up as her Dad is a Canadian fiddler that likes The Charlie Daniels Band.
One last comparison and I’ll stop. I hear Lita Ford in some of Val’s more metal style guitar shredding, but with more of a rock feeling that well suits her music. Best of all, her music is a sexy riff filled group of songs that are accessible, well performed with a musical maturity well beyond her 25 years. She is high energy and has a wicked tight band, that totally won me over.
Congratulations! See you at Disneyland… ”
-Gary Allen (The Charlie Daniels Band/JJ Cale/Stonewall Jackson)
To sign up for Gary’s newsletter email garyallendrums@bellsouth.net
Thanks for the great review Gary!