For folks that wander into The Album Leaf with not a lot of back-catalog knowledge, it’s probably important to note the fact that frontman Jimmy Lavalle has been around for the better part of a decade, long before it was chic to lock oneself into an artistic cave and bang out albums as a solitary enterprise.  Likewise, it’s probably noteworthy to mention that Lavalle has produced, orchestrated, and composed (because that’s essentially what this dude does on his albums) all sorts of projects spanning both hemispheres.  He’s rubbed elbows with indie darlings and has probably shucked corn with Farmer Joe.  The DIY composer has a prolific collection of long playing albums of meritorious worth even predating the fortunate allegiance with Sub Pop only a few short years ago.  Lavalle’s music is not necessarily ambient (that essentially brings heavy connotation alone), but beautiful for all its moving parts.  Roland drum machines, triangles, synthesizer arrangements, horns, strings, and nearly every possible instrument have been toyed with at one point or another.  One long walk through his previous work is satiating and riveting.  Yesterday, Lavalle’s namesake, The Album Leaf, dropped A Chorus of Storytellers and it’s a gem.  Two spins and listeners are drenched in sound, and importantly, Lavalle incorporates new elements into this album that warrant discussion.  A Chorus of Storytellers marks the first album Lavalle has ever employed the use of a full, live band during the recording process.  Sign us up.  Through ten tracks, listeners move through a gorgeously pristine and sonorous odyssey.  Sub Pop’s timing of this release couldn’t have been more shrewd.  I’ll make the claim that it’s an excellent companion piece to Beach House this winter, and at least to my ears, The Album Leaf is Lavalle at the top of his game, delicately clanking, plucking, and soaring from open to close.

A first major boon to The Album Leaf’s sound is its consistency and fully pulsing motion.  It’s difficult to separate one track from the next and this is entirely by design.  Soundscapes roll from one track to the next, drum machines softly keeping time for the fullness of tracks like “Within Dreams,” where metallic synthesizer flourishes recollect the more mystifying moments of Kid-A.  Most tracks leave the vocals in the dust, focusing on the rich sounding musicianship.  “Blank Pages” begins the album bereft of any hefty emotion with more ambient synths and drum machines guiding listeners into serenity.  Early on, LaValle sets the tone that the album entirely revolves around an ethos that toes the line between pristine beauty and electronic bombast.  Celtic strings soar through the background of the aforementioned track.  As each of these songs sort of blend together, they crunch the boundaries between chillwave and all out symphonic orchestration.

The Album Leaf works best without vocals hindering the sound.  Several tracks move into the vocal arena and while they don’t inherently take away from the album, listeners are pleased when the arrangements go completely instrumental.  “There is a Wind” is the best of the loot vocally.  Piano tuned synthesizers roll through the track while double sung vocals move into cascading and spiraling choruses.  At times, the organization builds into near jam band chill out mode.  Arching intensity builds at the tracks close, moving listeners into a pardoxical world where sound is loud despite the unshakable smoothness of its delivery.  We’ve included “Falling From the Sun” which is another vocal heavy track dropped into the middle of the album.  A more straightlaced guitar sound is embellished by the mellow crooning.  Intensity picks up, xylophone pings and harmonies serve to splatter the canvas of rolling synthesizers.  To me, the vocals could stay or go.  My money’s on the sound and arrangements alone with this record.

The chillwave genre has erupted on the indie scene like a bad case of the clap, but it’s probably important to understand that the movement is nothing without its inspiring predecessors.  With LaValle’s The Album Leaf, all of these smooth and brilliant arrangements do everything these emerging chillwave artists do for me.  There’s something more authentic here, however, taking in the idea that LaValle has been doing this sort of things for years.  Of course, this isn’t even close to chillwave because it’s more orchestral.  But the subdued listening experience is equally as mesmerizing.  Sub Pop is once again showcasing some of the best in indie music, and A Chorus of Storytellers will hold water this year.  It dropped yesterday so you have no reason to be sitting around listening to old music.  This may be The Album Leaf’s most mature and dynamic effort yet.

The Album Leaf – Falling From The Sun

The Album Leaf Official Site

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