The Album Leaf

A Chorus of Storytellers (Sub Pop)

By Jonathan Shipley
Published: March 8th, 2010 | 7:00am

Those familiar with the Album Leaf know what to expect from its latest release, A Chorus of Storytellers: post-rock, indie-electronic melodies springing forth from the mind of Jimmy LaValle. Those new to the Album Leaf will comb through the tracks on the album, recorded just outside Seattle last February and mixed in Reykjavic last June, and think to themselves, “This is like Sigur Ros but American” or “This is like Moby but with more hair.”

Indeed, LaValle’s music is full of lush and beautifully atmospheric rhythms, akin to his Icelandic contemporaries (the Album Leaf opened for Sigur Ros’ first American tour in 2001) — but his fifth studio album gives listeners something new to chew on. It’s the first time LaValle has let others carry some of the load. On the Album Leaf’s previous albums, LaValle played most every instrument and wrote every song, but this time he’s recorded with a whole band and used more vocals than in the past.

The results are mostly positive. “Summer Fog” can bring tears to the eyes of most with its musical shimmer, perfectly named because it sounds like summer fog. “There is a Wind” has a drumbeat that meshes well with LaValle’s spoken word vocals to add further dimension to the music. The Album Leaf’s soundscape has beautifully progressed with the latest album because, for once, it’s not LaVelle’s voice alone but rather a chorus of storytellers.

The Album Leaf official site

The Album Leaf MySpace

Sub Pop