Customer Reviews

A Chorus of Storytellers [Vinyl]

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have to agree with comments from other listeners. I have enjoyed Album Leaf records for quite some time now, and have enjoyed this last release as well. While I do enjoy their instrumental pieces better, their vocal pieces have also been entertaining. But, over all, there is nothing earth shattering with this release, and as other reviewers have mentioned, if you were looking for something new, you will not find it here. But I still give the release 4 stars because it is a good album. I like their style, and have enjoyed listening to this last album.

I am finding that a few bands that I have enjoyed, spanning various musical styles, have found themselves in a rut, and keep putting out the same type of music. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but, at some point, it shows a lack of progression, and perhaps a lack of interest in the exploration of music, and the desire to take listener on an intriguing musical journey. I think artists all find themselves dealing with this particular challenge at some point in their career, and so we shall see how The Album Leaf reacts going forward.

I heard the song Stand Still on Pandora and immediately ran to Amazon to buy the album. I rarely buy albums based off one song (usually I just buy the song), but I had a feeling that I would like the album. So far, so good! It's great music to listen to while working. Very relaxing, chill, ambient-ish. Highly recommended!

The Album Leaf, the moniker under which one-man band Jimmy LaValle operates, created a nice indie-buzz with its second album, 2001's "One Day I'll Be On Time", an album I still cherish to this day. The band's output since then has been skimpy. There was an equally excellent 2004 album "In a Safe Place", and an ok album in 2006 "Into the Blue Again". Now finally comes the band's fifth album, which actually was recorded not just by LaValle solo, but by his entire touring band.

"A Chorus of Storytellers" (11 tracks; 50 min.) starts off with the intimate "Perro", which is followed by a mesmorizing "Blank Pages". I'm not a big fan of the band's non-instrumental songs (meaning with lead vocals), but "There Is A Wind" is not bad at all. Track 6, the middle track of the album, "Stand Still" is one of my favorites on here, starting off with loud drums, over which Jimmy LaValle's keyboards come in, to then go into a full band mode, just great. A coupe of great, dreamy tracks follow ("Summer Fog", "Until The Last"). "We Are" is the second track to feature vocals. The album finishes with "Tied Knots", a seminal, dreamy Album Leaf track, and what a great way to close this album out. In all, this album is an excellent album, for me the best since "One Day I'll Be On Time". Welcome back, guys!

I've seen the Album Leaf in concert only once, in 2001, in support of the "One Day" album (opening for Sigur Ros, no less) and what a fabulous concert that was (has it really been that long ago?). Can't wait to see these guys again live. If you wonder where you can hear this album, check out WOXY (BAM! The Future of Rock and Roll), the internet-only station that brings the best indie-music in the country. Meanwhile, "A Chorus of Storytellers" is highly recommended.

I wouldn't want this band to do anything other than what they're doing - there's no one else out there making music like this.

You know, i happen to be a fan of this particular genre of music. And one thing i take exception to, is when simpleton's refer to this variety of music as "background music", which is such a trivial and lazy attempt to categorize The Album Leaf, or anything comparable.

Most mainstream pop acts are so desperate and hungry for attention, that they abandon any sembalance of modesty or subtlety, and that really refelcts in their music adversely in my opinion. Where as The Album Leaf exudes a quiet dignity, and a restrained artistic beauty. Their music is often thoughtful and meditative, a quality often absent from more commercial offering's. They don't feel the need to wave their hands in the air, and shout "look at me!!" (figuratively speaking)

This album may not be their best, and at times it does come across as overly familiar. However, it did manage to sustain my interest all the way through. Even their least effective album (in a safe place) manages to achieve a level of quality that often goes unmatched within the industry.

If you are a fan of The Album Leaf, then there is no reason why "A Chorus of Storytellers" shouldn't be in your collection.

A CHORUS OF STORYTELLERS revisits well-worn ground with Jimmy LaValle (the ambient introduction of "Perro," the beats, languid synths and guitar on "Blank Pages"), but it's still soothing and comfortable nonetheless. The indie-band-with-vocals aspect pokes in its head with "There Is a Wind" and "Almost There" but the whistling "Within Dreams" and the live feel of "Stand Still" sort of blow it away. The mournful "Summer Fog" is filled with an eerie, orchestral stillness, and the orchestra comes into full bloom with "Until the Last." This culminates with the spare "Tied Knots" and its languorous slide guitar. A mixed bag, but one that ends up on the winning side of the equation.

Let me first say that I've been an Album Leaf fan since "One Day I'll be on Time." I own everything LaValle has released under the Album Leaf moniker except for one tour EP. As someone that really likes his style of music, I'll probably keep picking up any new releases, but for the casual listener, you really don't need more than two of the band's records to satisfy you. I don't think it's too much of a stretch to categorize the band's releases into what came before "In a Safe Place," and what came after.

Everything that came after "In a Safe Place" sounds very similar, but never quite captures what that record did. I think LaValle found a formula and he doesn't show any signs of abandoning it anytime soon. While Storytellers was recorded as a full band as opposed to mostly just LaValle, I don't think it makes that much of a difference in how the record sounds. It's definitely a step up from the previous record 'Into the Blue Again' which sounded like leftovers from 'In a Safe Place,' but there's nothing different about this record. The band switches things up a little bit with a few more songs with vocals, but like the previous albums, Storytellers keeps a pretty consistent pace throughout the record and within each song.

If the Album Leaf can be criticized for anything, it would be predictability and lack of dynamics. Part of what makes a band like Sigur Ros as captivating as they are is that their songs and albums have so much build up and release. The Album Leaf stays consistent throughout their songs and entire records. There are no crescendos or slow burning build-ups. Picking a random song off of any of their last three records will give you a pretty good idea what all of those records sound like.

Maybe it sounds like I'm being too harsh to give this a four-star review. Perhaps, but again, I do really like this band. Fans won't be disappointed, but if you've lost interest in this band because they've failed to keep your attention, this record won't do anything to change that.

AL constantly operate between the spaces of tired repetition and inspired beauty, but even if this new attempt falls more towards the latter, they still cannot seem to maintain interest throughout and easily fall back to that safe place of predictability.