Customer Reviews

Into the Blue Again

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The new Album Leaf album Into the Blue Again was released last week to relatively little fanfare with an advance track that I liked but didn't love, so it took me over a week to actually purchase the new CD. I'm not sure why. I've loved each of their previous releases, from the completely wordless but beautiful One Day I'll Be on Time to the more filled-out arrangements (and Sigur Ros influence) of In a Safe Place. And this collection does not disappoint. The Album Leaf started as a side project to Jimmy LaValle's Tristeza, which is more electronic based, but LaValle has really expanded his sound into an ambient masterwork, somewhat similar to Sigur Ros, and approximating some of the lighter sounding tracks of Mogwai.

LaValle does some more singing on this new album, and while I thought the vocal tracks on In a Safe Place were the highlights, creating a welcome change of pace to the same-ness that plagued One Day I'll Be on Time, the sung songs are unfortunately the weak points of this album. But those minor down points are more than made up for on the rest of the album, which features some of the most beautifully melodic tracks I've heard this year. Opener "The Light" kicks this off with understated brilliance and is followed by the aforementioned "Always for You", a good but not great song. Then "Shine" hits you and it takes a while to recover. Just an almost perfect song as LaValle confidently applies his craft, creating shimmering beauty out of several instruments that blend together into a seamless form. According to the liner notes, "Shine" uses violins, Rhodes piano, keyboards, synthesizers, bass guitar, glockenspiel, drums, and drum programming, all but the violin performed by LaValle himself. How he creates such wonderful music by basically programming a machine is amazing to me.

The rest of the album includes other highlights, almost equally as wonderful, including instrumental tracks "Red-Eye" and "Into the Sea". Of the ten songs, LaValle sings (or mostly sing-speaks) on three of them and the other seven are all just about perfectly rendered. Closing track "Broken Arrow" brings back memories of older Album Leaf tracks, with the beeps and bits emerging amongst the minor-key piano strumming. That works well too. A great, great album. Well done, Mr. Lavalle.

The Album Leaf's post-rock/downtempo mood continues with INTO THE BLUE AGAIN, as "The Light" drifts calmly on soft layers of sound. But "Always for You" brings in the drums and the vocals, and tracks like "Shine" remind you that the Album Leaf is, at heart, a rock band, despite the electronic underpinnings. But that's OK! If it makes "Red-Eye" seem like a melancholy stroll through an empty city street with its stuttering rhythm and long strings, that's OK! Really, this is an album that could have appeared on Morr Music. "See in You" has that combination of electronic and acoustic guitar that seems all the rage, but does it well; "Into the Sea" swells with orchestral beauty; the gentle piano that starts "Wishful Thinking." To top it off, "Broken Arrow" brings back those weepy strings, and the whole rock/techno dichotomy gets destroyed. But that's OK.

In William James' classic The Varieties of Religious Experiences, buried deep in the 400 page work is a passing comment concerning music's appeal to one's mystical sensibility. Into the Blue Again is a great album that captures nearly flawlessly that mystical quality that is so attractive to some people. What I enjoy about it the most is that it captures this quality without being barbaric, eccentric, or abrasive. Into the Blue Again is peaceful and transcendent while at the same time powerful, both familiar and new at the same time.

This music is pure therapy. I could listen to it while receiving either the best or worst news of my life, and it would still fit perfectly with the situation.

This album is beautiful. Comprising of mostly instrumental tracks it is a very easy listen. I find I have been listening to this one (MP3 format) a lot at work. As there are very few lyrics, I do not focus too much on what is going on in the song and I find it helps me think and relax when focusing on my work. At the same time when I want to really listen to the album (vinyl) I am just as impressed with the intricacy and layers of sound in each track.
This album for me was a chance discovery. So even if you are not a big fan of chilled out instrumental music, give this one a go. It is absolutely fantastic and has made it in to my all time favorite albums list.
The vinyl edition is very simple. One record in a sleeve with a sheet of liner notes included. Nothing too fancy there.

First heard "Always For You" from this album used to beautiful effect in the Japan section of the wonderful surf/travel/art movie "Sipping Jetstreams". It's an incredibly emotional song. Pretty much perfect. Also don't miss the video of this song on YouTube, directed by Aaron Stewart-Ahn, and filmed in San Diego. More brilliance.

Shimmering ambient meets translucent edge in a creative fusion with artistic appeal. An escape into satisfaction that leaves you filled with anticipation. The warmth is exciting and the casual coolness leaves you in mystery.

"The Light" purrs into life and then washes into liquid solitude in a reverberating perfection that opens up into "Always For You."

"Shine" is rigid and dreamy like ice melting into hot chocolate and wolves running through snow. "Writings on the Wall" is moody and revelatory with solitary violin haunting an emotional landscape with indistinct vocals. This song melts into "Red Eye" as notes echoes through cavernous underground chambers splintering off stalactites and diving into deep luminous pools. Crystalline textures dance with warm ambience echoing out in all directions. Once this haunting track takes hold of you it doesn't let you go and takes you on an edgy ambient fusion.

"See in You" continues the instrumental mood with snappy rhythmic beats that seems to blur out into a mellow soul tuning introspection. More like poetry than music, at times this is a study of tone.

"Into the Sea" is slightly more reticent than the previous selections and this creates an element of tension throughout as the track tries to break free. As if seeking a destiny, the song finally moves from swirling in circles to an exciting flourish. Ancient voices seem to be calling from faraway lands and then they dissipate into a silky wave.

"Wherever I Go" arrives and takes over in a moody orchestration and mellow vocals. The instrumentation is striking and ecstatic with an intriguing ending that makes your head spin.

"Wishful Thinking" is soothing classical piano in delicate notes echoing off concert hall walls and then this solitary intimacy warms to sweet winter lullabies. The violin is especially relaxing and this track seems to embrace a momentum that moves out of the deep cold earth into a sky of crystalline beauty. "Broken Arrow" has hardly ended when you feel you want to begin the experience all over again. Slightly addictive!

"Into the Blue Again" is exciting and ambient with worlds of textures and creativity to absorb.

~The Rebecca Review

Having already made an investment in the Seal Beach and In A Safe Place albums back when a melancholy state of mind stretched out time into one giant moment. One of desiring a certain invisibility and also wishing you could temporarily be exempt from the person you are.

At these times I found music from the Album Leaf providing necessary therapy and the perfect accompanying soundtrack to my pacing. It's like not knowing what to wear so you grab that pair of jeans that never got ripped or torn, just more soft and faded. Then you pulled on the pair of scuffed boots and a white linen shirt all wrinkled. It may not have been a Saville Row haberdashery statement, but you felt good and comfortable. You felt like a new you but one you already knew well and liked.

Into The Blue Again continues that feeling and instant familiarity. This is music with class, relying on both the current art of technology, but the oh-so essential organic, earthly substances also. I did not turn back flips when I heard of this imminent release coming. It's not that kind of music. It's more a personal thing. It's not like Jimmy LaValle wrote this music for you in particular, but listening to this makes it so.

Ambient, melodic, and celestial this music will never be earth shattering. But some monarch butterflies took flight in Malaysia and the tremble wound up here as we felt cool breezes parting our hair, billowing her thin cotton skirt all aflutter, along with my linen shirt as I stood back, hands tucked in my jean pockets, smiling and admirably taking in the views on one of life's perfect days.....and these songs carried the mood unconditionally. Welcome the comfort zone.

Everything ok, the vinyl is in good condition even with the transport from USA to France.

jimmy lavalle does it again...i really like the way he recorded this. and where he recorded this (Iceland) it really adds to the feel..