Since the days of grunge in the late eighties and early nineties, Sub Pop records has gone a long way. 20 years ago you would never have imagined an artist like The Album Leaf to have appeared on a label alongside the likes of Mudhoney, The Dwarves or Nirvana. But as with most things within the music industry lies a key word. Progression. A word that can be used impeccably to describe the musicality of Album Leaf chief Jimmy LaValle.
A Chorus for Storytellers expands on a line-up of a full band rather than LaValle’s solo instrumentation like with his previous work. There is also a progression in his sound, opting for a more electronic approach with uses of samples and drum machines familiarising with the post-rock sounds of 65daysofstatic and Sigur Ros. With the LP mixed by the Icelandic collective’s engineer Birgir Jon Birgisson, we can see where this influence comes from, providing a glitch sound that is a development from the lo-fi folky sounds of his earlier work. The album manages to combine a mixture of landscapes as well as guitar driven sounds that will appeal to those of you who enjoy your music with textures. Icelandic horn sections are provided along with the usual rhythm section giving the record a lot of variety.
Eleven tracks are made up in almost fifty minutes to present A Chorus for Storytellers. The introductory track ‘Perro’ sets up the record nicely but with every other track bar that and ‘There is a Wind’ clocking between the 4 and 5 minute mark there is not much variety in terms of length and given the concept of the album I feel the record begins to get a bit tiresome. By the end there is nothing to really stand out where it could do with a really epic number to set the spines tingling.
All in all a listenable album which those for with a true ear for music shouldn’t have any qualms in hearing, but from a personal perspective the Album Leaf have created a record that will fit in well as background music. Though little else more.
By Freddy Rothman
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