New Music (finally)

I've done a pretty rubbish job of running this blog the last couple of weeks. Part of that is laziness. Part is that there haven't been any albums out the past couple of weeks that I give a damn about. The new Fair record came out two weeks ago and I've been spinning that and should have a review up this week. But alas, there is finally music to care about!

Balmorhea - Constellations

Efterklang - Magic Chairs

Eluvium - Similes

High on Fire - Snakes for the Divine

Johnny Cash - American VI: Ain’t No Grave

Madlib - Medicine Show No. 2: Flight To Brazil

Rocky Votolato - True Devotion

Alright... time to listen to some records.

72 Musicians

Just caught this trailer this morning

The Album Leaf - A Chorus of Storytellers

Not to have this be taken the wrong way, but if you've been listening to The Album Leaf for any length of time then you know what you're getting when you pick up A Chorus of Storytellers. Really nice piano and rhodes lead (mostly) instrumental tracks. Jimmy LaValle vocals floating in and out. And a Chorus of Storytellers is really no different. I'd hate to LaValle's best work is behind him, but he's not breaking new ground and A Chorus of Storytellers doesn't progress or move away from Into the Blue Again.

The album opens with Perro, an airy, ambient piece that radiants the Sigur Ros influence that was heard on In a Safe Place. Then Blank Pages kicks in with the rhodes keyboard, The Album Leaf's signature sound over the years. LaValle's vocals aren't any stronger and when he sings, it seems to be a fight between trying to be a singer and be a part of the musical landscape. It's airy and strong at the same time. Which is a slight disservice to music. The vocals don't hinder the album and they're sparse enough and there's enough instrumental pieces to keep you interested, but my least facorite tracks are by far the ones where LaValle's singing.

Fans of The Album Leaf and in particular Into the Blue Again, will enjoy this record. First time fans might want to give In a Safe Place a listen first.

New music stuff

So transitioning from my full time job to having no job hasn't been as time freeing as I hoped. I mean, it has but I've been busy. So this blog has been over looked.

Anyway, the only record that came out yesterday that I care about is the new one from The Album Leaf, A Chorus of Storytellers. I'm just giving it a listen now and will hopefully have a review up sometime in the next 2 days.

Rock and Roll.