Leaves - Angela Test

Limited edition in digi-pak on initial orders only. 2nd studio album from this Icelantic five piece act similar to Radiohead and in some ways more electronic in sound. Album Description

This Is No Coldplay

I'm really tired of people comparing the Leaves to Coldplay. I'm sick and tired of it. There is no relevance. Also, nobody has written a juicy, meaty review of the CD. This album has a tint of soul, a special facet which sets it apart from Coldplay and Radiohead (I personally believe those two bands, like Leaves and Coldplay, are not as related as people think). The special facet is that Leaves are from Iceland. This gives their music a cultural influence that cannot be shaken. The tones they use, the sounds they make, are distinctly different. Having lived in Britain and America, I can tell you Coldplay actually sounds British. Moving swiftly onward to their songs-

Shakma (Drunken Starlit Sky)-A Tour de Force in the world of music. Building, building, building, until the climax, and never failing to impress, it explores all the sounds you will learn are unique to this band.

Whatever- As with the album Breathe, this album starts off with a more mellow, minor song, then goes into a slightly more upbeat one. The vocals, (not just the singing) match perfectly with the off rhythm guitar and the odd drumbeat.

Spell- This song contains the biggest climax in the song, as well as the shortest lead-in to it. This is the fastest paced and loudest song on the album.

As We Walk- Though most likely done unintentionally, this song keeps consistent tones, dynamics, and is overall predictable, which provides a welcome contrast to the previous song.

The Angela Test- This song uses a minor key, and starts off mellow, much like the previous song, but then a chorus chimes in and slowly builds to the excitement. One of the odder songs on the album, but still good.

Good Enough- Upbeat throughout, this is a more mainstream song than typical of Leaves. Makes a good transition from The Angela Test.

Killing Flies- The vocals are particularly good, the addition of piano, used in other tracks but not prominent, is welcome, and though there is a negative mood throughout the song, the singers high notes add a good contrast.

Silver Night- More of the high pitched vocals, typical of the singer, but with a familiar sounding guitar riff and a drum beat to match. Interesting fusion with more mainstream ideas in music.

The Transparent- A bit too much like killing flies, its a mellow song with a minor key that doesn't change much to the end.

Should Have Seen It All- A lengthy conclusion, it explores many of the sounds that are unique to the band, much like Shakma, but with a much different feeling, with more instrumental sounds showcased than in Shakma and a more minimalistic approach to doing so.

Overall, I felt with each song the album went down, but that isn't to say that the album is bad. But Shakma is a stunner, Whatever is a personal favorite of mine, The Spell is pretty good, but as you can see, the ratings slip a little with each song. I think that perhaps arranging the songs in a different order might have added something to this album to send it soaring into echelons of unknown greatness, but song for song, both this album and Breathe, the Leaves stay as my favorite unknown band. February 25, 2007

I cannot rate this album highly enough

This is a wonderful album - a logical progression from Breathe, and containing several songs which stick in your head for weeks.

Shakma and The Angela Test have been available as iTunes downloads for some time before the album came out, and these are two significant highlights of the album. The final track "Should have seen it all" is also a wonderful song, very long and with a haunting, mysterious quality. Leaves seem to really have got the knack of putting together catchy songs where the instruments come in in layers. Having seen Leaves live recently, I can say that they are as good live as in the studio, which is often not the case. They can sing in tune, play instruments well - I recommend this album unreservedly. October 16, 2006

Best Album Of 2005

I've been waiting for this album with anticipation following the Breathe album, And I wasn't disappointed. Leaves have created a Beautiful album that has been compared to other more famous groups. But if you listen to it with-out comparing, you'll find a great album with a real feel to it. There is not one bad song on this recording.I was going to list my favorite song, but they are all great. You can really feel and hear the collaboration of all the members of the group. I really like the way the Bass, Drums and Piano all played together, And the vocals and lyrics are great. Definitely different than the other bands they've been compared to. October 19, 2005

My personal Album of the Year!

What a shame that this isn't being released in the States (even though their first CD was). If you consider the rather boring moniker of "Coldplay meets Radiohead", which would correctly describe the first album "Breathe", don't let that stop you from hearing this new one. A maturity and depth not found in the last several Radiohead albums and a lack of pretentiousness that often IS found in Coldplay is not to be heard here. Perhaps it is the influence of their chilled homeland of Iceland that gives this album such a balance of warmth and coolness, but this is music that washes over you with a blend of melodies and instrumentation that I haven't heard since "OK Computer" - and without any of the anthemic, arena-ready compositions now so much a part of Coldplay's latest incarnation. Additionally, bits and pieces of Pink Floyd and the Beach Boys (!) pop up in the mix too, making for an unforgettable blend of influences. I thought that "X & Y" was my favorite album this year, until I sat down with this. A perfect album - one that needs to see the light of day in America.
September 15, 2005

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