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Augustana - You'll Disappear

6/27/2005

You'll Disappear
Augustana
June 27, 2005
Epic

Augustana is readying their official full-length debut “All The Stars & Boulevards” but to hold us over they released the “You’ll Disappear” EP that features three songs off the upcoming record.

‘Stars & Boulevards’ is a great piano-driven, uptempo pop song that makes for singing and moving along. With very strong lyrics, great vocals and a tight instrumental back up, this song could do very well on radio.

The slightly alternative song ‘Bullets’ is something that really is of my liking. I like its energy, it’s agressiveness (not agression) and it’s passionate perfromance. Augustana combines their melodic and rhythmic qualities in this song perfectly. Great live song too.

We heard a previous version of ‘Boston’ on Augustana’s demo album and already it had a lot of potential. The band cleaned up the song and revamped it into a song that’s ready to be an instant hit. The piano-vocal dynamic with the passionate and emotional feel makes this a song that radio will embrace, and if I’m not mistaken, so will the fans.

I was a little worried after the “Mayfield [EP]”, but now that I heard the “You’ll Disappear [EP]” Augustana has taken away my worries. They got back to what they do best and they seem happy to do it. These three songs have a lot of potential and make me eager to hear the whole upcoming album.

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The Album Leaf - Seal Beach

6/1/2005

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Seal Beach [EP]
The Album Leaf
2003 / 2005
Acuela / Better Looking

Jimmy LaValle, or The Album Leaf, has made a career out of arranging and performing instrumental post-ambient pieces that are a little off-kilter and find means in which they can be expressive and emotive. On "Seal Beach", which was released 2 years ago in Spain and is now re-issued as a proper release on Better Looking Records, he continues this trend.

As always, the control and restraint shown in LaValle's arrangements is what sets it apart from similar artists. The layering of keys, mechanical drums and drones perfuses into something that transcends the loose parts and becomes a whole, without any form of rushing or forced excitement. As we may have said about The Album Leaf's previous releases as well, this genre isn't for the masses. You need to open yourself up and let the music guide you. Don't try to get something out of the music but let the music give it to you. It's the only way this is going to work. If you are able to, "Seal Beach" will offer up its secret power for you to enjoy.

There are five studio recordings and five live recordings, though there is hardly a difference between them, except for the audience appreciation on the live tracks. But instead of experiencing the EP as 10 tracks, the music seamlessly fuses together the tracks into an A-side (studio recordings) and a B-side (live recordings), which creates an epic and introspective journey that really doesn't need words to be told. Which is exactly where LaValle shines.

The one track I will mention seperately is One Minute, which ends the studio part of the disc. It's mellow guitar track and uplifting character will have you recounting memories in your own head. This way, the song will speak to every listener in a different manner, which is quite the achievement. "Seal Beach" is another strong showing by The Album Leaf and hopefully it won't be the last.

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Augustana - You'll Disappear

The Album Leaf - Seal Beach

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