Inner Ear Media
  • Home
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Live Recaps

The Album Leaf - A Lifetime or More

8/19/2003

0 Comments

 
Picture
A Lifetime or More
The Album Leaf
August 18, 2003
Arena Rock Recordings

As part of a split release with On! Air! Library!, LaValle recorded three tracks that form “A Lifetime or More”.  Another Day opens the EP and is its strongest track. In typical LaValle fashion, he shows a lot of restraint and builds up layers of ambient sounds. Where there were a couple of mishits early in his solo work, this time he is able to tell a story with the sounds. Another Day finds you shifting from memory to memory, piecing together the threads of your own history, as it seems the song forms a mental backdrop for your story.

Essex is a nice arrangement with a metronomic approach that never really sets itself apart. The increase and decrease in volume throughout the track does create a bit of dynamic but never really excites or impresses. Were it to tell a story, like Another Day, the track would’ve been much stronger. Lamplight is actually quite interesting in its (initial) utter minimalistic character. Ambient layers are added to the track and it slowly grows into what you could call an instrumental anthem. It does take off eventually but instead of realizing real flight it seems to more or less hover. So while the song reaches a certain height it isn’t soaring quite yet.

LaValle shows off his knack for arrangement and creating a dynamic. Another Day really showcases the talent of telling a story without words or vocals and the powerful quality of a well-arranged piece. “A Lifetime Or More” is a nice interlude in The Album Leaf’s catalogue but in its entirety it is hardly a masterpiece.
0 Comments

    Author

    gogonutz

    Archives

    July 2015
    March 2015
    September 2014
    May 2014
    January 2013
    November 2012
    March 2011
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    September 2009
    August 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    October 2008
    September 2008
    August 2008
    June 2008
    April 2008
    March 2008
    February 2008
    October 2007
    September 2007
    July 2007
    June 2007
    May 2007
    February 2007
    January 2007
    October 2006
    September 2006
    July 2006
    April 2006
    November 2005
    September 2005
    August 2005
    June 2005
    May 2005
    April 2005
    February 2005
    January 2005
    November 2004
    August 2004
    June 2004
    April 2004
    December 2003
    November 2003
    September 2003
    August 2003
    July 2003
    June 2003
    May 2003
    April 2003
    February 2003
    January 2003
    October 2002
    February 2002
    November 2001
    May 2001
    April 2001
    March 2001
    February 2001
    November 2000
    October 2000
    April 2000
    March 2000
    November 1999
    October 1998
    May 1998
    November 1996

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.