While everything may have seemed all-too-quiet on-site over the past weekend, outside of the Pout’s digital realm - life was crazy busy. Between entertaining visiting friends & family, watching the friggin’ untouchably awesome Grindhouse (which I seriously cannot recommend highly enough), looking over drafts & ramblings on behalf of the Bishop’s University students’ responses to the strike situation… I have been left sleep deprived, hung over and, really, more than a tad bit grumpy. And so, it is almost nice to come back to work, sit alone in my air conditioned office, turn on some tunes & simply breathe.
Additionally, I must say that there is much to look forward to: I have, for my auditory perusal, a fine selection of music to dig into today. From the soft electronic ambiance of new Album Leaf to the hand-clappin’ goodness of the Go! Team, it looks to be a good day. So, let’s pour some coffee & dig, shall we?
I’ve decided to start the day off with the Album Leaf’s newest offering, dubbed The Green Tour EP. The “record” is a collection of 6 instrumental tracks that was only available during the band’s last tour but has since been made purchasable from the iTunes music store.
And it is a good start to the day. Ambient enough to not be distracting as people drop in and drop out of the office I am in, it serves as a perfect backdrop to the early day. I’m especially loving the piano at the end of “Fear of Flying” & the strings interplay on “We Need Help” and “San Simeon”.
So, really, what we are looking at is another soft IDM electronic piece with a few flourishes of natural instrumentation. I wouldn’t say it demonstrates much of a progression from their (or his, depending) last LP - but that isn’t a bad thing. The Album Leaf are exceptional at making music that - while not extremely engaging - gets repeated plays from me for the opposite reasoning: they make music that works the background, it is upbeat, hopeful… allowing me to concentrate on whatever work I have to do.
Although I can see playing the EP under a multitude of circumstances, it definitely suits being listened to in an office, slightly hungover & tired. Plus, by the end, I can honestly say that the combination of the Green EP and coffee has left me significantly less grumpy. And that ain’t nothin’ to scoff at.
people, relax:
The Album Leaf - Fear of Flying.
The Album Leaf - Drawing Mountains.
You can check out the band’s digital home over at http://thealbumleaf.com. Their entire discography (including the new EP) can be easily purchased from the iTunes Music Store.
Can you post the other tracks??