Show Review: The Album Leaf and Sea Wolf at El Rey (2/13/10)

by Brad Roberts

 

Another trip to El Rey in one week meant another trip off the planet for another concert of such overwhelming beauty that I was left giddy with satisfaction and in free-fall back toward planet Earth. First it was St. Vincent on Tuesday, and on Saturday, February 13, 2010, still in a blissful state three days later, The Album Leaf took me even higher into the stratosphere. (Thanks to Carly Ealey for this shot from an earlier tour) I'm beginning to consider El Rey as much of a launching pad as a music venue.

Though a fan of this band for a few years, I've only had the opportunity to see then twice before; first, at this venue on June 28. 2007 as a band of six, and again, at The Echo for an intimate show on February 20, 2008. Both show were impressive but did not prepare me for the sound of The Album Leaf accompanied by the Magik*Magik String Quartet combining to form an orchestra of eleven members. It was magical (magikal?).

I arrived early so I would have the option of getting up close on the floor and would not miss Sea Wolf, who have become so popular that the El Rey filled up pretty quickly, fairly early. This was the last stop for this part of the The Album Leaf U.S. tour, who take off on a six-week European/Asian tour, but resume their American Tour beginning in late April and continuing through May, again with Sea Wolf (Alex Church pictured at right).

Shortly after nine the curtains parted as Sea Wolf were greeted by enthusiastic applause from an audience of obvious fans. Now, I've seen this band many times over the last two years, and this was, undoubtedly one of their tightest, most potent sets I've ever seen them give. The songs just flowed out of them, most from their newest album, White Water, White Bloom, with a couple of favorites from Leaves in the River, including their biggest hit, "Like a Wolf". It was 45 minutes of one great song after another. This band has been together a while now and their harmonious playing shows a real love of what they're doing. As an evening that seemed to be showcasing strings, I must mention the wonderful violin accompaniment.

Between sets, the crowd waited, the lights dimmed and, with curtains closed, languorous, synth-laden sounds began emanating from the stage. This was The Album Leaf overture. Lately I've seen a few bands that begin their sets with mood-establishing introductions, and, contrary to seeming precious or self-serving, they effectively lull the listener into the appropriate mood for what could be considered, an adventurous or demanding music experience. I used to love it when movies began with an overture before the film proper began.

As the curtains opened, this intro fed directly into the first song on their newest album A Chorus of Storytellers. "Perro" is composed of ambient sounds with a slow beat, gently undercut by pre-recorded dialogue samples of what sounds like a teacher instructing a child on the correct pronunciation of the word 'perro', all with a ghostly echo, as if from a distant past. As the stage revealed the seven-strong line up of the band augmented by the four-piece Magik*Magik String Quartet I was astonished to count 11 musicians on stage. 

 

 

They proceeded to play, I believe, the first six songs from A Chorus of Storytellers in order, and as the CD has become an obsession of mine, I couldn't have wished for a more arresting opening to their set. Transported to a pastoral space in the cosmos, this music is seriously hypnotic. I was so transported details are a little sketchy.

 

Jimmy LaValle has a wonderful full time violinist in Matt Resovich, who handled the main parts and often sent shivers up my back, but when the lush sound of the Quartet were added, bowing or plucking their instruments it was sublime. Other musicians played trumpets and horns, with Jimmy mostly at the keyboard.

 

Certain songs came so close to chamber orchestra pieces, it gave the whole affair a classical flavor. Sometimes the music resembles the film scores of Georges Delerue or Bernard Herrmann, I'm particularly thinking of some of the string reveries he composed for the 1947 film, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. The diversity and the range of emotions it conjures up is ultimately very moving. How Jimmy LaValle isn't composing film soundtracks yet is a mystery to me. They also included songs from my previous favorite Album Leaf CD, Into the Blue Again, like  "Wherever I Go", and "Always For You" served as a fitting encore.

 

And I musn't neglect to mention the vocals. Treated as almost another instrument in the fabric of the sound, Jimmy sings subdued tones that his band matches with stunning harmony, especially in the choir-like ending of "There is a Wind". But the song "Almost There" provides the opportunity for some really interesting off-kilter harmonies that made the song a highlight of the entire concert. This is a show I won't soon forget (like not ever).