{"product_id":"leaf-library-the-after-the-rain-strange-seeds","title":"Leaf Library, The - After The Rain, Strange Seeds","description":"\u003cp\u003eLondon quartet, The Leaf Library, return with their bold album, \u003cem\u003eAfter The Rain, Strange Seeds\u003c\/em\u003e. A luminous collection of pastoral indie-pop, drawing inspiration from suburban isolation, unreliable memories and the surreality of the weather. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTheir most immediate and melodic work to date, the richly evocative songs brim with chiming guitars, buzzing organs and warm, dulcet strings, evoking Yo La Tengo’s more contemplative moments, The Clientele’s autumnal jangle pop and early Stereolab’s motorik melodicism. The sound of the album is defined by mixer John McEntire, whose work with Stereolab and Yo La Tengo (as well as a member of Tortoise\/The Sea And Cake) have been major inspirations to the band. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe album explores themes of memory and place, albeit through an abstract haze – returning again and again to specific moments frozen in time: midsummer bright hot days in the Chilterns (“Sun In My Room”), meteorology and the strange movement of the weather (“Colour Chant”), red kites circling over suburban motorways (“Some Circling”), and the uncanny feeling of dusk and nighttime creatures on “The Reader’s Lamp” (titled by celebrated film director Peter Strickland). The lyrics are vivid yet elliptical, strung with abstract ideas and imagery, conjuring a gently unsettling, though never unwelcoming atmosphere. Not quite trusting your own recollection of things, while marvelling at the oddness of the natural world, the album’s title a good summation of the mix of strangeness and hope contained within. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs on past albums the band have involved their extended musical family, including guitarist, Mike Cranny (of fellow drone pop travellers, Firestations) and keyboardist, Irina Shtreis, both members of the Leaf Library live band. The album also sees the return of James Underwood’s Iskra Strings, a quartet that features on 4 tracks, with sumptuous arrangements by Daniel Fordham, as well as regular contributor Melinda Bronstein on vocals and Will Twynham (Dimorphodons) on harpsichord. They also welcomed Paddy Milner (on Hammond organ) and Scott McKeon (guitar) – both current members of Tom Jones’ band – for a startlingly delicate rolling crescendo to closing track “There Was Always A Golden Age”. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eAfter The Rain, Strange Seeds\u003c\/em\u003e is their 4th studio album. The result is The Leaf Library’s most accomplished and affecting work, John McEntire’s mix bringing a bold clarity to the band’s meticulous arrangements – closer to how they sound live than anything they’ve done before.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"FIKA RECORDINGS","offers":[{"title":"Yellow LP","offer_id":53021542973782,"sku":"MRM-01882","price":24.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1000\/6088\/9430\/files\/46f06c80c1d15d76b94de9e30a3c88fc.png?v=1775196491","url":"https:\/\/monorailmusic.com\/products\/leaf-library-the-after-the-rain-strange-seeds","provider":"Monorail Music","version":"1.0","type":"link"}