The trend in indie music these days seems to be the dreamy, detached and insanely intricate style of music that can only be lumped into the overused term of "ambient."
It's an easy way to consolidate all of the bands that are coming out of the woodwork lately, but with all the different variations, it seems unfair.
The ironic thing is that many of these bands, although individually influenced, could probably say that its music is in response to the cookie-cutter collective of emo/pop-punk that has saturated the airwaves.
This type of music, although broadly sweeping, purposely finds a way to be as unique as possible, so even the most pretentious of rock journalists can't touch it. The Album Leaf is one such example of this.
The San Diego-based band has defied the record label taxonomy by being signed to Sub Pop, an independent label best known for its "Garden State"-toted "this band will change your life" prodigies.
Luckily for The Album Leaf, this label also isn't easily categorized and has been behind the band with its latest release, "Into the Blue Again," after it dropped in September.
The boys quickly jumped on tour, covering a vast majority of the country, including a stop in Phoenix back in October with Arizona's very own Lymbyc System. If you missed The Album Leaf, perhaps you should take your Thanksgiving plane ticket and reroute it to California to catch the last few shows before the group heads to Japan.
If you tattoo the band's famous leaf on yourself, you can even get free entry. How's that for rebelling against conformity?
"Into The Blue Again"
4 out of 5 pitchforks
Artist: The Album Leaf
Label: Sub Pop
Reach the reporter at ashley.e.harris@asu.edu.
