{"product_id":"the-leaf-library-after-the-rain-strange-seeds","title":"THE LEAF LIBRARY - After The Rain, Strange Seeds","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ff0000;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCD - Digipak. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLondon quartet \u003cstrong\u003eThe Leaf Library\u003c\/strong\u003e return with their fourth studio album \u003cem\u003eAfter The Rain, Strange Seeds\u003c\/em\u003e (out on 20 March via \u003cstrong\u003eFika\u003c\/strong\u003e), a luminous collection of pastoral indiepop, drawing inspiration from suburban isolation, unreliable memories and the surreality of the weather. Their 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 \u003cstrong\u003eJohn McEntire\u003c\/strong\u003e, whose work with \u003cstrong\u003eStereolab\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eYo La Tengo\u003c\/strong\u003e (as well as a member of \u003cstrong\u003eTortoise\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eThe Sea And Cake\u003c\/strong\u003e) have been major inspirations to the band.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\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 (“\u003cem\u003eSun In My Room\u003c\/em\u003e”), meteorology and the strange movement of the weather (“\u003cem\u003eColour Chant\u003c\/em\u003e”), red kites circling over suburban motorways (“\u003cem\u003eSome Circling\u003c\/em\u003e”), and the uncanny feeling of dusk and nighttime creatures on “\u003cem\u003eThe Reader’s Lamp\u003c\/em\u003e” (titled by celebrated film director \u003cstrong\u003ePeter Strickland\u003c\/strong\u003e). 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs on past albums the band - founded by singer \u003cstrong\u003eKate Gibson\u003c\/strong\u003e and ex-\u003cstrong\u003eSaloon\u003c\/strong\u003e guitarist \u003cstrong\u003eMatt Ashton\u003c\/strong\u003e in the mid 2000s, and now completed by drummer \u003cstrong\u003eLewis Young\u003c\/strong\u003e and bassist \u003cstrong\u003eGareth Jones\u003c\/strong\u003e - have involved their extended musical family, including guitarist \u003cstrong\u003eMike Cranny\u003c\/strong\u003e (of fellow drone pop travellers \u003cstrong\u003eFirestations\u003c\/strong\u003e) and keyboardist \u003cstrong\u003eIrina Shtreis\u003c\/strong\u003e, both members of the Leaf Library live band. The album also sees the return of \u003cstrong\u003eJames Underwood\u003c\/strong\u003e’s \u003cstrong\u003eIskra Strings\u003c\/strong\u003e, a quartet that features on four tracks, with sumptuous arrangements by \u003cstrong\u003eDaniel Fordham\u003c\/strong\u003e, as well as regular contributor \u003cstrong\u003eMelinda Bronstein\u003c\/strong\u003e on vocals and \u003cstrong\u003eWill Twynham\u003c\/strong\u003e (Dimorphodons) on harpsichord. They also welcomed \u003cstrong\u003ePaddy Milner\u003c\/strong\u003e (on Hammond organ) and \u003cstrong\u003eScott McKeon\u003c\/strong\u003e (guitar) – both current members of \u003cstrong\u003eTom Jones\u003c\/strong\u003e’ band – for a startlingly delicate rolling crescendo to closing track “\u003cem\u003eThere Was Always A Golden Age\u003c\/em\u003e”.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAfter The Rain, Strange Seeds\u003c\/em\u003e is the fourth studio album from The Leaf Library, which follows \u003cem\u003eDaylight Versions\u003c\/em\u003e (2015), \u003cem\u003eThe World Is A Bell\u003c\/em\u003e (2019), \u003cem\u003eAbout Minerals\u003c\/em\u003e (2020) and a collaborative LP on \u003cstrong\u003eMille Plateaux\u003c\/strong\u003e with Japanese artist \u003cstrong\u003eTeruyuki Kurihara\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003cem\u003eMelody Tomb\u003c\/em\u003e), a double LP of rarities and compilation tracks (\u003cem\u003eLibrary Music: Volume One - 2022\u003c\/em\u003e) and a four track EP for electronic label \u003cstrong\u003eCastles In Space\u003c\/strong\u003e. Band members have been involved with a plethora of solo projects, side-projects and collaborations, most recently \u003cstrong\u003eMatt, Lewis\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eMike\u003c\/strong\u003e from \u003cstrong\u003eFirestations\u003c\/strong\u003e and singer \u003cstrong\u003eMarlody\u003c\/strong\u003e in \u003cstrong\u003eMirrored Daughters\u003c\/strong\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRecorded across multiple studios between April 2022 and August 2023, \u003cem\u003eAfter The Rain, Strange Seeds\u003c\/em\u003e sees The Leaf Library challenging themselves with more traditional songwriting and more structured compositions (more chords and more choruses!) rather than just relying on sounds or textures. 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, and a culmination of where they’ve been heading over the years. With \u003cem\u003eAfter The Rain, Strange Seeds\u003c\/em\u003e they have created an album that is bright and transcendent yet blissfully intimate. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Fika Recordings","offers":[{"title":"CD","offer_id":57080630215001,"sku":"SDZ-36656","price":12.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3455\/0945\/files\/Leaf_Library_-_After_The_Rain__Strange_Seeds_-_CD_-_2026.jpg?v=1768562914","url":"https:\/\/spindizzyrecords.com\/products\/the-leaf-library-after-the-rain-strange-seeds","provider":"Spindizzy Dublin","version":"1.0","type":"link"}