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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Playing it "Safe", 25 Feb 2006
Fans beware -- the Album Leaf takes a different direction in "In A Safe Place." Jimmy LaValle takes a voyage into Sigur Ros's turf, experimenting with pop tunes and ambient meanderings. The resulting music is ethereally pretty, but not terribly memorable. It opens with a delicately ambient tune that runs a little too long, before shifting into a sort of airy, ambient-edged pop music that meanders over pretty little paths. Songs like "Thule" have a settled crystalline quality, while some songs like "The Outer Banks" are a bit more experimental, mixing the rippling melody with rat-a-tat percussion. "In a Safe Place" was recorded in Iceland, the land of Sigur Ros, Mum, Bjork and Emiliana Torrini. As a result, the influence of Iceland is heavy here (just check the instrumental credits!). It even sounds a bit like Iceland -- LaValle's music sounds airy, eerie and icy. At its top moments, this album is simply enchanting, but at others it feels like LaValle has overstretched himself. The music itself is sweet and simple -- sometimes deceptively so. More ordinary instruments like drums and guitar are mellowed out by the glockenspiel, keyboards, cello and violins. In many songs, the instrumentation weaves itself into airy tapestries. But other songs like "Another Day" don't fully gel. They sound like two incompatible melodies laid over each other, one sputtery pop and one ambient. The Sigur Ros influence is strongest in "Over the Pond," where Jon Thor Birgisson (Jonsi) solemnly sings in his falsetto voice. Some grittier vocals come in with Pall Jenkins of Black Heart Procession, who doesn't sound entirely comfortable against the light, tinkly music. The Album Leaf tries out the Icelandic sound with mixed result in "In A Safe Place." This pretty, lightweight music may be safe, but to make great music, you have to take a few risks.
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~ The Album Leaf
~ Explosions in the Sky
~ Eluvium
~ Jonsi & Alex
~ Explosions in the Sky
