The Submarines

Last night, after a period of hiatus, Californian post-rock visionary Jimmy LaVelle made his triumphant return to the stage – this time under his critically acclaimed pseudonym, The Album Leaf. The event marked the release of Michael Raines’ new documentary, ‘Beyond There’, which follows the Asian leg of LaVelle’s last international tour. The film, which presents a stark and intimate insight into life on the road, was premiered before the concert – a fitting introduction to a live show that is as much a visual performance as it is a musical one.
On stage, LaVelle is joined by live band members Matthew Resovich, David LeBleu and Brad Lee. Between them they man a large array of instruments - both acoustic and electronic - including strings, glockenspiels, horns and drum machines. Like the music itself, the show feels cinematic yet intimate – the sound of the band fills Hollywood’s Masonic Lodge, which is lit up by wild projections of visual art and film; however the group remain characteristically introvert, pausing between songs only to talk quietly amongst themselves, occasionally thanking the audience in soft, lowered voices.
The setlist is largely comprised of tracks from LaValle’s last solo album - 2010’s ‘A Chorus of Storytellers’. The band open with the ethereal ‘Until the Last’, before launching into the album’s lead single, ‘There is a Wind’. The music is emotionally charged and incredibly beautiful, comprising layers of shimmering electronics and slow-building organic textures. As the evening progresses, we are treated to renditions of some of LaVelle’s most recent works, including tracks from his 2012 self-released EP ‘Forward/Return’, as well as last year’s collaborations with Taiwanese artist Sun Kil Moon. Frustratingly, many firm favourites don’t feature, and it’s hard not to feel slightly disappointed when many crowd favourites such as ‘Twentytwofourteen’ and ‘The Light’ are neglected entirely. However, any hard feelings are forgotten by the time they finish with a spine-tingling re-interpretation of Nirvana’s ‘On A Plain’.
Overall, the show was perfectly in tune with the setting of the Masonic Lodge and the Hollywood Forever cemetery that houses it – cinematic, beautiful, and haunting.