It has been nearly a year since we posted Leaves of Green, the then-solo effort of 21-year-old James Madole. His album Imago was very memorable, though all over the place in terms of comparisons; Elliott Smith, Radiohead, and Grizzly Bear were a few friendly likenesses. It was obvious that Madole’s next release would be superb, but impossible to guess its sound – especially now that he’s added a full band and Grammy-winning producer (Geoff Sanoff) to the mix. “Caving In” is the first glimpse of Leaves of Green’s forthcoming EP, out in October. The track, which is the band’s debut, alternates from perky acoustic strums to ghostly key-led ambiance, the former finding Madole with whimpering vocals reminiscent of Ed Droste. Well, that is until the blast of anthemic distortion, which carries the track into a new realm entirely. Now the band’s presence is felt. The brilliant transition to the song’s electric side, around the three-minute mark, grows from the sparse twinkle of the chorus with fluidity and grace.
Keep an eye on Leaves of Green this year. Their upcoming EP could easily be one of the year’s best. Imago was apparently only a teasing indication of what Madole and co. are capable of.
