An Orchestrated Rise to Fall
Jimmy LaValle had been playing an ocarina in the post-rock instrumental band Tristeza. Being a multi-instrumentalist, during downtime in the fall of 1998, he began playing drums for San Diego band GoGoGo Airheart. The singer and guitarist for the group, Mike Vermillion (which later inspired the song name "Vermillion" on One Day I'll Be on Time) recorded LaValle doing improvised material playing to a vintage roland drum machine on a Rhodes Piano that would become his first full-length album, the 10-track An Orchestrated Rise to Fall. Benjamin White of GoGoGo Airheart and Vermillion both supplied added improvisation with synthesizers and vocals to these recordings.
Before Tristeza released Spine and Sensory on Makoto records in 1998, the band was talking with a handful of different indie record labels. One of the record labels was "The Music Fellowship" out of Salt Lake City, Utah. LaValle asked them if they would be interested in releasing his solo material. They accepted, and An Orchestrated Rise to Fall saw release in 1999 on CD. Later in the year, Tristeza and The Album Leaf both signed with newly started Tigerstyle Records out of New York City. A&R rep for the Tigerstyle, Mike Treff, had previously done his own record label named Linkwork Records. Tigerstyle wanted to release the vinyl version of An Orchestrated Rise to Fall, since it would be one of the first Tigerstyle releases, and being only on Vinyl format, Mike opted to make it Linkwork Records last release.
LaValle played his first official Album Leaf show at the Che Cafe in the winter of 1999. Band members for this show consisted of Rafter Roberts, Jimmy Lehner (of Tristeza), Leilani Clark (of local San Diego band, "the Straight A's" also with LaValle), and Benjamin White (of GoGoGo Airheart).
One Day I'll Be on Time
Soon after signing with Tigerstyle Records, LaValle received his first recording advance. He used this money to buy his first computer, and purchase equipment for a home recording studio. He did his first recordings and those songs were released as a 4 song EP entitled In An Off White Room on Troubleman Records Unlimited. The title for the EP was named after the color of his home studio, which was in his living room. During off time of Tristeza's busy tour schedule promoting their Tigerstyle records release of Dream Signals in Full Circles in 2000, he began writing One Day I'll Be on Time.
The Album Leaf performed their second show during Tristeza's 2000 spring tour, at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas. This show was at Club Deville, at a day party for online distributor, Insound.com. This line-up consisted of Lavalle, Leilani Clark on guitar and keyboards, Tana Helean on keyboards, Susanna Waiche on bass and Jay Hough (of GoGoGoAirheart) on Drums. They shared the stage with Tristeza and The American Analog Set. This lineup also did a 4 week U.S. tour in the summer of 2000 with Andy Robillard (also of GoGoGo Airheart) replacing Hough on Drums.
After the summer tour, he took a full time job in San Diego at newly started music house, "Singing Serpent" producing jingles for television commercials. This also gave him access to a full service recording studio. LaValle used this studio to re-record the material he had written for One Day I'll be On Time. Rafter Roberts recorded the track "Storyboard" and can be heard in the beginning of the song talking with LaValle about his guitar tone. Jason Soares of San Diego band Aspects of Physics provided drum programming for the song "Vermillion", and fellow Tristeza band-mate, Christopher Sprague, played guitar on "In Between Lines" and designed the album art. After completing this record, LaValle left Singing Serpent citing "Making jingles was killing my creativity!"
One Day I'll Be on Time saw worldwide release in early 2001. Jón Þór Birgisson of Icelandic band, Sigur Rós, picked up the record at a record store in Reykjavík, Iceland. This prompted them to ask LaValle to support their upcoming U.S. tour. This would put The Album Leaf in front of new audiences, which helped the band gain popularity. The Album Leaf supported Sigur Rós on their first full US tour. This line-up consisted of LaValle, Luis Hermosillo (of Tristeza) on bass, Nathan Delffs on keyboards and guitar, Eric Hinjosa on keyboards and Andy Robillard still on drums. This line-up also toured the U.S. during December of 2001 and Summer 2002 without Hinojosa.
During this time LaValle wrote 2 songs for Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes to sing on and 2 songs for Marc Bianchi of Her Space Holiday beginning a series of 7" singles entitled the "Collaboration Series" released by Better Looking Records. This series is limited to 1000 copies and is only available to subscribers. The tracks with Oberst were titled "Hungry for a Holiday" and "Bad Blood". The tracks with Bianchi were titled "Call in Blue' and "Reso" (after future violinist, Matt Resovich). The Her Space Holiday collaboration would not be released until 2003.
In January of 2003, The Album Leaf toured Japan for the second time. The first time was an opening slot for LaValle's band, Tristeza, in spring of 2002 where he performed with fellow band members Luis Hermosillo and Eric Hinojosa. This was a headlining tour with fellow San Diego band, Ilya supporting. LaValle enlisted Duane Pitre, Matthew Baker and Hank Morton of Ilya to back him along with Robillard on drums.
Immediately following this tour, LaValle was offered to support Sigur Rós' European tour. This tour he performed solo and started incorporating electronic beats and loop pedals into his live show in order to perform his songs as a one man band. Later during this tour, Kjartan Sveinsson, Orri Páll Dýrason and María Huld Markan of Sigur Rós and Amiina respectively, began to join LaValle on stage performing on a couple of songs during his half-hour performance slot.
Upon returning home, he had put together another line-up for supporting the U.S. portion of Sigur Rós' tour. This line-up was Hermosillo, Delffs with Tim Reece now on drums. Kjartan Sveinsson, Orri Páll Dýrason and María Huld Markan would still join them on stage. This tour saw the Album Leaf playing at music venues such as Radio City Music Hall in New York City, gaining even more popularity for the band.
After these tours, LaValle decided to leave Tristeza and focus on the Album Leaf full time.
A Lifetime or More and the Seal Beach EP
During the following months of 2003, LaValle began recording again. He recorded 3 tracks for a split EP with New York City's, On! Air! Library! for the Arena Rock Recording Co. called A Lifetime or More. Drew Andrews provided guitar for the track "Another Day". During May of 2003, with his new addition of electronic beats, he recorded 5 songs released as the "Seal Beach EP" for Spanish record label Acuarela Discos.
In August of 2003, The Album Leaf headlined a tour of the U.S. with fellow San Diego band, Ilya. This tour introduced the Album Leaf's use of live visual projection art by Andrew Pates and the line-up went down to just LaValle and Drew Andrews on keyboards and guitar with them incorporating laptops and Pates projecting visuals onto a backdrop of the stage. The line-up was becoming more permanent.
Following this tour, LaValle traveled to Iceland to begin recording his third full length. During the Sigur Rós European and U.S. tours. LaValle received an invite from Sigur Rós to record in their Icelandic studio. During these recording sessions the Album Leaf performed 2 shows in Iceland, one being a part of the Iceland Airwaves music festival with LaValle being backed by Kjartan Sveinsson, Orri Páll Dýrason and María Huld Markan of Sigur Rós and Amiina with Sindri Mar Finnbogason playing bass.
In December of 2003, The Album Leaf opened for The American Analog Set on their U.S. tour. This line-up consisted of Matt Resovich on violin, Andrew Kinney (of The American Analog Set) and Sean Ripple (of The American Analog Set) with Pates doing live projections.
In a Safe Place
In the January of 2004, LaValle signed with Seattle based record label, Sub Pop Records and Berlin, Germany based European label City Slang Records. LaValle completed In a Safe Place in February of 2004. Jón Þór Birgisson, Kjartan Sveinsson, and Orri Páll Dýrason (most of the members of Sigur Rós), María Huld Markan (of Amiina), Gyða Valtýsdóttir (formally of múm) , Pall Jenkins and Matt Resovich (of the Blackheart Procession) all contributed to the record with Birgir Jon Birgisson, “Biggi,” engineering at Sigur Rós’ Sundlaugin studio.
In a Safe Place was released on June 22, 2004. The Album Leaf played a record release show at M-Theory Records in San Diego with its current line-up of Matt Resovich on violin, keyboards, glockenspiel, guitar, and vocals, Drew Andrews on guitar, keyboards, and vocals, Tim Reece on drums and keyboards with Andrew Pates projecting live visuals. Following the release, the Album Leaf toured for a year with little time off performing in the U.S., Europe, Taiwan, and Japan. During this time, the Album Leaf self released the Red Tour EP with 5 tracks. This was to showcase the band as individuals and each member (With the exception of Reece) providing their own song, the cd is also enhanced with a tour video made by Andrew Pates. The EP also featured a live recording of "Micro Melodies" a song that only appeared on the soundtrack for the film Moog, a documentary about Robert Moog, the inventor of the Moog synthesizer. The track "Over the Pond" is also used in the film The Family Friend (L'Amico di Famiglia) by Paolo Sorrentino.
This record saw more commercial success and popularity establishing LaValle's The Album Leaf on the map and playing to bigger audiences.. Many of the tracks from In a Safe Place were used in the soundtracks for television shows such as The OC and CSI: Miami.
Following the extensive touring, LaValle re-joined Tristeza filling in on guitar for 2 shows in Guadalajara and Mexico City in place of Alison Ables, the replacement to the band for himself. When he returned, LaValle began writing his next full length.
In December of 2005, LaValle traveled to Seattle, Washington to Bearcreek Recording Studio to begin tracking the record. After tracking, he then traveled back to Sigur Rós’ Sundlaugin studio to mix the record with the help of Brigir Jon Birgisson and Joshua Eustis (of Telefon Tel Aviv).
Into the Blue Again
On September 12, 2006, Into the Blue Again was released on Sub Pop Records in North America. The album saw an earlier release in Germany on September 8, 2006 and throughout the rest of Europe on September 11, 2006 courtesy of City Slang Records. Into the Blue Again sees a return to The Album Leaf’s conception and LaValle handling virtually all instrumental duties. LaValle’s few collaborators on Into the Blue Again are Josh Eutis of Telefon Tel Aviv, who aided additional drum programming and engineering on choice songs, The Black Heart Procession’s Pall Jenkins adding vocal harmonies on "Wherever I Go," violinist Matt Resovich (who performs with The Album Leaf live, and also played on In a Safe Place), Drew Andrews adding additional guitar work on select songs (Drew also performs with The Album Leaf live)
The Album Leaf has toured extensively through the United States, Europe, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, New Australia and Taiwan.
Writings on the Wall
The Album Leaf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
so you can speak
writing on the wall
will sing will sing
writing on the wall
so you can scream
the writings on the wall
i couldn't seem to find you from here
i only wanted to say the right words
writings on the wall
they'll speak to me
writings on the wall
they'll sing to me
the writings on the wall
will scream at us
writings on the wall
they'll sing they'll sing
over clouds and through the sky
to find a place that we can hide
and close our eyes this time
it's all inside
through this journey
we can see all the trees
their changing leaves
this safe place where we can hide away
writings on the wall
The lyrics to The Album Leaf's song Writings on the Wall are about the power of words and how they can be used to express emotions and communicate with others. The phrase "writings on the wall" refers to words or symbols that are written or recorded somewhere, such as on a piece of paper, a wall or a screen. The song suggests that these writings can be used to convey important messages, regardless of whether they are spoken, sung or screamed.
The first two verses of the song describe how the writings on the wall can be used to speak, sing or scream. The repetition of these phrases creates a sense of urgency and emphasizes the importance of using words to express oneself. The third verse describes how the singer is searching for someone and wants to say the right words, suggesting that words can also be used to connect with others and communicate feelings.
The chorus of the song reinforces the idea that the writings on the wall have power and can speak to us, sing to us, and even scream at us. The final verse of the song suggests that through the journey of life, we can find a safe place to hide away and express our feelings through the changing leaves of the trees.
Overall, the lyrics to Writings on the Wall highlight the importance of words and how they can be used to express emotions and communicate with others. The song creates a sense of urgency and emphasizes that it is important to speak, sing or scream to be heard.
Line by Line Meaning
writing on the wall
There is a message or sign written on the wall.
so you can speak
The message allows one to speak freely about something.
will sing will sing
The message is something important that will be repeated and remembered.
so you can scream
The message is something that one wants to shout out.
the writings on the wall
The same message on the wall is being referred to again.
they'll sing they'll sing
The importance of the message will continue to be remembered and spread.
i couldn't seem to find you from here
The singer is having trouble locating someone who is important to them.
i only wanted to say the right words
The singer wants to communicate something important to this person in the best way possible.
they'll speak to me
The message is personal and meaningful to the singer.
the writings on the wall
The same message on the wall is being referred to again.
they'll sing to me
The message is something that resonates with the singer and will be remembered.
will scream at us
The message is something intense that will demand attention.
over clouds and through the sky
The journey is taking place through the air, possibly in a plane or a dream-like state.
to find a place that we can hide
The singer is searching for a place to escape and retreat.
and close our eyes this time
The singer wants to shut out the world and focus on the present moment.
it's all inside
The singer believes that the answers and solutions are within themselves, not outside sources.
through this journey
The journey is still ongoing and has not yet been completed.
we can see all the trees
The journey has allowed the singer to appreciate and notice the natural beauty around them, such as the changing leaves.
their changing leaves
The seasonal change is symbolic of transition and growth.
this safe place where we can hide away
The singer has found a comforting and secure place to rest and reflect.
Contributed by Elliot H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@poettate7309
This song still 🔥 in 2023 ❤
@patrickk___
Chibs: JAX.. were at the table.
Jax: Okay. (Puts everything away,locks door,admires the club walking)
Legendary SOA.. Good times.
@adem9924
ends with
Gemma: stupid junkie bitch
best moments ever...
@MrMayhem10
I love this scene it made me fell in love with this show
@dbodooley
Phenomenal! Absolute perfect scene.
@tucko11
Great show . Great story . Jax finds his old man’s letters .
@hersh4700
One of the best compositions I’ve ever heard. Jimmy LaValle is a musical genius.
@dbodooley
It really is. I absolutely am obsessed with this track.
@shwetatyagi7288
This song.... This music takes me to another world .... such a high
@dragicmagic9870
Everyone seems to be here from some TV show, but I'm just here because I just like The Album Leaf :)