10 Questions with…Jimmy LaValle of The Album Leaf

Congratulations on the new album, A Chorus of Storytellers. Given your reputation for often working alone, how literal should we take this title?

thank you. you should take it very literal. its the exact inspiration for the title. i had all my live band play on this record. we’ve all got stories behind it.

The videos that accompany songs like “On Your Way” and “Always for You” are interesting visual pieces that simultaneously try not to distract from the listening experience. Is this something that you consciously consider when working on video concepts?

I’m not sure if you’re talking about the music video’s or the live visuals. both of them i don’t really have a lot to do with. i’ll pick a treatment for the video and i am usually %100 happy with what the director has done. as far as the live visuals, our visualist, andy pates, sees those through and creates them.

Music by The Album Leaf has been featured in a number of television and film projects as well as international commercials. How did it feel when you learned that “The Light” was going to be used in a PSA featuring Michele Obama and Jill Biden?

I didn’t know they were going to use it. And they used it twice.. or twice for the campaign. the first was a pledge to Obama video curated by Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore. I was down with that and felt proud about being a part of the campaign. The 2nd usage, is a little hard for me. I am not in support of the war by any means. I don’t feel like the psa is in support of the war. I feel like its in support of supporting troops after they return from war. which i do agree with. I am not publicly political at all and do not care to get into it anymore than that.

A lot of artists over the years have cited religious music as part of their early musical inspiration. A great deal of your work has a hymnal quality to it. What was your musical upbringing like?

I guess it was the usual as far as popular music goes.. growing up with the beatles, rolling stones, led zeppelin, pink floyd etc.. But i grew up playing classical music which is probably where those hints come from.

How would you compare recording A Chorus of Storytellers with a live band vs. handling the bulk of Into the Blue Again on your own?

It was great. Everyone has played with me for so long that it was very natural.. We’re all good friends that have a lot of fun on tour so it pretty much translated into those times in the studio.. it was a lot of fun. not as lonely i guess.

I think that it’s difficult for an artist to have any realistic goals until their 30s. Now that you’ve reached that stage in life, do you find yourself considering “grown-up” concepts like “career aspirations”?

I always have. to play music and get anywhere you have to have goals. I’m married now, i definitely have a different outlook on life now. I’m older and don’t care about the things that were important to me when i was 21. i would like to be doing more soundtracks. i’ve started doing more and its been great. i would like to be home more and not on the road as much.

Give us an overview of a typical day during the recording of A Chorus of Storytellers.

We’d wake up, walk down stairs, cook breakfast, pick up instruments and start recording.. record for 12 hours or so. make dinner, hang out, drink beer, play pool, play video games, watch movies, walk back upstairs and go to bed.. it was fun.

You’ve said before that you rarely listen to music when touring. What’s been stuck in your head during your last break in touring?

Its funny that i said that because i pretty much only listen to music while i’m touring! i like to drive a lot so i play a lot of different things while doing that. lately i’ve been hooked on the Meters pandora radio station. i’ve been listening to the new beach house for a long time now.. i got it from sub pop back in december. its great.

There has been a lot of talk over the years regarding the cinematic quality to your music. Would you be interested in scoring films at some point or are you wary of creating the accompaniment for someone else’s work?

Yes yes and yes.. I just scored a documentary called “Torey’s Distraction” about a little girl born with aperts syndrome. the film follows her from 6 till 13, through multiple surgeries, life experiences etc.. it was a great experience. I would love to do more.

Lastly, can you suggest a great book, meal, or drink to enjoy while experiencing your new album?

No idea. I eat a lot of thai food. i drink jameson and i don’t really read.