by Dean Wolfe, prog dog media (album released 2024)
If I had done a 2024's Best Albums of the Year List, Oddleaf would likely have topped it. Although there's no shortage of fresh new progrock hitting hot wax.
Oddleaf are likely inspired by some of the classic 70s prog rock bands- one in particular they do remind me of is the great female-singer led Rennaissance- and Oddleaf's lead vocalist Adeline Gurtner is on par with Annie Haslam in presence and substance.
This band has created prog rock epics without need to resort to modern prog metal vibes. The flute figures large in many parts of the album and transports me to the dense forests of Tolkien's Middle Earth at times, or the Dark Ages.
There is no lack of bass on the album- it is unmistakably present and integral to the band's sound- Olivier Orlando often (maybe always) picks the bass with a treble-inducing plectrum.
And did I mention the drummer? Highly energetic, sophisticated- but not sounding too 'technical'- Clément Cureaudau plays in cool time 'sigs' all the time, but he's sneaky about it, making it sound natural and easy- sort of like Yes' Alan White and less like Rush's Neil Peart.
Complexity abounds on this debut album "Where Ideal and Denial Collide" yet it manages to remain subtle. The production is balanced- not overly processed - very cohesive- clean-- it all sits nicely - which is I think due in part to the band's skills of self-editing. There aren't 'too many notes' or too many instruments. All of Oddleaf's musical elements intertwine without clashing or competing- actually a remarkable feat. I liken it to watching a busy intersection in Vietnam that has no stoplights yet everyone manages to flow through without incident- it's mesmerizing.
Did I mention the keyboards? Lots of accomplished playing- great rock organ solos by main composer Carina Taurer...some great piano sections and cool Tony Banks and Keith Emerson-ish playful escapades. I need to check if she's won any awards yet- she sounds like a giant in the making. Lots of fantastic sections.
I'm a guitarist, so I noticed there is only a scattering of electric guitar across the album...several solos, but the album doesn't feel lacking in any way.
The unique 'Oddleaf' sound has been confidently nailed regardless of any comparisons made here.
The album opener- and closer- are show great grandeur- graceful and hearkening to the days when an album was an album - and it captures the main vibe which is mostly one of optimism. The lyrics throughout are cleverly woven at times reminding us to honour the planet, but also reassuring us that no matter what, 'the Earth's core will remain warm'. 'Bring me back to a simple time..' Gurtner sings.
The songwriting is adventurous but mature- the music unfolds gracefully, effortlessly. A remarkable first effort by any standard. Strong melodies are spread throughout, haunting at times, surprisingly wide in scope. The album's tracks are often tied together, sometimes with windy desert sounds, and the album finishes off with what sounds like a whale swimming off into the distance, singing 'goodbye' and leaving the listener in a state of peaceful longing.
The latter part of the album departs a little bit from the tone it began with - a little less heavy-hitting on 'song'-ness, and is more experimental and noodle-y- perhaps hinting already that Oddleaf is not content without a little boundary-pushing playfulness.
The backup vocals are also noteworthy. Everyone except the drummer is noted to have added their voices- which creates more distinction to the Oddleaf sound.
The flute work by Mathieu Rossi is refreshing. It's such an earthy and uplifting instrument- and it is another link to a musical past of simpler ages (It reminds me more of Peter Gabriel with Genesis than Jethro Tull- but I don't know Tull too well yet. Others can chime in on the comparison).
I could go on, but let's leave it there. My score is 5 bones out of 5- partly because they just appeared out of nowhere with a super fresh unique sound. It's a spectacular debut- full of nuance and well-thought-through passages and interludes, with both a serious and a lighter-side. They are without the slightest air of pretension or even ambition trying to be anything other than what they are: a young band with a vision. Thank-you, Oddleaf, for sharing that.
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