Carbon Leaf
Love, Loss, Hope, Repeat
Vanguard
Carbon Leaf’s rise to national prominence has taken some time. Love, Loss, Hope, Repeat is the band’s seventh album, and follows their major label debut, Indian Summer, which spawned the hit, “Life Less Ordinary.”
However, it’s clearly been worth the wait because this is an enduring collection of well-written pop-rock songs with the trademark melodies and vocals that have come to characterise the Richmond, VA four-piece.
Aside from Carbon Leaf’s strong melodies, vocalist Barry Privett’s lyrics are the most stark thing about Love, Loss, Hope, Repeat. From the witty “International Airport” and the clever “Block of Wood” to the poignant and moving “The War Was In Color,” his ability to conjure innovative, almost metaphysical metaphors and imagery in his writing is abundantly clear.
The soaring chorus of first single “Learn To Fly” contrasts effortlessly with the evocative and instantly memorable refrain of the title track, and the acoustic-based “Comfort” is another standout song, celebrating the universal theme of friendship.
Carbon Leaf has previously opened for such bands as Dave Matthews Band and Counting Crows, but Love, Loss, Hope, Repeat is ample proof that the band is on the way to success on their own terms.
Carbon Leaf: http://www.carbonleaf.com
