Wild Leaves are a Brooklyn-based folk band who have just announced the release of their Debut EP, ‘ Wind & Rain‘ out on March 26th.We caught up with and member Adam Lytle recently who gave us insight into where they take their inspiration from and what influences them. They took off to a woodland cottage to record the EP, an experience that let them in for more than they bargained for as Adam reveals.
As far as influences go, we tend to connect on feelings rather than bands. Each of us has different tastes in music but what brought us together and continues to serve as a guide in our songwriting is a common journey. We all moved away from home at the same time, broke, out of work and staying in a run down loft on the outskirts of Brooklyn. We were trying to figure out where we stood in the grand scheme of things. We knew we couldn’t turn back, but, the road ahead looked pretty tough. Out of that struggle, songs began to form, and they offered strength and hope.
In my mind, this band is a testament to the power of folk music. While we’ve been friends for years. The extent of our playing together consisted mostly of bizarre, whiskey-fueled jam sessions. It wasn’t until recently that anyone had anything to say. Once we found a collective voice, everyone got in tune and it just made sense.
Together, we cultivated this warmth and are now trying to spread it to others whose spirits need lifting. Thats why we left the city to record. We needed to be surrounded by life. The moss on the trees, the birds chirping, the deer running past the window. We needed to record the whole thing to tape so other people could feel the emotions in the songs. The arrival of the storm was pretty ironic as it became this huge metaphor for everything that had happened up to that point. At its peak, we were all huddled in the center of the cottage listening to trees falling all around us, hoping nothing fell through the roof. Thats where the album name came from.
Together, we cultivated this warmth and are now trying to spread it to others whose spirits need lifting. Thats why we left the city to record. We needed to be surrounded by life. The moss on the trees, the birds chirping, the deer running past the window. We needed to record the whole thing to tape so other people could feel the emotions in the songs. The arrival of the storm was pretty ironic as it became this huge metaphor for everything that had happened up to that point. At its peak, we were all huddled in the center of the cottage listening to trees falling all around us, hoping nothing fell through the roof. Thats where the album name came from.There is a lovely warmth to their music, something we are continually drawn to on Folk Radio UK…Adam put it down to the process of making the music:
The warmth you mentioned is a result of the live recording process. It’s real. Human. There are mistakes, unlike a lot of popular music where everone records separerately and tiny mistakes are polished endlessly, leaving the whole thing feeling sterile. We wanted to play each take together and decide which was the best for the group, not the individual. All our favorite albums were made that way!
The warmth you mentioned is a result of the live recording process. It’s real. Human. There are mistakes, unlike a lot of popular music where everone records separerately and tiny mistakes are polished endlessly, leaving the whole thing feeling sterile. We wanted to play each take together and decide which was the best for the group, not the individual. All our favorite albums were made that way!Whilst I agree with Adam I think there’s more at play…but sometimes it’s better to just leave things as they are and accept that what you’ve got is simply good music.
The first single and title track is out now and can be downloaded from bandcamp.
The album cover, handrawn by Meg Molli, features the title surrounded by a sprig of Thyme, a symbol of strength and courage.
