Dead Leaf Echo – BOO [EP Premiere]
Brooklyn’s Dead Leaf Echo are a music/art collective that released their debut full-length album, Thought and Language, in 2013. Now, LG Galleon (vocals, guitar), Steve Schwadron (bass), and Kevin Kahawai (percussion, drums) are gearing up to release their third full-length album.
But first, they dropped BOO, a five-track EP via Papercup Music, and we couldn’t be happier to premiere the album today!
Like so many artists, Dead Leaf Echo got hit hard by the pandemic. They started laying down the first tracks before the pandemic hit and finished the project while in lockdown at home and in their practice studio. James Aparicio (Spiritualized, Depeche Mode) mixed the EP while Jeff Berner (Psychic TV, Shilpa Ray) did the final records at Studio G. Joe Lambert (Blondie, Deerhunter) was brought in to master.
The EP’s title track, “Boo,” got released in October last year and took my heart by storm. Naturally, “Boo” got the Song Pick of the Day spotlight. I would have gladly featured any of the five tracks found on BOO because they are all fascinating and utterly gorgeous.
While “Boo” is infectiously vibrant, “Dream Orphans” delights with the textured shoegaze layers that fans of DLE came to love over the years.
The mesmerizingly glistening “Shadowlight,” is sonically incredibly beautiful and starkly contrasts its crucial social commentary. This is classic singer/songwriter fare in a stunning post-punk arrangement.
We asked frontman LG Galleon for some background for the EP and what DLE’s plans are for the near future. LG told us:
“The EP is a teaser for our 3rd full length album coming this fall and includes a bunch of songs that won’t be on the album including our first ballad “Death in Wait” and “Shadowlight,” which includes social commentary on George Floyd and the BLM movement which was happening right after the making of this record.”
The fourth song on the EP is “Forgivination,” which showcases Dead Leaf Echo’s creativity that is not confined by language conventions. I think the title summarizes the song splendidly, which is another jewel on a record full of gems.
The album ends with “Death in Wait,” whose somber title is an indication of the track’s more mellow and richly textured vibe. With its beautiful, dream-like setting, rich sound tapestry, and pronounced bass lines, greats like The Cure or New Order come to mind.
A lot has happened since the recording of the EP, and DLE are ready to go on tour again, as LG explains:
“We’re really excited to be hitting the road tomorrow to go to a lot of new cities throughout the midwest and the south that we’ve never played and a few other favorite haunts (Chicago, New Orleans, Austin, Columbus) that we’ve missed dearly since the pandemic.”
Catch Dead Leaf Echo live at any of their shows when they’re on tour with The Veldt. No two DLE performances are ever alike, and they’re always worth your time because this is a band that knows how to captivate their audience. (Tour dates further below.)
Listen to BOO as the perfect appetizer but also hold over for the full-length album to drop later this year. And now, Be ready for something truly stunning:
DLE Spring Tour 2023 w/ The Veldt
TUE 5/2 = Charleston, WV
WED 5/3 = Detroit, MI @ PJ’s Lager House w/ Dharma
THU 5/4 = Pittsburgh, PA @ The Government Center w/ Crystal Canyon
FRI 5/5 = Cincinnati, OH @ Radio Artifact w/ The Hynx
SAT 5/6 = Columbus, OH @ Cafe Bourbon St. w/ Golomb
SUN 5/7 = Grand Rapids, MI or Kalamazoo, MI
MON 5/8 = Chicago, IL @ Montrose Saloon w/ Paul Abella Music + AlexWing
TUE 5/9 = Nashville, @ The Eighth Room w/ Apt
WED 5/10 = Indianapolis, IN @ Healer
THU 5/11 = St. Louis, MO @ Evangeline’s Bistro & Music House
FRI 5/12 = Memphis, TN @ Hi-Tone Café w/ The Current Situation
J.Robot + Mudshow
SAT 5/13 = Fayetteville, AR @ Nomads Trailside w/ @girlturtletrio
SUN 5/14 = Arlington, TX @ GROWL w/ The Prof.Fuzz 63
MON 5/15 = Austin, TX @ Chess Club w/ Bloody Knives, Daydream Twins
TUE 5/16 = New Orleans, LA @ Gasa Gasa w/ The Palace of Tears
WED 5/17 = Birmingham, AL @ The Nick w/ @kaisndtheheretics + LOwer HYbrid
THU 5/18 = Athens, GA @ Flicker Theatre & Bar
FRI 5/19 Winston-Salem, NC @ Monstercade
SAT 5/20 = Raleigh, NC @ The Pour House Music Hall
SUN 5/21 = Washington, DC @ The Pocket
WED 5/24 = Brooklyn, NY @ The Broadway (homecoming show & EP Release Party)
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