Life & Love in Sparrow's Meadow in Bloomington, MN

The Skygreen Leopards
' fourth album since their inception is also their first for
Jagjaguwar
and a beautiful (if somewhat disorienting) example of
folk-pop
from the "new weird America" underground.
Donovan Quinn
(
Verdure
) and
Glenn Donaldson
the Birdtree
,
Thuja
, and several other projects) have matching voices, instrumentarium, and dreams.
Life & Love in Sparrow's Meadow
is all about simple
folk
guitar playing, unpretentious acoustic arrangements, a measured touch of amateurism, strangely
psychedelic
lyrics (the song titles give a good idea of their nature), and melodies that, without being marked by songwriting genius, refuse to be easily forgotten. This album packs 11 songs (including a three-part suite) within 34 minutes, and often gives the impression of a continuous piece of work -- mostly because of the
guitar's predominant role throughout, and a certain similarity between melodies. Instruments include banjo, dulcimer, some organ and harmonica, Jew's harp and small percussion (all performed by
Quinn
and
Donaldson
), along with nature-related
field recordings
. The result is a gentle, surprisingly welcoming form of
pop
that could even reach wider audiences if it were not for its idiosyncrasies (idiosyncrasies that give it all its originality, mind you), from off-key-drifting vocals to profoundly odd choices in arrangements. From the gorgeous opener
"Mother the Sun Makes Me Cry"
to the longing closer
"A Child Adrift,"
delivers some of the sweetest, strangest
music since the advent of the
Animal Collective
. And its shortness only makes it more precious. ~ Francois Couture