Mike Kinsella is a musical genius. There is simply no doubt about it. From American Football to Cap’n Jazz to Joan of Arc, Kinsella has been at the forefront of musical innovation in the indie scene. His solo project Owen has been no less adventurous. New Leaves continues the sense of experimentation, but mellows it out into a nuanced groove blending plaintive vocals with mellow instruments and a real solid sound all the way through the album. The title track kicks the album off and the whole album is just a real solid musical work that gets better beyond the first listen. New Leaves is certainly worth adding to the collection of any Mike Kinsella fan and would be a real nice starting point for anyone looking to get into his work.
(Polyvinyl Records, PO Box 7140, Champaign, IL 61826-7140