Leaves的队名取自英国著名Drak Folk音乐人Nick Drake69年的经典专辑"Five Leaves Left"。虽然在老家冰岛Leaves自01年成立以来追随者不断壮大,而最终他们还是选择了登陆英国,在华纳旗下的B-Unique 公司于02年发行了处女专辑“Breathe”。11首暗淡的让人心碎的歌曲从一开始便捕获了每一个孤独的灵魂。主唱兼吉他Arnar Gudjonsson 的声线有些酷似Coldplay的Chris Martin,而不经意间流露出来的坚强决定了The Leaves演绎的并不是那些无病呻吟的伤心小曲。在"Catch"、"Crazy"等歌曲中,由键盘模拟出来的弦乐为其增添了一份庄重;标题曲"Breathe"中钢琴、吉他键盘的结合使得原本单一的旋律产生了梦幻的效应。
by MacKenzie Wilson
Arnar Gudjonsson (vocals/guitar), Hallur Hallsson (bass), and Arnar Olaffson comprise the Icelandic indie-rock group Leaves. Taking their name from the Nick Drake album Five Leaves Left, Leaves originated in Iceland's capital city during summer 2001. Gudjonsson had been holed up in a red house, writing songs and once Hallsson joined him, Leaves came to life. By October, the trio had several songs under their belts and played their first live show, an 800-crowd gig at a local art gallery. Looking to expand their horizons and gain new roots, Leaves looked to London. They signed a deal with B-Unique before the year's end and issued Breathe. This 11-song set found Leaves crafting a moody, swirling pop sound. The British press adored them, often comparing Leaves to Radiohead and Coldplay. Shared dates with The Coral, Supergrass, and Electric Soft Parade followed as well as smaller gigs in America. In spring 2003, DreamWorks caught wind of Leaves' impressionable musical style and offered them a stateside deal. Breathe was slated for a domestic release in September.