Music
Press
The new album by US group Nine Leaves kicks off with the Atmosphere-esque ‘Yesterday’, instrumental ‘Last Words’ follows sounding like something from the ‘Gladiator’ soundtrack and the first hat-trick of tracks is rounded off with ‘Apt A9’, a haunting Pharcyde-quoting lament.
The mood shifts as ‘Pain is not Enough’ makes itself known bringing with it angry and anxious emotions although musically things calm on ‘Drift’ whilst tension remains alongside the furtive lyrics. And so the rollercoaster goes.
Topic-wise, the album begins at the end and ends at the very end. The three instrumentals ‘Last Words’, ‘Losing Touch’ and ‘Peace in Death’ could signify the end of a relationship, the end of life or anything in between. Lyrically, feelings have been captured well – the choice of words and tone of voice ensure that you are right there with the vocalist – inside their psyche.
Whilst the production is musical and creatively epic (the album’s highlight) this album does not contain too many good vibes which limits its listenability – if you’re looking for a break-up album, this is it. To check further the work of producer Zack Hemsey look no further than his version of Reebok’s Allen Iverson advert – a youtube cult video. - Certified Banger
Peace in Death is the second release from “Nine Leaves”, this particular album takes you to a better time where your albums had tracks that all worked well together. There is soft emotional rap, up to an industrial club feel. The spectrum is so intense that it’s easy to listen to the entire CD and not get bored. A mix of storytelling music and provocative messages, yes, there is a message in their songs, but all you have to do is listen.
Upon looking at the cover, you may think, “Ew, hippies.” Or “Is this more art from metal album cover artist Ed Repka?” But the images are merely showing their album title “Peace in Death” A girl, kneeling, smiling, playing with a butterfly on a grassy patch of land, while the world behind her falls apart. The music does have a slightly apocalyptic feel at times, but it’s something you might enjoy.
Lyrically, they aren’t hiding anything. The lyrics are what they are, there are some messages to be taken and it’s what I can call “wholesome hip hop”, but the sound is so rich that you can be taken away just by that. The music is so deep with orchestra and synthesizers meeting in a harmonic pleasure inducing ride for your ears. Is the album100% quality songs? No, but it’s about par with other albums out there for success to failure on songs.
Like hip hop, rap, or not, the band is certainly worth the look into, with songs on YouTube and MySpace at, http://www.youtube.com/user/NineLeavesMusic and http://www.myspace.com/nineleavesmusic respectively.
- The Commuter
Nine Leaves cannot be defined as a mainstream rap act.
The elusive music which makes up the group’s second album “Peace in Death” swings between gritty, hardcore
street rap, commercial hip hop, and hypnotic
instrumental pieces.
Throughout, the music retains the distinctive signature timbre of composer Zack Hemsey, and it this indisputable familiarity which have gained Nine Leaves a large fan-base and a great deal of attention, with airplay on over
27 radio stations across the USA.
The album’s debut single in the US “Yesterday” made it into the Top 5 of Billboard Chart New Rock video, and the accompanying video has been played on a host of music channels, including MTV International, Music On Demand and Voice of America Network.
Nine Leaves have performed in all the key venues all over the US Tristate metro area of Connecticut, New Jersey and New York; including Manhattan’s most famous live music venues. The group are scheduled to
tour across Europe in the Summer 2009.
The second release from the collective Nine Leaves, “Peace In Death” brings back the art of album making. With no restrictions and no formulas followed, the work takes you on a ride through a host of emotions, sometimes epic, other times aggressive; but always engaging and rich in texture. At times, it is storytelling at it’s best, and at points provocative, but it’s consistently purposeful and never irresponsible.
A musical melting pot of sorts, orchestral score weaves in and out between breathtaking landscapes and modern beats, while the lyrics faithfully provide a natural compliment and enhance the story being told by the music. You won’t find any meaningless song concepts here, for every track is calculated, carving its own identity. The status quo is out the window, and in it’s place...ingenuity. When it’s heartfelt, it’s sincere, and when it’s angry, it’s rageful.
The concept behind the album stems from it’s three instrumentals, which segment the album. “It’s not necessarily a literal death that we’re referring to, although it certainly can be” says Zack Hemsey, the composer behind the project. “It’s more of a change of circumstances; be it a way of life, the ways of a nation, or ultimately one’s demise. It’s coming face to face with something outside of your control, and not being afraid to look it in the face.”
The title track, which closes the album, is a back and forth between beautiful melody and edgy production. We can hear the sounds of thunder and rain, further enhancing the intrigue. “The contrasting sections and shifting moods really invoke this duality... as if the world is being flooded, and everything in it is suffocating. Yet somehow this terror is matched with a sort of hope...an inkling that maybe there’s more to what meets the eye.”
One thing is for certain: this album delivers in the full sense of the word. It’s a craft of art in a time where works of such caliber have been sorely missing from the world’s main-stage.
Visit the bands website - www.nineleavesmusic.com - 95.9 HiFM
"There are times when a rap track stops your life and makes you listen. This is one of those... its a truly excellent release of highest quality." Media 2 Radio
" ‘Yesterday’ has more soulful hip-hop roots to offer. Perfectly paired with thoughtful lyrics” Michel Mertens, BeFM
"Lyrically, feelings have been captured well – the choice of words and tone of voice ensure that you are right there with the vocalist – inside their psyche." Certified Banger
“To me it sounds like Rap to symphony” Kiya, Co-Host of BKS1 Radio
“The spectrum is so intense that it's easy to listen to the entire CD and not get bored. A mix of storytelling music and provocative messages, yes, there is a message in their songs, but all you have to do is listen." LB Commuter Magazine
"The second release from the collective Nine Leaves, “Peace In Death” brings back the art of album making." Hi FM 95.9
“ ‘Yesterday' is a melodical, astounding piece of work" Delmar Browne, radio mix DJ for AOL Radio, Music Choice, USA
"Excellent Vibe" Matt Kirk, Newport City Radio, Wales
"A mixture of Radiohead and Jay-Z...'Yesterday' is absolutely stunning record." James Santer, Exeter FM
"These guys are going to be BIG!" John Hogarth, Palm 105.5
- Various media outlets
Discography
Nine Leaves - Self Titled - Released 2005
Nine Leaves - Peace In Death - Released 2008
Photos
Bio
Nine Leaves latest video Yesterday debuted at #4
on Billboards New Rock Videos, and is currently
airing on networks around the world including MTV,
Fuse, Music Choice and the VOA Network.
View the video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV47glhKpEo
Multitalented producer and composer Zack Hemsey has been making adventurous recordings for years but only recently was his Nine Leaves collective thrust into the national limelight.
The Northern New Jersey act provided a propulsive new look at a Reebok spot featuring Allen Iverson, which turned into a cult favorite among their fans. The Iverson clip quickly became a popular download on YouTube, and viewers began to ask: where can we get this artists music? As it turned out, the executives at the NBA were also watching and they licensed Nine Leaves music for use on their highlight shows.
And if thats all you knew about Nine Leaves, youd probably assume that they were a straightforward mainstream rap act. Well, were here to tell you otherwise. That there are plenty of possible commercial applications for Zack Hemseys hypnotic soundscapes is indisputable the Iverson spot proves that to be true. But Hemseys heart is in
the music, and the emcees who give voice to his compositions are, to a man, thoughtful, impassioned, and poetic.
The rhymes on Peace In Death, the latest Nine Leaves album, have the cadences, depth, and resonance of the best spoken-word. Theyre also conceptually linked, and often politically provocative. Peace In Death is a set about the end of an era songs about finding the strength and balance to survive and move through a deteriorating world.
Mortality haunts the albums verses, but theres the promise of rebirth, too. Then theres the music: moody, seething, intoxicating, harmonically and rhythmically sophisticated, and surprisingly multifaceted.
Yesterday, the album's kickoff, shows the collective in top form, as each emcee tells a compelling story of perseverance in the face of personal loss. The inviting
video gives a glimpse into the lives of each vocalist: we follow them on a typical morning, rapping as they greet each other, their girlfriends, and the day. As befits an act as cinematic as Nine Leaves, the Yesterday clip feels like a mini-movie or
perhaps three interlocking mini-movies. Like the song itself, the footage feels honest, soulful, and confessional, and it welcomes viewers into the collective with open arms.
One thing is for certain: this album delivers in the full sense of the word. Its a craft of art in a time where works of such caliber have been sorely missing from the worlds main-stage.
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