Leaves

Formed in Iceland’s capital during the summer of 2001, the indie-rock trio Leaves consists of Arnar Gudjonsson on vocals and guitar, Hallur Hallsson on bass, and Arnar Olaffson. The band took its name from Nick Drake’s album Five Leaves Left. After Gudjonsson had spent time alone in a red house composing material, Hallsson’s arrival brought the group into being. By October the three musicians had assembled several songs and made their debut appearance before an audience of eight hundred at a neighborhood art gallery. Seeking wider exposure, Leaves relocated their base of operations to London, where they secured a contract with B-Unique and released the eleven-track album Breathe before the year closed. The record presented a swirling, atmospheric brand of pop that drew enthusiastic coverage from the British music press, which frequently likened the band to Radiohead and Coldplay. Those notices led to co-headlining dates with the Coral, Supergrass, and Electric Soft Parade, along with a handful of club shows in the United States. In spring 2003 DreamWorks, impressed by Leaves’ distinctive sound, extended an American recording offer, setting the stage for a domestic release of Breathe that September.