The Album Leaf officially began in 1998 as the solo project of Jimmy LaValle, guitarist for San Diego, California-based post-rock instrumental band Tristeza.
LaValle has also performed in several other San Diego-area bands, including The Crimson Curse, The Locust, Swing Kids, and GoGoGo Airheart.
[2] During downtime in the fall of 1998, LaValle began playing drums for San Diego band GoGoGo Airheart.
Later in the year, Tristeza and the Album Leaf both signed with newly started Tigerstyle Records out of New York City.
The Album Leaf performed their second show during Tristeza's 2000 spring tour, at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas.
After the summer tour, LaValle took a full-time job in San Diego at the newly launched music house "Singing Serpent", producing jingles for television commercials.
Rafter Roberts recorded the track "Storyboard", and can be heard in the beginning of the song discussing Lavalle's guitar tone.
Jason Soares of San Diego band Aspects of Physics provided drum programming for "Vermillion".
During this time, LaValle wrote two songs, "Hungry for a Holiday" and "Bad Blood", for Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes to sing on, and another two songs, "Call in Blue" and "Reso" (after future violinist Matt Resovich), for Marc Bianchi of Her Space Holiday, which began a set of 7" singles for Better Lookings "Collaboration Series".
LaValle enlisted Duane Pitre, Matthew Baker, and Hank Morton of Ilya to back him, along with Robillard on drums.
During these recording sessions, The Album Leaf performed two shows in Iceland, one being a part of the Iceland Airwaves music festival with LaValle being backed by Kjartan Sveinsson, Orri Páll Dýrason, and María Huld Markan of Sigur Rós and Amiina with Sindri Mar Finnbogason playing bass.
Jón Þór Birgisson, Kjartan Sveinsson, and Orri Páll Dýrason (most of the members of Sigur Rós), María Huld Markan (of Amiina), Gyða Valtýsdóttir (formally of múm), Pall Jenkins, and Matt Resovich (of the Blackheart Procession) all contributed to the record with Birgir Jón "Biggi" Birgisson, engineering at Sigur Rós' Sundlaugin studio.
This was to showcase the band as individuals and each member (with the exception of Reece) providing their own song; the cd is also enhanced with a tour video made by Andrew Pates.
This record saw more commercial success and popularity, establishing LaValle's The Album Leaf on the map and playing to bigger audiences.
Following extensive touring, LaValle re-joined Tristeza, filling in on guitar for two shows in Guadalajara and Mexico City in place of Alison Ables.
After tracking, he traveled back to Sigur Rós' Sundlaugin studio to mix the record with the help of Jón Þór Birgisson and Joshua Eustis (of Telefon Tel Aviv).
His few collaborators are Joshua Eustis of Telefon Tel Aviv, who contributed additional drum programming and engineering on several songs; the Black Heart Procession's Pall Jenkins adding vocal harmonies on "Wherever I Go"; input from violinist Matt Resovich (who performs with the Album Leaf live and also played on In a Safe Place); and Drew Andrews adding additional guitar work on select songs (Drew also performs with the Album Leaf live).
In support of the record, the band toured extensively through the United States, Europe, Japan, Mexico, and Taiwan.
[citation needed] The album's first track, "The Light", was used in advertisements for Channel 4's series of programmes Disarming Britain and the 2012 documentary film 16 Acres.
[5] Also in June, they collaborated with Mike Heron of The Incredible String Band for a one-off show at the legendary 17,500-seat capacity Hollywood Bowl, opening for Gilberto Gil and Devendra Banhart.
Recording was done at Bear Creek Studios in Woodinville, WA and for the first time, featured a full live band.
Supporting the album, the band again toured extensively between February and May through the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.