Unwound – Leaves Turn Inside You – Album Review – Josh Reedy

Unwound, “Leaves Turn Inside You,” Album Review. Reviewer Josh Reedy.

My copies: 2018 reissue by Numero Group, 2021 limited repress on “scarlette” red vinyl by Numero Group and the 2023 limited tour pressing with inverted colors by Numero Group.

I knew the time would come for me to gush about this album again. Leaves Turn Inside You is the final endeavor from Tumwater, Washington’s Unwound; an hour and sixteen minute journey into paranoia, lethargy and anguish. The length of this project is almost wholly justified, as even on first listen it felt as though it flew by. Unwound’s previous albums mostly focused on the hardcore aspect of “post-hardcore” with some standout moments on Repetition and Challenge For A Civilized Society. On Leaves the band pulls out a swath of influences from psychedelia to post-rock.

“We Invent You” encapsulates listeners in a nihilistic drone that eventually melts away into the opening chords. This album is a testament to subtlety and patience, it is meticulously crafted so that even the more instantly gratifying tracks are arranged in clever and original ways. “Look a Ghost” tackles melodic indie rock but does so in its own moody and sprawling way so as to not fool listeners into thinking they are suddenly happier songs. The late Vern Rumsey’s bass playing is as precise and engaging as ever, and proves that Unwound are a band that squeezes details from every single instrument.

“December” proves that Unwound can still get heavy, but with a new melodic approach featuring syncopated guitars and sharp piercing riffs. “Treachery” is a paranoid march with psychedelic synth lines that recontextualize the sound of the album. Perhaps the crowning achievement of Leaves is the multi-faceted “Terminus,” which starts as a repetitive, growling noise-rock dirge before evolving into a grandiose post-rock expanse of cello crescendos and plotting guitar lines. Sara Lund’s incredible drumming anchors all of “Terminus” to a mad shuffle that accentuates the precision in every passage. The third movement breaks the tension, with a rhodes piano performance that brings a layer of intrigue and mystery to the end of the goliath track.

“Demons Sing Love Songs” is perhaps the most charming track in the band’s whole discography as jagged guitars are replaced by a whittling harpsichord and Justin Trosper’s most intimate vocal performance yet. “Off This Century” once again proves how well Unwound can tackle traditional post-harcore and only improve upon existing formulas. This album is genuinely a genius marriage of stylistically perfect production, cohesive songwriting with unique instrumentation and excellent sound experimentation.

“October All Over” is another melodic excursion into Unwound’s chilling take on indie-rock while “Scarlette” seamlessly blends piercing vocals with tripped out synth tones. “Below the Salt” is an underrated slowcore masterpiece that swells and recedes amidst piano arpeggios.

Some naysayers dislike Unwound and this album for its detached sound, often accusing the record of sounding “emotionless” however I’d argue that the tired, dark atmosphere is precisely the point. Leaves is a profound record to me because it is one of the most tonally consistent albums I’ve ever heard and it does so while constantly keeping things flowing and evolving. This album is for those who feel as though they don’t belong anywhere, Trosper sighs and whispers as if his soul is forever lost in purgatory, and at times clangs and clatters in an attempt to make us understand the frustration in feeling so empty. Unwound’s albums are about feelings of alienation and angst being filtered through noise experimentation, and if this is not your cup of tea then of course you will not enjoy Leaves. The only detriment to the album is that “One Lick Less” kills the pacing a bit and is by far the weakest track.

Leaves Turn Inside You is a damn near perfect rock album, and it’s certainly my favorite traditionally rock-oriented record of all time. I recommend this album to anyone with an even slightly open mind.

There are various copies of this album currently circulating given Unwound’s recent tour.