Gold Leaves ::: photo by Kyle Johnson

Yesterday Stereogum premiered “Cruel or Kind,” my favorite track off The Ornament the forth-coming debut album from Gold Leaves. But if you’ve been following Grant Olsen as Arthur & Yu, Magic Mtns or performing solo around Seattle, “Cruel or Kind” probably sounds familiar.

Just a couple weeks ago while perusing The Round’s excellent podcast of past performances, I was intrigued by an Arthur & Yu song labeled simply “Song 11″ and was delighted to find it was an expansive early version of “Cruel or Kind.” Stripped down, but spacey, The Round rendition is twice as long as the song is today and includes a psychedelic reverb soaked chant at the end.

Now: “Cruel or Kind”

Then: “Cruel or Kind” - Arthur and Yu at Round 47 (2009)

Today’s “Cruel or Kind” while shorter, is more expansive in the scope of its orchestration. It is everything I love most about Gold Leaves in a pretty four minute package. An adventurous journey of a song with swelling strings and retreating orchestration, from subtle to soaring, like the ebb and flow of the tides. Keeping the time is heartbeat bass lines and kettle drum, orchestral with none of the cloying tendencies of “orchestral pop.” And of course, the real star, out-shinning the gorgeous instrumentation, is Olsen’s voice: warm, wise and ragged; like the worn, yellowed pages of your favorite book.

See Gold Leaves live:

August 12th at KEXP’s Concerts at the Mural with Seapony and Math + Physics Club (FREE)
September 1st at The Crocodile with Kevin Murphy (of The Moondoggies) and Joseph Giant

Download “Cruel or Kind” courtesy of Hardly Art.

Download “Cruel or Kind (2009)” courtesy of The Round Podcast