Taking Leave

Readers of the blog may remember I talked about Taking Leave last week, more specifically about the fact that the whole album was on YouTube in it’s entirety, for free. However, since then, I’ve gotten my hands on a physical copy of the album, and here’s my verdict: Taking Leave is one of the best albums I’ve listened to in a long time (and it’s not even a full-length album.) Tom Milsom’s awing vocal abilities, along with Alan Lastufka’s beautiful poetic lyrics are a match made in musical heaven.

The most intriguing part of this album is that neither Milsom or Lastufka had metbefore earlier this month. For seven months, Taking Leave was produced by two men with miles in between their locations. Milsom recorded all the tracks in London, England, while Lastufka worked in rural Chicago. All communication and work was received over the Internet, which is also how Milsom and Lastufka met. And for those who thought the distance would make the album feel somewhat empty, Taking Leave says otherwise.

Throughout Taking Leave, you get an idea of romance, and relationship. Whether it be in the feelings of true love, or the heartbreak of loss, you’ll understand what’s trying to be expressed through the lyrics and vocals. The songs go in a somewhat chronological order of relationship, and show the feelings of both a man and a woman, and how their love slowly breaks apart, and how, after they leave each other, they rethink what could have been. This romantic timeline shows, especially in tracks like Can’t and The Wind.

Both Milsom and Lastufka have made a masterpiece, there’s no questioning that. If you don’t believe it yourself, you can listen to the album for free on YouTube, as I said above. Check it out and see if you enjoy it. And if you end up falling in love with the poetic lyrics, and wonderful vocals, you can buy Taking Leave here for six dollars.

The only question that’s left is, what’s next? Milsom is already working on his next album, set to be released through DFTBA Records in early 2010, and Lastufka is working on his next album, with vocals from Raven Zoe, and collaborating with many other musicians known on the Internet, also to be released with DFTBA Records. So, rest assured, this talent won’t be going to waste, and this won’t be the last of Lastufka or Milsom.