STACK #139 May 2016

MUSIC

RADICAL FACE on VINYL The practical magic of Ben Cooper's mind is a trip like no other, into a space populated by odd, tragic and ethereal characters whose bloodlines are as interwoven as their secrets. If you're looking for something beautiful and and strange into which you can either dip a toe or be fully immersed, this stunning conclusion to Ben Cooper's visionary narrative is the place to go. The Leaves is the final LP in Cooper's trilogy, entitled FamilyTree , which revolves around a series of tales that don't necessarily have a beginning or an end, but are presented more as a fantastical series of windows into the lives of an extraordinary family. Don't forget to visit stack.net.au to listen to our exclusive track-by- track : accompanied by thematic inrstrumentals, Cooper explains where particular narratives fit into the tree, how these characters evolved and their relationships to the others, and where his own tumultuous autobiography intersects with the tracks (which was often not his plan for their trajectory at all). The Leaves is out now through Inertia, and you can get it at JB Hi-Fi.

Clockwise from top left: the first four images are part of the gorgeous album booklet artwork. Other images: Radical Face.

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