The Last Gold Leaf

The Last Gold Leaf blends the sensibilities of pop, the organic sounds of folk, the dynamic of rock, and the intimacy of soul to create a sound that is all at once driving yet still retains its share of catchy hooks and smooth grooves. The Last Gold Leaf's first effort Campfire Pop: An Acoustic EP is filled with catchy hooks and pop melodies that belie their darker message. The opening song, "I Won't Quit You" at first listen sounds like a love anthem, but a closer look will reveal a person that sounds as if they're preparing to whether a storm in an already rocky relationship. Lines like "I'm on your side. I promise that I'll be here through whatever, no matter what you do," are hardly feel-good concepts.

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The Last Gold Leaf's sound began as a reaction. For Derrick Keith, the band's guitarist, their sound is very personal. "[It began as] a reaction to American mainstream pop music. I had taken a very long, forced hiatus from writing and performing music and most of what I consumed musically during that period I consumed from friends, TV, movies, the radio, what I’d hear in clubs, etcetera." It was during this period of isolation that the concepts of The Last Gold Leaf were formed. "Almost every major label release was focusing on this trend of the DJ. [It became the] new muse of music. The DJ could bring relief, drop beats that could make you feel better, let you feel something; something temporary but profound."

For Keith, the disconnect between popular music's messages and the real struggles most people are dealing with left a gap. A gap The Last Gold Leaf hopes to fill. They call it Campfire Pop. "Pop music for the rest of us", says Keith. "The audience for this music is not, on any terms, exclusive. If you’ve ever felt overlooked, down-trodden, marginalized, these songs are for you." The band began in the spring of 2012 when Derrick Keith (guitar), and Rick Snyder (drums), both Iowa natives, relocated to the twin cities to play music. Devin Lau, also a recent Iowa transplant to Minneapolis, joined the band shortly thereafter on bass to form the current trio. With influences and tastes that range from Common to City and Colour, the band exploits their mastery of dynamics and pacing and culturally ambiguous background to connect with audiences on a personal level with songs about dealing with love and loss.