Devendra, Marissa Nadler, Larkin Grimm on Leaves of Life Compilation

Charity compilations are, by in large, utterly awful affairs; slap-dash assemblies of unrelated tracks thrown together with little respect for the 'good cause' they're in aid of. Yet, 2009 has already seen that sad fact redressed with the monstrous Dark Was the Night compilation, a roundly-acclaimed 31 song gathering of like every indie band ever.

With the stigma of the charity-comp momentarily stifled, it's a great time for Leaves of Life, a collection of cuts from freak-folk-ish artists reminiscent of Golden Apples of the Sun or So Much Fire to Roast Human Flesh. Assembled by Buck Curran of Maine-born folkies Arborea, it's a disc benefitting the UN's food aid agency, World Food Programme, and human rights advocacy monitors, Not On Our Watch.

Released June 23 via Arborea's own Borne! label, Leaves of Life features contributions from (freak-) folk as fine as Devendra O. Banhart, Mi and L'au, Marissa Nadler, Larkin Grimm, Alela Diane and Mariee Sioux, with artwork drawn by Hanna Tuulikki, Finnish vocalist of the amazing Scottish act Nalle (whose The Sirens Wave was one of 2008's best 'obscure' records).

Leaves of Life Track List
1. Alela Diane with Mariee Sioux, "The Cuckoo"
2. Rio en Medio and Israel Cilio, "Mary"
3. Fern Knight, "Our Mountain the Mother"
4. Marissa Nadler and Black Hole Infinity, "Dead Wives Club"
5. Devendra Banhart, "Hotel St. Sebastian (demo)"
6. Arborea, "Son of the Moon, Daughter of the Sun"
7. Micah Blue Smaldone, "The Clearing"
8. Larkin Grimm, "The Butcher"
9. Mi and Lau, "The Funeral, The Pray"
10. Mica Jones, "Best Life"
11. Starless and Bible Black, "All the Finest Beams"
12. Cursillistas, "Mothers Taught"
13. Silver Summit, "Oaks"
14. Big Blood, "Sick With Information"
15. Eric Carbonara, "Sundown at Parakeet Park"
16. David Garland, "Splinter Heart"
17. Magic Leaves, "Lasso Reason"
18. Citay, "Little Kingdom"
19. Ora Cogan featuring Anni Rossi, "My Belle"