The Leisure Society - The Sleeper

Author

Em Urquhart

Published

Monday 15th March

Combining the pop-folk sensibilities of Belle and Sebastian with the delicate instrumentation and dynamic sensitivity of Fleet-Foxes, it is no surprise that Brian Eno declared The Leisure Society to be a band worthy of enthusiasm.

The Sleeper, the band’s debut album, cements itself firmly in the burgeoning genre of indie folk. But there’s no pretension here. In fact, the lack of self-consciousness harks back to a time when bands just played songs and you didn’t need to be able to dance to sell a record.

The strength of this album lies in the harmonious melodies that permeate each of the songs. On first impression they may seem a little too sappy, but the sincerity of the lyrics and thoughtful arrangements (featuring a range of traditional folk instruments as well as synth-driven soundscaping) elevate the overall effect from twee to just plain uplifting.

Many of the fingerpicked guitar parts and melodies on The Sleeper are redolent of English folk pioneer Nick Drake and yet there are progressions and sounds present on the album that could be compared with the shoegazer or psych-folk sounds of bands such as Grizzly Bear. The range of influences is probably equally as broad, resulting in a unique album of well constructed songs that transcend both their genre and sentiment.

Highlights of The Sleeper are too many to mention but include the wistful and lilting Last of the Melting Snow (the album’s first single), the Eleanor-Rigby-esque Are We Happy? and the catchy pop ditty A Matter of Time.

The Sleeper is a gentle afternoon stroll in the summer sun or a Sunday drive through the rambling English countryside. Just take the time to stick it on your iPod, and enjoy the change of pace.