Leisure Society - Alone Abroad the Ark

by Mark Rowland

published: 11 / 5 / 2013

Label: Full Time Hobby
Format: CD

intro

Excellent third album for much acclaimed but still under-the-radar folk pop outfit, the Leisure Society

Recorded in Ray Davies' Konk studios, 'Alone Aboard the Ark' has something of the Kinks particularly English brand of pop about it, in its approach rather than its sound. Nick Hemming (who along with Christian Hardy basically is the Leisure Society), has been talking the band away from it's folkish roots with each album. 'Alone Aboard the Ark' is certainly the band's most commercial to date, though it isn't quite fair to label previous albums as inaccessible. That's not to say the folk elements of their sound are completely absent. 'The Sober Scent of Paper' for example, is a sparse, acoustic waltz. But even the quieter numbers have more in common with Scott Walker and Divine Comedy than folk. After a gentle start, the album takes things up a notch with the single 'Fight For Everyone', which announces its arrival with a blast of horns, before propelling itself along on a popping lo-fi electronic beat, the acoustic guitar at its centre augmented by piano and the occasional synth line. From there, the band mixes things up a bit more. 'Tearing the Arches Down' takes on a glam flavour, 'All I Have Seen' is reminiscent of Pavement's more conventional numbers, and 'One Man and His Fug' is a little acoustic boogie with a great chorus hook. The Leisure Society have always been very well reviewed and boast many famous names among their fanbase, including the aforementioned Davies, Brian Eno and Shane Meadows (though as he and Hemming are long time friends and collaborators, you could argue that he doesn't really count). But despite the praise and the Ivor Novello nominations, the band have remained just under the radar of wider indie success. 'Alone Aboard the Ark' could be the one that rectifies that.

Track Listing:-

1 Another Sunday Psalm
2 A Softer Voice Takes Longer Hearing
3 Fight For Everyone
4 Tearing The Arches Down
5 The Sober Scent Of Paper
6 All I Have Seen
7 Everyone Understands
8 Life Is A Cabriolet
9 One Man And His Fug
10 Forever Shall We Wait
11 We Go Together
12 The Last In A Long Line

Band Links:-

http://the-leisure-society.tumblr.com/
https://twitter.com/leisuresociety
http://www.last.fm/music/The+Leisure+Society
https://www.facebook.com/theleisuresociety

Label Links:-

https://www.youtube.com/user/FullTimeHobbyRecords
http://www.fulltimehobby.co.uk/main/
https://www.facebook.com/FullTimeHobby
https://twitter.com/fulltimehobby
https://plus.google.com/101265945502860799533

Have a Listen:-

interviews

Interview (2009)

Lush-sounding pop outfit the Leisure Society have been gaining increasing exposure since releasing their debut album, 'The Sleeper', earlier this year and have just signed to Full Time Hobby records. Ben Howrth talks to front man Nick Hemming about his band