Leisure Society: Alone Abroad the Ark (CD on Full Time Hobby)

Band: Leisure Society
Label: Full Time Hobby
Title: Alone Abroad the Ark

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Band:Leisure Society
Title:Alone Abroad the Ark
Reviewed By:Mark Rowland
Date Published:11/05/2013

Label:Full Time Hobby
Format:CD
Release Year:2013
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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:

01) Another Sunday Psalm
02) A Softer Voice Takes Longer Hearing
03) Fight For Everyone
04) Tearing The Arches Down
05) The Sober Scent Of Paper
06) All I Have Seen
07) Everyone Understands
08) Life Is A Cabriolet
09) One Man And His Fug
10) Forever Shall We Wait
11) We Go Together
12) The Last In A Long Line

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Related Links

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

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