Review | Adult Leisure – Present State of Joy and Grief EP

Born in a pandemic, Bristol-based band Adult Leisure immersed themselves in the indie scene and, after the success of their critically acclaimed debut EP, they’re back with a point to prove.

The melodic four-piece bring their second offering to the table with ‘Present State of Joy and Grief’, a four track EP that encompasses the bands wide-range of sounds and chaos.

Plenty of newcomers are all about the instrumentals and often compromise on vocals, as though someone stepped in at the last minute to shout miscellaneous lines, but not this band. Neil Scott’s voice is memorable and sincere and that, paired with the exploration of topics such as heartbreak, loss and unstable relationships, is a match made in indie heaven. 

The anthem ‘Bad Idea’ is jam-packed with 80’s synths and an infectious bass line at the centre of the song, making for the perfect danceable groove with a slight edge. Despite the downhearted  – but all too relatable – lyrics, the  music lifts your spirits, with the entire song coming to a huge crescendo in the bridge as they shout “come undone, come undone“, leaving you wanting the song to be anything but done. 

‘All Our Days Are Now So Quiet’ has to be the standout track of this project. The collaboration with Milo Gore and FARE is reminiscent of Talking Heads but with a sheer Britishness and grit that the scene is lacking right now.

Adult Leisure are superior when it comes to lending themselves to their influences all while creating something entirely new. Summarising the project perfectly the band said. “Lathered in waves of self reflection and acceptance of life’s heavy hands, our sophomore EP is drenched in honesty, whilst full of groove and fury in equal measure.”