Bristol-based alt-rock quartet Adult Leisure have recently released their latest EP `The Present State Of Joy And Grief` which is the follow up to last year`s debut EP `The Weekend Ritual`. The new release explores unhealthy relationships, heartbreak, loss, change and self-reflection. The band have shared that the inspiration actually comes from an old quote from the ancient Greek tragedian Aeschylus and it says, “there is no pain so great as the memory of joy in present grief”, I think as you grow older you understand that emotion isn’t simple and even when you feel incredibly happy or incredibly in love you can also have waves of anxiety and fear. This was our way of making sense of it all and fundamentally realising that there is no right or wrong way to feel at any given moment, and the entire spectrum of emotion must be endured and accepted.
This extended play opens with `All For You` which is a pretty anthemic composition with a thumping drumbeat leading us along with jangly guitar chords and vocals that have a touch of Kings of Leon in their inflection. A song which appears to be about a relationship that seems to be heading south as the perpetrator hasn`t realised what he has to lose until it`s too late, once again. The lyrics to `You Weren’t There When I Needed` seem to be about reflecting on losing your mother at an early age and the anger associated with this traumatic occurrence and its ongoing consequences. A pretty fast paced and emotive submission.
`All Our Days Are Now So Quiet` is a bouncy pop tinged piece that is part spoken at times with a percussive hand clapped echo running throughout and a delightfully weaving bass line. There`s some enticing harmonies on the sung sections with lyrics that seem wonderfully pensive. This four track extended play closes out with `Bad Idea` which is a rumination on a relationship and trying to understand as to what`s happened and maybe looking for common ground to resolve the issues that must be there but aren`t that apparent. A pacey groove ladened number.
I thought that last year`s debut EP `The Weekend Ritual` highlighted a band who write songs that reflect real life issues and concerns that will make you stop, think, and reflect, even just momentarily and with `The Present State Of Joy And Grief` it would seem that this has continued but with maybe a touch more maturity.
Once again, I`m left feeling sure there`s much more to come from this group and my hope for the coming year once more, is to finally catch them in a live setting, here`s hoping.
Rating 9/10
