Formed in Bristol out of the ashes of the bands Moon Club, Aztecs, and Towers, Adult Leisure came together through the lockdown, with a desire to make something.
Inspired to create a fresh take on a new generation of melodic alt-indie, the group have refine their sound into what you hear on their new single, Kiss Me Like You Miss Her. The song reverberates with an earnest, bright aesthetic. Likened to The Police, there is a similarity in how Adult Leisure bring together elements of punk, rock and jazz touches with a pop sensibility. Kiss Me Like You Miss Her also reminds me of The Waterboys, for the hollow boom of its percussion, brass flourishes and poetic lyrics.
It feels unusually fresh to hear music created like this today. Recorded with Ollie Searle at Humm Studios, Kiss Me Like You Miss Her was mastered by John Webber, who has previously worked with David Bowie and Duran Duran, and it shows. I find the overall sound lively, artistic and just, well, different. I often find myself wishing for music that pushes conventional instrumentation and synths into a bigger, more hi-fidelity direction and, on that front, Adult Leisure deliver.
As a song, Kiss Me Like You Miss Her is a reaction to the state of Britain, prior to this year’s election, as the band discuss:
‘It's easy to get blindsided and almost complacent with music that tackles social commentary. However, we've all had, or still have, ongoing experiences of the damage austerity has caused. We wanted our chance to express that anger. We saw a way to create a story drawn from personal and everyday experiences. Life still isn't good, and our way of dealing with it is through music - this is our petulance and frustration in a song.
‘Having to choose between eating a hot meal or putting £10 on the gas meter takes its toll. We've seen it up close in recent memory. It's so important for these subjects to remain in conversation.
Check out Kiss Me Like You Miss Her below: