Review Summary: Am I old?
Throughout the year, I’ve been diving into emo and emo-adjacent bands in a way that I haven’t for quite some time, call it a side effect of trying to do a bit more of this writing thing. That said, I’m in a bit of a dry spell for my comfort picks, and that led me to some exploration of a few bands decidedly outside my wheelhouse. That brought me to Leisure Hour, and quite frankly, I feel so old. From the start, lead single “Am I Dumb?” starts frantic and youthful, standard pop-punk power chords and a clear sing-along chorus built for the basement show kids to belt along. But my god, the lyrics. Is this how our parents felt about Blink-182?
Leisure Hour, a pop-punk crew from Indiana, is fairly unique. The band rotates through their members for lead duties and the difference between the subject matters is a bit jarring, with all three singers having profoundly different lyrical styles. This smattering approach lends itself to an album that doesn’t really work as an (capital A) Album, but rather a string of individual singles that all work,
for me, to varying degrees. For a band that’s released 2 albums in 8 months, there doesn’t really seem to be a shortage of intriguing musical ideas at play. The main recurring theme is that it’s catchy and infectious to a fault, while difficult to recommend front to back. This isn’t just a guess at their intention either, their self-imposed “variety emo” label plays precisely into this as a choice.
What does that mean about the record itself though? Is it good? Overall, yeah I think so. There will something here to tickle your pop-punk fancy, it just will unequivocally not be the whole thing. Feeling like less-serious, more upbeat pop? Isaiah Neal’s fronted tracks will foot the bill (aforementioned “Am I Dumb?”, “Cigarette Habit”, “Long Bong Silvers”). More midwest and Hot Mulligan coded? Go for “…and to think” or “Bury Me at 7/11”. And then of course the more relatable for your aging author exists too, Americana leaning and warm “Hot Mess” or extremely interesting synth heavy “Let Me Go”.
Ultimately, I’m interested where Leisure Hour is headed and I’ll be digging into their back catalog, even if I’m not the core audience their vibe is intended for. That’s alright, can’t win ‘em all. I don’t doubt you will find something to like here though if emo is your jam, so flip around a bit until you find your spot and you’ll be able to sing along to at least one track while they open for your favorite new hot band on tour next year.
