A two-track promo from the band with the interestingly-punctuated name, and a taste of what is to come - eventually - from Leisur::Hive's next album. Leisur::Hive are a band permanently stationed on the fringes of everything, ploughing their own furrow, following their own wayward muse. They've produced some splendidly quirky-but-cool music in their time, but the current incarnation of the band - featuring Mark Bishop, also of Living With Eating Disorders, on bass, and Bob Leith, sometime (currently?) of the Cardiacs on drums - packs an especially hefty wallop. Leisur::Hive may be fully paid up members of the Awkward And Arty squad, but they also know how to brew up a good old gritty rock noise, and here's where they prove it.

'On Sectional Pad' (nope, I don't have the faintest idea what that title means, either) opens up with some low-slung, fuzzed-out bass and a pounding beat, then, with a insouciant flourish on the snare it all cranks up into a full-throttle rattletrap of an avant-rock anthem. The sound is very 'live'; the drums in particular sound like they're right there in the room with you. The chorus is a mighty thing in itself, the song suddenly kicking up into a higher gear as the guitars thrash and writhe. And then, pow. It's over. The song is only two minutes and thirteen seconds long. It simply crunches to a halt, and you can almost imagine the band standing there, wearing trenchant 'What are you going to do about *that*, then?' expressions, as if daring you to demand more. 'Try To Be Still' is a slowie by comparison. A spooky, shivering thing, shot through with Maria's shuddering violin, the bass and drums having a kickabout at the back, the whole thing winding up to a peak of tension, with Dan tying himself in knots over '...a concentrate of love'.

This is oddly exhilarating music, while at the same time being just...odd music. There's real individuality here, but there's also an effortless grasp of the dynamics and sheer physical feel of ye olde electrical rock n' roll. Art-punks of the world, here are your theme songs.

The players:
Daniel Knowler: Vocals, guitar
Maria Vellanz: Guitar, violin
Mark Bishop: Bass
Bob Leith: Drums

The website: http://www.leisur-hive.co.uk

Free Leisur::Hive music downloads:  http://www.ic-musicmedia.com/leisurhive

Reviewed by Uncle Nemesis: http://www.nemesis.to

04/15/04