On the 10th anniversary of their first ever single (The Last of the Melting Snow), THE LEISURE SOCIETY today (30th January 2019) release a new single entitled God Has Taken a Vacation, along with news of their fifth album, Arrivals & Departures.
Speaking of the release of the new single, their highly-lauded songwriter Nick Hemming said: “I started writing the song about my break up, but world events started finding their way in too. Division, borders, a loss of hope. There were a lot of shared themes!”
During the promotion of the band’s previous LP, The Fine Art of Hanging On, Nick and their flautist Helen Whitaker went through a long process of separation, ultimately resulting in Nick moving out of their Brighton home.
This displacement set the tone for the next 18 months, as Nick moved from one temporary accommodation to the next, writing and recording demos constantly as he came to terms with the break up – which would eventually become the foundation of their upcoming fifth full length album, Arrivals & Departures.
Due for release on April 12th, the album was recorded in rented and borrowed houses in the Peak District, the Cotswolds and a medieval mansion in Richelieu, France. The band also snuck into Union Chapel in Islington late at night to capture strings and choral sections for the record, which features the likes of Brian Eno and poet Liz Berry, and was mixed by Gareth Jones (known for his work with Grizzly Bear, Nick Cave, and These New Puritans).
The band tour the UK in May:
Thursday 16th May – Leeds, Brudenell Social Club
Friday 17th May – Glasgow, The Blue Arrow
Saturday 18th May – Manchester, Academy 3
Sunday 19th May – Bristol, The Fleece
Tuesday 21st May – Norwich, Arts Centre
Wednesday 22nd May – Brighton, Komedia
Thursday 23rd May – Nottingham, Glee Club
Saturday 25th May – London, Union Chapel
