AMG Review of Leisure

Roch Parisien
All Music Guide

Blur is loosely lumped in with Britain's Manchester Sound; a kind of '60s-psychedelia-meets-dance-music scene. Unlike others in the genre, however, Blur parks most of the disco influences at the door in favor of hard-edged pop. Leisure's most accessible moments, like the singles "She's So High" and "There's No Other Way," blend captivating, fluid melodies with hypnotic, psyched-up instrumentation. More experimental moments like "Repetition" and "Bad Day" are reminiscent of early, Syd Barrett-led Pink Floyd; the dreamy atmospheres firmly anchored by sparse, chunky guitar riffs. Blur will appeal to those who don't mind having their fond recollections of the '60s fused to modern, guitar-driven pop.