Lion The Weak – Lullabies To Summertime EP

Until a few days ago, I had no idea what Lion The Weak actually sounded like. I had heard of them and about them, but nothing from them, so coming into writing this review I had absolutely no idea what to expect. What I discovered whilst listening to Lullabies To Summertime was an EP so beautiful that I ended up listening to it four times without even noticing. It’s a short but sweet release, perfect for sound-tracking long summer evenings doing nothing in particular. It’s wonky indie pop, catchy and danceable with a downbeat edge that would be completely at home on BBC 6 music. A quick google search of Lion The Weak brings up, as a first result, a picture of a lion on a vets table, suggesting that this band have yet to get the national airplay that they deserve. This is a shame, because the world deserves to hear the quintessential Englishness of the Lullabies To Summertime EP.

Frank arises as the standout track on the EP, a jangly upbeat song about Frank Sinatra, featuring a spoken section which makes it almost impossible to sing along to, yet effortless to enjoy. I was reluctant to make comparisons between Lion The Weak and any other current bands based on a four-track release, but listening to Frank in particular conjures thoughts of Metronomy, circa The English Riviera, which is fitting really, for a fellow band from the Devon coast. However, Lion The Weak appear to have an edge that Metronomy lack, something that makes me able to listen to it again and again without even thinking of switching it off. So visit Soundcloud, stick Lullabies To Summertim on repeat, and while away the last days of summer doing nothing and enjoying every minute of it.