A warm comfort blanket of sound
Modern Studies & LT Leif Glad Cafe, Glasgow JJJJ
Canadian émigré LT Leif is an intriguing addition to Glasgow’s grassroots music scene, a soft-spoken outsider who fits right in in their new Southside stomping ground, and with a band who were equally capable of striking up a breezy motorik rhythm for opening number Into The Air, delivering some irresistible Velvet Underground-style indie pop, matching Leif ’s disarming delicate folk voice with gentle swaying rapture and joining them for an a capella harmony farewell song – in the middle of the set. In a further twist of convention, they decided not to save The Best to last but presented this mesmeric love hymn early in their beguiling set.
Modern Studies’ frontwoman Emily Scott is also no respecter of tradition, confessing an aversion to a repeated chorus – you know, the building block of actual songs.
Yet her mellow songwriting style was utterly intoxicating, comprising a ravishing harmonic blend of voices, seductive chord changes and unusual time signatures in a set of keyboardled proggy folk mantras.
She was not, however, averse to some audience participation, summoning “clappers to the front” for a massed percussive breakdown in one number, while encouraging testifying whoops along to Pete Harvey’s bendy funk bassline.
There were some entirely spontaneous yelps as the lithe playing continued on the next track, a freewheeling jazz number.
There was "more awkward fun" when an entirely pliant audience were recruited for a singalong to an assured song of empowerment, propelled along by cantering drums.
The communal spirit of the set continued when the trio were joined by LT Leif and band for the final song of a compact and bijou set.
Scott alluded to pandemic challenges and feeling their way back in performance – from out in the crowd, their set felt like a warm comfort blanket decorated with an intriguing pattern.