The Sleeper

"Their sublime, string-filled debut single, 'The Last of the Melting Snow', was chosen by Elbow's Guy Garvey as his single of the year. And this, their first LP, is full of a similar northern England charm akin to the Mercury winners. From the delicate seed of 'A Fighting Chance', this album grows to a sweet whimsy that delights in a spring time ambience. Close your eyes and you can see the flowers blossom. The lyrics offer a dark nuance though, turning both comic and sombre in a way you d expect from a collective that once counted film director Shane Meadows and actor Paddy Considine amongst its number. Nick Hardy and Christian Hemming have used a folk past to create a pop album of precious subtlety. Even the ukulele makes itself welcome, without the cringe of it sounding like a novelty. This isn t just a debut that promises big things for the future, it s one that delivers greatness already."
- Thomas Meek (The List, 5 stars)