If soft and wet is your thing, check it out.
According to Hot Press, Leya are Ireland's most promising musical band of 2006 and whilst that can be argued as they certainly fit the bill of what currently passes for commercial music, it doesn't make them likeable.
The 'In Our Hands' single is a taster for their soon to be released album but it contains no fanfares, no alarm bells ringing or no claxons to signal their arrival. Instead, it limps home like an injured dog on a rainy day with its tail drooping between its legs. At this moment in time, the UK is revelling in the fact that Embrace never obtained a number one single at the weekend yet somehow, Leya manage to make that bunch of Yorkshire chancers sound as dangerous as N.W.A.
So in one aspect, you could say this reviewer is not overly fond of this single, and that's fair enough. On the other hand, it has to be said, it would not be a surprise if this song charted, found a home on the radio and made many people happy in their little lives.
It starts off with a light tinkling of the keys and a gentle percussion shake but the thought of 'Angels' is almost too much to bear immediately.
Thankfully, this soon subsides, only to be replaced by a Starsailor-esque meander that no doubt means well but never raises itself with any enthusiasm or vigour.
The second track is actually softer and wetter but the package at least gains some credibility with 'Outside' which kicks off with some guitar squalor and effect treated vocals. With the vocals veering away from the MOR nightmare of the other tracks and into more of a Thom Yorke tremble, this is by far the best of the tracks on offer and hopefully the full length album will contain some more of these angry moments.
None of the songs are badly performed and theres nothing to fault with the production, so if you are into the music that glides by softly and trades shy smiles with the world of Blunt and Melua then find solace in this record. Good luck.