The city of Nashville has produced a host of world-famous acts in its history, but it’s not the first place you’d expect to find a dance-pop indie band. In a sea of popular music, Leagues stand as a wildcard, straddling the border between commercial mainstream and a band that centers itself around authenticity. Their debut album, You Belong Here, is one built on great highs, tastefully executed lows, and all around, leaves little to be desired.
Setting aside the fact that the opening, “Spotlight,” has been circulating on TV spots for Bose, it’s actually not a bad start. The almost ethereal way the chorus is executed, and how fluidly the namesake track follows, really opens up the door for the rest of the release. What’s more, it paints the picture immediately that the group’s roots in popular music don’t necessarily reflect how abstract they can be lyrically.
You Belong Here has an almost innate ability to blend sounds perfectly without straying too far outside itself. Songs like “Magic,” with a creatively spun bluesy tone, and “Mind Games,” which boasts a very impressive “feel-good” style to the usual pop structure that makes up the majority of the record, epitomize how much variety is packed into this debut.
“Pass My Way” and “Friendly Fire” serve to give the album one last sign off with a colorful, though somewhat downtrodden, last bout of intensity and character. The pairing easily captures the listener’s attention before finally fizzling out with that classic softcore piano. The group truly pulls out all the stops, ensuring that there’s never a dull nor repetitive moment from beginning to end, making for a great first full-length.
On the whole, the indie pop group did an immaculate job putting their record together. It’s bold, fun, and leaves the fans on the hook, hungry for more.
In A Word: Inspired
