Described by Time Off as a 'criminally underrated band', The Stress of Leisure, originally a nom de plume for Ian Powne's home recordings, began somewhere in the afternoons of 2003. Since then, four albums have been released; The Stress of Leisure (2006), Hour to Hour (2008), Soft Approach (2010) and Cassowary (2012); as well as the 7" single Sex Time (2011). The sound is definitively antipodean, however changeable depending on mood. Commentators have written of a Flying Nun influence, Talking Heads twitchiness, David Bowie voicings, Pavement and Go-Betweeny sounds, Pulp emotings, Mark E Smith spit, King Missile derivation, Lou Reed posture, Postcard Records and post-punk this and that. Lloyd Cole has even been mentioned. The Stress of Leisure is heavily influenced by the weather specific to their small part of the world in isolation: tropical, suddenly violent, sunny, full of ripe sunsets, sometimes damn uncomfortable. We like music like that too. Also hard wired personnel like Mark E Smith, Dave Graney and countless other fanatics who stay true to their cause and keep making music.