Gig review: The Research at Brudenell Social Club, Leeds

The reformation of Wakefield band The Research after a decade and a half apart was one of last year’s most heartening local music stories.

Even more unexpected was a one-off 12-inch single to coincide with their appearance at the last ever Long Division festival in the city that birthed them.

But a further digital-only festive offering indicated the reunion might have legs – and the full house for this gig on a freezing-cold Sunday night at the Brudenell Social Club suggests that there is a genuine appetite for more of their perky lo-fi indie pop.

If initially Russell Searle, Georgia Jakubiak and Sarah Williams seem taken aback by the size of the audience and make the odd fumble, their easygoing charm – and some excellent songs – carries the day.

In keeping with their do-it-yourself roots, Searle plays a Casio keyboard on his knee, occasionally exchanging it for a battered Fender guitar, while bassist Jakubiak and drummer Williams keep rhythm.

Comeback single Back To The Real World makes an appearance amid a 70-minute set drawn from their two albums, Breaking Up and The Old Terminal, and succinctly picks up musically where they left off 15 years ago.

The Way You Used To Smile, True Love Weighs a Tonne, She’s Not Leaving, Lost Souls in the Vapours and C’mon Chameleon are greeted like old friends.

However it’s the interweaving three-part harmonies in I Love You, But… and I Think She’s The One That I Love, as well as the Jonathan Richman-like scruffy delights Treasure Every Measure, that really catch the ear.

Searle’s young son Holden makes a composed cameo appearance on an acoustic guitar, and the icing on the cake is an exquisite a capella rendition of Splitting Hairs. Here’s hoping for a lot more music to come from this fine band.