It's been a while since I checked up on one of my favourite local bands. Leave the Capital have had me variously in tears, swooning or overwhelmed over times, leaving me wondering what they'd do next. Sometimes it can be a bit scary waiting to see if the band with early promise will grow into themselves.

The Welsh Club is wholesomely crowded in time for their support slot for headliners and old friends, People In Planes - another set of Welsh musos who have been through as many name changes as themselves. Unfortunately, yours truly has to duck out before the night's end so I have no deets about The Bravery and Crimea's recent tour mates to share with you. Next time, I promise.

'Without Hope Or Agenda', launches the band's evening but although I'm trying really hard, it's difficult to grasp this song's true nature. Clwb is a barn at the best of times when it comes to atmosphere and sound balance so the biggest impact is made by sub-aural bass lines hovering like a blanket of mist and blunting the edges of all around. Next up, 'Versus' fits the pattern of heartbreaking frailty these guys are so good at. Rich instinctive chords are used in the right quantity and scope to liberate some intense feelings. I strain my ears to hear Ben James' vocal above the soothing web of sounds.

Ah, 'Tear Addict'. I love this one and it's really good to hear it again. A friend standing beside me leans to whisper "Elbow!" He's not too wrong, as both bands share a breathy vocal and broad sweeps of melody, but I continue to insist that Leave The Capital have more in common with themselves than with the Manchester heroes, which I put down to the way they squeeze the most impact from the basic material.

'Matchsticks' is another of the newer songs, having appeared briefly this year as a one-hundred only free tour single. It packs a bigger punch than some of their more introverted songs. A strong drive by all the band and a forceful and challenging chorus might even see it qualify as an anthem. I like!

The provisionally titled 'Stop The Clocks' has a jolting stop-start rhythm that keeps us on our toes but delivers satisfying rewards in the end as all the parts come rushing together. It is now that I find out their set is to be a measly seven songs long as they wrap with 'The Search', which is absolutely gorgeous and to my ears, it's the first time things have really gelled tonight. Ah well, leave them wanting more.

My interim report on Leave The Capital's progress informs me that they are continuing to build on their strengths while adding more weight and substance through the new material. But when can we expect an album boys?