'Soft Approach' is the third album by Brisbane's (Queensland, Australia) The Stress of Leisure, building on previous efforts 'The Stress of Leisure' (2006) and 'Hour to Hour' (2008). It finds Ian Powne continuing to follow his muse, and by his own reports, the older he gets, the weirder the muse. Soft Approach is quite the people-watching album, slightly voyeuristic yet never comfortable, it finds Powne skirting the inner city out to the suburbs. Past comparisons of The Stress of Leisure to The Go-Betweens and Pavement may not have the same foothold on this latest effort, however there still remains an essence of Pulp in the sound. Brisbane Radio Station 4ZzZfm said this about 'Soft Approach' - "This is for the most part jangly indie-rock and pop, executed with skill and a touch of post-punk sensibility. Occasionally it spills into other things: the ominous synth scariness of Any Moment This could be Massive or the quiet folk of Kids by the River. Really there's a lot to like here. I'm surprised I haven't heard more of this before since this is their third album." Soft Approach is an album assured in its place, which is neither really underground nor mainstream; when people stumble upon it, they like to stay and play a while.