'Fresh from guiding the new students around the musical highlights of our fair city in NME's Student Guide, "promoter, DJ, musician" Pierre Hall's wearing at least two of those hats tonight. Along with a pair of glasses possibly half-inched from TV's Harry Hill. They somehow fit with the fact that The Lead Balloons are one of the indiest indie pop bands of modern times; indie in the old sense, all friendly DIY attitude (uber-scenester reputation aside Hall is possibly one of the nicest people in the local music scene) and glorious, life-affirming, jangly guitar pop. You could be in the shittest mood ever and within a song or two Lead Balloons would have you smiling. I know, cos this isn't the first time it's happened to me. Another song in and you're dancing. I don't know how they do it. If you've not yet had the pleasure, imagine a compact and fizzier Belle And Sebastian, a less angst-ridden early Wedding Present, the sunnier end of The Coral, the two-minute jewels of the C86 scene, that sort of thing. By the time we get outside afterwards it's stopped raining; it's not the first time they've done that, either. In short, the Lead Balloons make the world a happier place.'

-manchestermusic ITC Review 2008