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Green Gardens are a Leeds-based band who form intricate indie-rock songs that value tenderness and extremity in equal measure. Real love and care for sweet melodies, lo-fi guitars, warm drums and the tension of their relationships sits at the heart of their music. Their latest release is the double A-side ‘Greeting/I Am Kind’ (out now), which was Argus Far’s Track Of The Week a few months ago. I asked the band ten questions to unpick their amorphous arrangements.

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THE ARGUS FAR FIVE

How would you describe the sound of Green Gardens?

If anything I’d prefer not to, but if that’s lazy I’d call it indie rock. We used to call it soft rock, but meant that literally rather than like Cat Stevens.

What are your biggest non-music influences?

Max Porter, Frank Auerbach, Seamus Heaney, Mountains and Swimming.

If you had to cover any song and put a Green Gardens spin on it, which would you choose?

We’ve been listening to a lot of Dio on tour recently. Would love to do ‘Holy Diver’. We never get to rock out like that. ‘Mystery’ has an unbelievable chorus.

What is your earliest memory of music?

For me (Jacob), my dad used to make me CD’s that were all themed music. Usually about space. He made me one with ‘Space Oddity’ on it and I think that was a step into the world of Bowie that my uncle perpetuated.

What does 2026 have in store for Green Gardens?

We have a new album written! We’re just waiting to book some studio time, but hoping to work on some new music and hopefully flesh it out at a few upcoming shows.

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THE GREEN GARDEN FIVE

I’ve heard from a lot of bands that Leeds’ music scene is a bit of a powder keg – waiting to blow up. What do you think is so special about the music scene in Leeds?

I think diversity is its strength. You can do anything and people are excited for you. The scene isn’t dictated by genre. People are genuinely supportive of all music in Leeds, not just their favourites.

You’re touring the UK at the moment. How does touring inspire your songwriting?

It really impacts the arrangement, the way that we play together is a huge part of the songs. It’s exciting to let the band dynamic dictate the music we make over the demos. The demos had a lot of weighting on the last record, so we’re excited to work on this next one and shift it to being reactive to the feeling of playing this music live.

You’ve said that your mum’s voice is at the core of ‘I Am Kind’. How is it to bring such a personal idea and share it across the country?

I love the way it sounds, but it’s no more personal to me than what the songs represent so it doesn’t stick out to me. I don’t want to over-egg how much that is. We’re trying to break out of traditional band instrumentation in new ways, and we’ve been listening to a lot of field recording centric music like Ernest Hood or Gastr Del Sol and it’s the music taking a step in that direction.

You played four shows in three days at last year’s Left of the Dial festival in Rotterdam. You must’ve been knackered! How was that?

It was a lot of fun. Only regret is not being able to see more bands as we were so busy, but that festival is so well run and they really care about you being there. As much as we love the toilet circuit, it is nice to be taken care of now and then.

What’s the importance of being kind?

I suppose it’s about trying, not about being perfect. If that is what you’re doing then I really believe joy and kindness will follow.

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