published: 15 /
7 /
2013
Label:
Ignition Records
Format: CD
Mildly disappointing second album from London-based act Chapel Club, which finds them moving away from their indie rock roots and adopting electronic/dance influences
Review
Chapel Club made a fine debut album (‘Palace’) built around Lewis Bowman’s stunning vocals that hinted at a hybrid of Morrissey and McCulloch. Indeed one of the singles lifted from the album, the angst ridden ‘O Maybe I’, is probably in my top ten favourite 7” of the last 10 years. They also played a stunning gig at a church in Salford a few years back that was pretty special.
However, their follow up, ‘Good Together’, is somewhat of a departure with keys replacing guitars and the whole thing being much more of a dance album than the indie-rock delight of their debut.
Cards on table, I wanted ‘Good Together’ to be ‘Palace Mark II’ and as such it’s a disappointment, but there are still some decent moments. ‘Scared’ is a swirling Balearic feel good song that sounds great in the car, and ‘Just Kids’ is equally enjoyable.
‘Sleep Alone’, which was released as a single late last year is steady enough, while ‘Fruit Machine’ and the title track are also worth a couple of spins, but all told this isn’t an album for anyone not prepared to be open minded about the musical progression of Chapel Club. For those oblivious to Chapel Club, there may be a place filed under indie-dance, but sadly I’ll be staying in the Palace.
A real shame, I had high hopes for them.
Track Listing:-
1
Sleep Alone
2
Sequins
3
Shy
4
Jenny Baby
5
Wordy
6
Scared
7
Fruit Machine
8
Good Together
9
Force You
10
Just Kids
Band Links:-
https://www.facebook.com/chapelclub
https://twitter.com/chapelclub
Label Links:-
https://twitter.com/ignitionrecords
http://www.ignition.co.uk/