Palace

The grandiose landscapes invoked by Chapel Club has led to Zane Lowe swooning in his pants over their singles. BUT, it is when they over-reach and see themselves playing stadiums that the album sinks in to self-indulgence. New single ‘Surfacing’ is a labourious rock-anthem that fails to excite. Sometimes sounding like the Editors in need of immodium, _Palace_ is in many places a brilliant thrust at inseminating pop with some romance.

Chapel Club’s strengths lie when they don’t try so hard, like in tracks such as ‘Five Trees’. The song is a synthesis-in-perfection of their huge sound, melancholized-insides. ‘Five Trees’ perfectly build upon Chapel Club’s obvious love for both Sonic Youth and The Rakes, making a song and sound which is quite clearly their own. Just a few more like that and we’ve got something pretty special on our hands.

Now, where are those laxatives…