Chapel Club - they're quite good actually.

Just listening to new album "Palace" and I think it is quite good. For a start the lead singer is a dead ringer for Ian McCulloch - which to me is A Good Thing.

Chapel Club will be bracketed with White Lies and Editors, no doubt, but their sonic palette seems much more varied, subtlety is not something to be afraid of, it seems. It's not just the voice - the band remind me of the Bunnymen more than once on the record, as well as perhaps My Bloody Valentine. OK, the more generic moments do sound like Editors (bad) or Glasvegas (better), but this happens much less than I expected. They also appear to be one of those bands that manage to sound very different to different ears - The Scotsman's favourable review called them "Simple Minds merging with The Strokes fronted by Morrissey"!

Anyway, a much more enjoyable record than I expected, and worth a listen - it's on Spotify.

Yep!! Absolutely bloomin marvellous, I have been listening non stop to this album for a week now, I adore The Shore and Oh Maybe I. Definitely my favourite current album. I agree with the Scotsman more than sinking them into the Editors hole, they remind me of Exit Calm a little too.
I think they have a lot more to give, there is definitely something special there.

It's on soundcloud too:
http://soundcloud.com/eastcityrecords/sets/chapel-club-palace-deluxe-edition/

They also have a tour coming up which I can't wait for!
http://www.ents24.com/web/artist/144241/Chapel_Club.html

They're also supporting Suede in their three night residency at Brixton Academy in May.

LongLegs wrote:

I agree with the Scotsman more than sinking them into the Editors hole

Great description isn't it? The trouble is that 5 guys, dressing sombrely, singing angsty songs with guitars are always going to be lumped in with Editors et al, and to be fair, a couple of songs do have that vibe. As you say though, "Palace" is a really good album, and there is a sense of adventure in this record which hints at better things to come. Fingers crossed.

He still sounds more like McCulloch than Morrissey though!

This album has had a hell of a lot or rotation in Chez Yoof over the last few weeks. It's superb.