Album Review: Tom Chaplin – The Wave
2 min read
Calming and spirited ambience flood through the nooks of Chaplin’s first solo record. The Wave harnesses a unique quality that beseeches beauty and peachy grace – delving away from Chaplin’s frontman positioning to a nobler and sympathetic character.
This fits Chaplin’s music a little better and a whole lot clearer, with certification evident in song’s like Still Waiting, or the quaint relaxation bubble introduction in The River. Chaplin’s recorded beauties on this album really take hold of a brighter and happier side to his songwriting. A voice wielded like an instrument, he moves through emotional struggle and personal triumph. These 11 tracks shine a lighter and genuine power that suits his new solo direction. Robust and hearty chord progression and dominant sung bliss circulate around an aura in tracks like Bring The Rain, whereas the soft harmonies in the gentle Quicksand proclaim messages of heartbreak, perseverance and jubilation within the lyrics. It’s this noble and delicate approach that makes the record a rhythmic and easy listening neo-classic. This subtle excellence is further told in tracks like See It So Clear – which could be easily mistaken for a Radiohead track, whilst the title track The Wave unfolds a silky, ardent tenderness and angelic atmosphere.
All things considered, The Wave is a personal retreat described by Chaplin himself. Addressing the discerning moments that have touched his life in recent years since his hiatus with Keane. He does this with a unified beauty and pristine purity. These qualities make the record a perfect solution for a tough day or troubling moment – or as an audible companion with soft and proper musical contrasts and smooth listening specialties.
