Album Review: Tom Chaplin — The Wave
For all those still lamenting the long hiatus of British alt-pop band Keane, famous for their hits “Somewhere Only We Know” and “Everybody’s Changing,” rejoice and be merry: Keane’s lead singer, Tom Chaplin, recently released his own full-length album. The Wave is the singer’s debut as a solo artist. Let’s see how it fared…
1. “Still Waiting” — 9/10
Chaplin’s opening track is a stunner, albeit a bit of a sorrowful one. The lyrics are tragic and honest, discussing life’s regrets and a sense of yearning for something more: “Still waiting, still waiting, / A wandering ghost forevermore,” Chaplin sings. The instrumentation, however, is hopeful and gorgeous. I particularly admired the unique knocking percussion that comes in after the first chorus.
2. “Hardened Heart” — 10/10
While “Still Waiting” perhaps didn’t deliver the optimism, “Hardened Heart” quickly reminds us of the beauty that life delivers. Even through the hard times, Chaplin comes to the realization that hope remains: “Here’s hoping that the signs are real / And tomorrow with a spring in my heel / Somewhere on the road of sadness lies a better deal, / Oh I know that my hardened heart is beating still.” The music is beautiful, the vocals are perfection, and the message is so inspiring.
3. “The River” — 10/10
For those concerned that The Wave wouldn’t bring any high-energy pop force, “The River” shakes things up after a quiet introduction. This high-tempo jam discusses the need to move on, allowing the river of life to carry us on. For those nostalgic for Keane’s Perfect Symmetry 80s pop days, this track is a happy throwback.
4. “Worthless Words” — 7/10
This quiet, melancholy track discusses the meaning of words and the difficulty of reconciliation. The piano accompaniment is lovely, but this song’s melodies fall a bit short and didn’t quite capture my attention as others have. The bridge is the song’s high-point and the song’s climax as Chaplin belts out his beautiful high notes.
5. “I Remember You” — 7/10
This up-tempo ballad describes an attempt to revisit the past as Chaplin travels through time to meet his former self. Flummoxed as to how to regain the joy of youth, “I Remember You” decides that, for now, remembering is enough. This track has very Keane-esque instrumentation, but an unexpected saxophone solo spices it up.
6. “Bring the Rain” — 8/10
“Is this the end or the calm before the storm?” Chaplin asks through distorted vocals, opening the track on a gloomy note. However, despite this introduction, this proves one of the most optimistic tracks on the record yet. “All that’s gone must come around,” Chaplin decides, and soon the distortion and eerie quiet of the verses fade out as the track crescendos and the light breaks through the clouds on the stunning chorus. This track was a welcome change, providing a much-needed burst of optimism.
7. “Hold On To Our Love” — 6/10
This slow ballad about a deteriorating relationship wasn’t my favorite — the lyrics are poignant and honest, but the melodies just aren’t as compelling. The gospel choir that accompanies Chaplin in the end helped make the song a bit more interesting, but I almost wish we had heard even more of this choir to add more exuberance to the track.
8. “Quicksand” — 10/10
This track describes the inevitable hardships that everyone encounters (a recurring theme, it seems), and encourages you to pick yourself up out of the quicksand and “keep moving on.” With the best chorus thus far on The Wave, “Quicksand” is a truly inspiring track.
9. “Solid Gold” — 8/10
On “Solid Gold,” Chaplin realizes that he has been undermining his relationship and blind to its beauty. “I’m letting you in and now / You’ll never be lonely,” he promises, accompanied by soothing, meditative guitars.
10. “See It So Clear” — 10/10
“See It So Clear” yet again ruminates on days gone by and the strength of accepting the past. This track is my favorite on The Wave, although “Hardened Heart” gave it a run for its money. The chorus is stunning, the track builds beautifully, and the melodies are perfection.
11. “The Wave” — 6/10
On this slow, cinematic track Chaplin decides to go with the flow and allow the waves to carry him where they will in due time. This track has a beautiful message, but the music that accompanied it wasn’t as interesting. The wind instruments were a nice touch and created a really smooth sound, but the track overall felt a little tired.
12. “Better Way” (Bonus Track) — 9/10
If “The Wave” was a little slow and monotonous, “Better Way” instantly overthrows this sentiment with vibrant energy and abundant hope. Seeming to refer to past endeavors with substances, Chaplin determines that he will find a new way to cope and thrive. With an 80s-meets-alternative vibe, enthusiastic clapping, and soulful harmonies at the end, this track packs a punch.
13. “Turning Back” (Bonus Track) — 7/10
This track is a curious one, seemingly written from the perspective of a man who feels his significant other has left him behind and abandoned him on the road. I really liked the percussion, but this slow track otherwise became a little repetitive.
14. “Love Wins” (Bonus Track) — 10/10
Chaplin concludes that love will conquer all on this stunning track. This song just gets better as it goes, with impeccable melodies and harmonies, soothing instrumentation, and excellent percussion.
15. “Cheating Death” (Bonus Track) — 9/10
With “Cheating Death” Chaplin finds the perfect metaphor to capture the tone of The Wave as he describes how death chases us, but we constantly cheat death with every breath we take. This penultimate track is an optimistic one, as Chaplin concludes that we must, “keep on searching on.”
16. “Bound Together” (Bonus Track) — 8/10
The Wave closes with this minimal acoustic track, emphasizing Chaplin’s ever-amazing vocals. Singing about the indestructible ties of love, quiet guitar and piano riffs accompany Chaplin on this final number.
Ultimately: 8.5/10
Chaplin’s first LP was a definite success. Chaplin certainly seems to often ruminate on the hardships of life, but ultimately concludes that we must always keep moving forward and let life take us where it may, carried by “the wave.” Chaplin expertly retained the alt-pop sound of Keane without sounding derivative, introducing his own new, unique take on things, instrumentally and lyrically. Despite a few lackluster numbers, this album is truly worth the listen.
You can find The Wave on iTunes and Spotify, or learn more about Tom Chaplin and his upcoming tour here.
