The Wave
Tom Chaplin
(Island Records)
Three stars
Keane singer Tom Chaplin bares his emotions and confronts his demons on The Wave, a solo debut that is both vulnerable and victorious.
He is honestly blunt when describing lapses and relapses, while seeking salvation through acceptance. Hardened Heart finds him at his rawest – "How I wish I was not hurting everyone I know" – and also his most hopeful: "I know that my hardened heart is beating still."
The River is reflective before accelerating with a burst of synths rarely heard anymore.
Hold On to Our Love echoes the melodic qualities of mid-1970s Paul McCartney, but darkness prevails with lines such as: "A shadow in between us/It's slowly taking over everything."
The reassuring Quicksand puts down the rose-tinted glasses and offers counsel to someone whose life has hardly been lived, while Solid Gold blends acoustic guitar and electronic percussion with lovely harmonies. On the closing title song, Chaplin surrenders himself to "the wave" which, thankfully, carries homeward "these lonely scattered pieces".
* AP
