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BEGINNING in 2011, an experimental five-piece from Liverpool going by the name of Choc Electrique have been turning quite a few heads, nevertheless, their debut album, The Looking Glass Self certainly has that shock appeal.
Full of musical twists and turns that compliment each other, flaunting the clever expertise of the band's experienced contingents. It is far from pompous or full of one-upmanship, it’s a band loving what they do, doing it extremely well. Every song has been carefully pieced together so effortlessly that you can actually hear the hard work that has gone into crafting this thoroughly enjoyable album.
Introducing the album, there is ‘Sugarcoated'. You think, okay I get it; I can see where this is all going but by the time you get to the second offering, ‘Someone To Hold Onto’, you’ve been on one hell of a journey, full of wondrous surprises feeding the necessity to hear the sound repetitively.
With tracks like ‘Disappear’ we doff of the cap to Beefheart and Alex Harvey which went down very well with The Music Manual, with pristine brass sections throughout, tight and very well scored. Searching for a gloomy sounding, ‘Join The Show’ contains the dark satire and drama of the Doors which points out that front-man, Greedy Jesus, can drift into a ‘Morrisonesque’ lilt from time to time, something which we liked profusely.
Halfway through the album, lifting the notches up on the volume, we are greeted with, ‘Closer’. A great little prog number with a touch of XTC although much meatier though, added with a reggae middle eight. Next up, ‘Broken’ starts to creep forward, notably as the quintet's next potential single, catchy yet not overly cheesy, quelling the pop to a minuscule rumble. ‘Friend Like Me’ is another strong single contender with a warming atmosphere, with a fantastic beat picking up during the second half. ‘Fear Of Falling’ is an atmospheric sphere of magic, the way that chorus lays back slightly is mind-blowing.‘When I’m Near You’ is a great mover, partnered with ‘Too Much For You’ which cradles a soft ballad with the obligatory beautiful piano playing.
After stumbling around the album we reach final track ‘Someone To Hold Onto’. And it is here were we see what Choc Electrique are really about. You think you know what to expect, then, you're hit right between the eyes with something unexpected yet cleverly calculated.
Choc Electrique will put a smile upon your face, they have decided to walk their own path instead of following others. Writing great tracks full of undeniable energy, we must tilt our hat. This album is a tasty treat and a sign of great things to come, if they can pull this off as good live then they will be extremely popular. Another Liverpool band showing that we really do hold a wealth of great talent.
Words Mick Dolan and Lauren Jones
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