One Track Mind

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From the unusual plucked, acoustic melody and handclap-accented percussive vocals, through its sweeping chorus and whistled coda, there isn’t much experimental Brit-popsters The Chap omit from this stellar track.

The song ebbs and flows between the empty spaces of the nearly robotic lead vocals of the verse to the effusive, orchestral chorus. Though the subject matter is almost Dickensian (“Daddy left and Mom is sick”), the balance between the gritty verse and the all-hands-on-deck chorus lead to a feeling of a community that bands together when times are tough. Despite the dour subject matter, “We Work in Bars” is feel good to the last note.

Lo Recordings released the Chap’s latest offering, the cheekily named, Well Done Europe, on June 8th. Well Done is the Chap’s fourth full-length since they debuted The Horse in 2003, and although they’ve traded in their bedroom for a real recording studio, the band continues its full-tilt exploration of pop’s crispier edges.