Everyone remembers Lightyear. They were an absolute institution. They genuinely were a band that simply toured so much that eventually they had a huge following. Their tour schedule was unreal a lot of the time. And clearly CHAS PALMER-WILLIAMS has come back for a bit more punishment. It’s no surprise – Lightyear were the epitome of a band who did it because they wanted to. That kind of thing doesn’t leave you.
Let’s not beat around the bush. Chas doesn’t have a particularly good singing voice. (I could see it grating on a whole lot of people). In fact I can visualize Mark Lawrenson doing the vocals they sound that much alike at times. But it’s the lyrics that really speak. Lightyear were always producing essays worth of interesting lyrics. Chas has carried on the tradition. These days it’s the musings of an ageing, penniless punk on the south coast (making sure you know he’s not from there). ‘I feel like a million Zimbabwean dollars’ pretty much sums the lyrical content – there are some absolute lyrical diamonds in that song (and all of the others) that most people seeing their 20s and 30s fly by will massively relate to. Chas makes Frank Turner look like a man who needs a dictionary and a word in his ear about sticking a few more lines in his songs.
Chas does have to rely on his charm with this EP, because the songs all outstay their welcome a little bit and the production alludes to try a few too many unnecessary tricks. His humour is written all over the thing – complete with failed wind up telephone call audio at the end of the last track.
This EP is the sound of a man finding his feet as a solo artist – glimpses of what will, doubtless, be to come. Right now it has quite a throwaway feel to it – but then, I’m sure that was partly the intention. Plus, let’s be honest, even the ramblings of a balding, 32 year old man from Derby are well worth a listen.