The Chap - Well done Europe

Review by Sean Thomas

I can’t think of anyone else like them. In terms of their humour, there are a few lyricists who toy around with well-judged comedy in their words but none manage to pull it off with the simultaneous air of elitism and barefaced cheek these ‘chaps’ do. Take album opener ‘We’ll see to your breakdown’, with it’s cheery opening chorus of “You will never have a job / You will never have much in this town again / We’ll see to that ‘cos we hate you”, sung in a condescending manner over an upbeat layered vocal. Or previous standout single ‘Well done you’ with the lyrics all employing management speak over the top of a superb walking bassline, throwing up such nuggets as “You’ve really shown ambition here / A little rough around the edges / But who cares with an outcome like this?”»