The Chevin: Borderland

Already more successful in the US than in their UK homeland – they’ve even played the White House – Yorkshire school-pals The Chevin look well-poised for world domination.
They’ve been, not unfairly, likened to The Killers, Muse, U2, Coldplay and ‘80s exponents of the big, bombastic sound, including the likes of Duran Duran and Simple Minds. Their frontman, the fabulously monikered Coyle Girelli, has an impressive set of pipes that can certainly reach the heights, while the band’s stock-in-trade is all propulsive rhythms, melodramatic textures and – too often – the kind of trite lyrics that “Take you to the promised land/ Under a desert sky/ In a better world/ Where we all live in peace.” Indeed.
“Epic” is far too small a word for their stadium-sized sound: the lighter-waving single ‘Champion’ lays out their soaring, full-frontal sonic assault in spades. Its eerily familiar sound combines all the best (and worst) elements of the aforementioned outfits. Still, the band are tight and the melodies good: similarly inclined tracks include ‘Drive’, ‘Blue Eyes’ and ‘Dirty Little Secret’.
‘Love Is Just A Game’ slows things down and eases off on the reverb pedals, providing some temporary relief but it’s followed immediately by the title track which is arguably the most ambitious tune here, with martial drumbeats, heavily processed guitars and keyboards a-go-go and Girelli’s voice somehow managing to rise above it all.
A Glastonbury headlining slot no doubt beckons in the near future but be warned – in large doses, The Chevin will leave you gasping for air!