Chappaqua Wrestling – Plus Ultra review

Funny thing, influences. If you do a round of Brighton-based Chappaqua Wrestling’s interviews in support of Plus Ultra they variously list their work as seeking inspiration in everything from Britpop to grunge to Madchester; it’s a wide pan, but probably an unsurprising one in the playlist age given how carefully we tend to curate ourselves.

At the band’s core are old schoolfriends Charlie Wood and Jake Mac, both of whom have had to exercise a considerable amount of patience as background issues have lead to Plus Ultra‘s release being delayed for 18 months. It’s a record which, according to the latter, channels some of the feelings around that, explaining “It’s a rock album so it has to have a big bit of release, relief, mayhem.”

The quartet are also not afraid to throw a little politics into their brew either, admirably so on the throaty opener Full Round Table. It then transpires that this a table which not much is off, be it post punk (Wayfinding), retro jangle (Not In Love) or the various stripes of Gallagher brother (My Fall I and My Fall II). Whoever they’ve been listening to though, Plus Ultra is at it’s most exciting on the anthemic Wide Asleep, a song on which they sound at their best when – uncoincidentally – they sound most most like themselves.

You can read a full review here.