ALBUM REVIEW: Man Sandal deliver on their promise with ‘Chess Club’

Not to get too nostalgic, but I’ve been following Man Sandal’s progression through the local scene since close to their inception. I covered one of their earliest gigs as Belgrade, when I was really just a kid myself, and instantly knew they were onto something. The waves they have made in the scene with both Man Sandal and the plethora of associated groups too vast to mention is of no surprise to me given their talent.

After a few EPs and singles, Chess Club is Man Sandal’s long-awaited debut LP. Two years in development, the record captures the diverse influences that go into the group and spins them into a fresh new sound. There’s smatterings of jazz, dolewave, folk, pop, and indie rock in these arrangements, which ensures the album remains interesting the whole way through while maintaining an admirable cohesion.

Man Sandal is made up of four primary songwriters and vocalists who each approach their songs with a unique perspective, and all have their time to shine. Julia Wallace’s ‘If You Try to Leave (Please Don’t)’ is the stirring emotional core of the album, as the title might suggest. Meanwhile, David Stewart brings a decent dosage of humour to the existential crisis anthem ‘Adulthood’, Clancy Davidson has a chance to show off her incredible vocal control on ‘Everybody Dies’, and Georgia Siciliano’s Courtney Barnett-esque observational lyrics really hit hard on ‘Can’t Mean Much’. These are just some select highlights from this remarkably consistent record that never dips in quality.

With about 6 years on the live circuit to develop their sound, it should come as no surprise that Chess Club is the knockout blow it is. This is an invigorating debut album that is well worth your attention.