Guitar music is back in anger with the Lapels debut single ‘Warning Lights’

Nowadays, new Britpop boy bands of the oasis/blur persuasion are often pigeonholed into the underground, sentenced to tours playing for the same small albeit passionate group of superfans and never really breaking out into the mainstream. Nottingham boys Lapels aim to avoid this, Nathan, Andy, Will and Adam plan to put British guitar music back on top as it was 20 years ago.

Lapels began in 2018 when Nathan and Andy noticed themselves slip into a singer/songwriter dynamic whilst playing around at college.

Recruiting friends Will and Adam the band then began gigging across the Midlands and had the fortune of meeting with people from Marquee Records, an iconic and prestigious label favoured by fans of British bands like The Stones Roses and the odd Fred Perry Polo.

The label is a progression from the Marquee club, where The Rolling Stones and The Who played when they were starting out. By June 2021, Lapels were signed to the label and with an album’s worth of new material ready to go people are beginning to take notice.

 

The first official release from the band came on July 9^th in the form of single ‘Warning Lights’. Opening lyrics “Chatting by the chippy in the disused carpark” are set to be a staple feature for the band as Nathan has previously explained, “Lapels are about ‘life’, we sing about the normal every day.” The songs lyrics continue to be relatable and no-nonsense, but this feels honest and genuine and not an action taken to suit their genre, this is who the band are and they’re stylish with it in a way that can’t be faked, you either have it or you don’t.

 

Lead singer Nathan has a swagger. His vocals are backed up with a confidence that’s compelling and easy as he tells the story of a British night out where everything’s a bit predictable and many tall tales are told, in the style of The Streets but not without a spin of his own. The song is guitar driven and highlights the promising talents of Andy, whose guitar accompanies a sound that is clearly reminiscent of bands like Oasis or Cast.

 

The important thing is that this track contains a 2021 twist to prove originality, it can be seen in the faster pace and in the experimentation with guitar. The guitar has a classic ‘Wonderwall’ strum to begin with but is then stretched further, heading closer to electric guitar music during the chorus and bridges, making listeners notice the sounds they’re hearing.

 

Lapels will most definitely pass the cool test that fans of Britpop will put them through and by doing so gain momentum. ‘Warning Lights’ indicates huge potential for the debut album, which could be the answer to many Britpop fans calls for more guitar bands to dominate the music scene in a world when electronic pop music so clearly has the reigns. Lapels are putting everything into filling a gap in the market and their record deal is a promising sign that they may succeed.

 

If you need a gripping new British anthem for the post-Covid summertime fit with gravelly vocals and crashing guitar, then ‘Warning Lights’ is the tune for you.

 

Daisy Fitzgerald.

Twitter: @daisymayfitz

Instagram: @daisyfitz2

Image: Lapels Official Single Cover