if Dub Sex are Manchester’s great lost band then Chris Bridgett must, without doubt, be one of Manchester’s great lost musicians, I say one of, he has esteemed company in what is quite an expansive and exceptional club.
Post Dub Sex reformation saw Chris join forces with the legend that is Si Wolstencroft to front The G-O-D, ultimately opening for the Stone Roses at Wembley in 2017, as if that wasn’t enough he then went on to form Cold Water Swimmers whose album Holiday at the Secret Lake was one of 2021s must have, critically acclaimed records.
Deciding to go it alone a couple of years back, Chris set to work on what was to become his debut solo offering, “Speedboat on Chapel Street”. Eight songs written and recorded over the last three years, all deeply personal, heart-achingly open in their sentiment and intellectual naivety.
A wonderful, often all too brief northern narrative flows through the songs. ‘Thinking of You’, is very clearly a lay-it-all-out in the open I’m obsessed therapy song. The simply wonderful lines ’when I go downstairs and make a brew, I’m thinking of you’……‘lay down my pills, one by one, switch on the music and sing along and when I do I’m thinking of you’ are accompanied by understated arpeggiated guitars with a great riff. When there is a build-up, as expected it’s wonderfully lethargic, almost as if it’s all too much for Chris to possibly verge on the anthemic.
‘The Good Life’ is one of those old-school indie bangers. A repetitive simple guitar riff bounces the track along. If you’re old enough to remember when the dancefloor at Manchesters Brickhouse club was filled with upper-sixth Emilys and Rachels clad in flouro laced docks, stripey tights, cut-off jeans and Neds Atomic Dustbins T-shirts then turn this track up, pogo around the kitchen and let the kids realise you’ve still got it, or like mine that you’re a sad twat! Either way it’s a banger.
There is more uncertainty, more unease and unrequited feelings in the tracks ‘We’re you even there’ and ‘Ripples’ but it’s never morose which is one of this record’s great achievements. Despite the subject matter of the record, it is never dark or sombre. Difficulty is met with optimism and self-direction and musically, the post-punk meets garage rock feel always feels like it’s about to lift off somewhere else and massive respect to Chris, for not letting it!
ALBUM COVER BY HELS MILLINGTON
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