A story of love gained and lost, Too Many Chiefs’ debut album ‘Colour Bereft’ errs on the generic indie-pop side of things, but maintains enough individuality to stand out.

According to many, a good album should have a good narrative, and that’s what we have here. ‘Colour Bereft’ is a story that starts with love, goes through heartbreak, and then finally settles at resigned acceptance.

The album gets off to a bit of a weak start with the sonically shallow ‘Welcome In.’ There are very few shifts in energy between sections with the final result being a linear-sounding song. Nonetheless, it’s a good opening chapter in this story, capturing the anxiety that comes with falling in love.

Things start picking up with the upbeat ‘Falling,’ both musically and emotionally. We’re in the honeymoon phase here, everything is bright and shiny and that comes through in the music. The country-esque rhythm is infectious and you can feel frontman Emile Naidu’s almost giddy optimism.

Too Many Chiefs maintain their radio-friendly sensibilities despite the lyrics getting darker. ‘Detour’ is an honest, minimalist confession before ‘Did You Forget’ stakes its claim as the best track on the album. With a poignant synth setting the mood at the beginning and the unexpected forlorn trumpet that comes later on, this moving trip down memory lane catches you by surprise and adds weight to the album.

Despite a few generic moments ‘Colour Bereft’ grows on you and reels you in, taking you on a journey that touches on all the ups and downs of the relationship-cycle.

Get 'Colour Bereft' by Too Many Chiefs here!

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