The Chairs have long dwelled restlessly as a prime example of the sort of underground band which deserved to make it, but were for one reason or another never given the chance by the music establishment to break into the wider consciousness of the dirty business that is rock ‘n’ roll. “Fly the Flag” is vocalist Simon Harmer & Co.’s attempt at rectifying this situation. The Norwegian group, based out of the small coastal town of Stavanger, have managed to put together a record laden with material showcasing their ability to tie together all the loose ends of their past years as something of an eclectic indie underground outfit and really clock in some solid, streamlined melodic rock songs. Shifting between well-fashioned, at times hard-hitting rock ‘n’ roll tracks with delightfully inspired melodies to more contemplative, melancholic material, the group show themselves capable of drawing on as diverse influences as a slowed down Ramones to Little Richard (although I suspect Harmer is laying it on a little thick when citing these as his prime influences for the record) to panicky, “Pablo Honey”-era Radiohead.

“Fly the Flag” is a strong effort that deserves critical acclaim as one of the, thus far, finest Norwegian rock releases of 2004. While some of the songs bear a little too much resemblance to one another and are occassionally little more than fillers, the band work tightly together to churn out catchy hooks, riffs, melodies or slow, broiling almost-ballads so smoothly that it hardly makes a difference. Some tracks particularly worth looking out for include “New Routine” and “Said Undo”. And though I can’t claim to know whether this will be the “five steps up” into the hearts and minds of the music-consuming masses that Simon Harmer has been hoping for, “Fly the Flag” certainly has all the potential songs needed to bring them safely out of indie obscurity and into wider recognition as a respectable alternative rock act.

Year Released: 2004
Label: Kippers
Related Link: Chairs Official Site
Date Reviewed: 2004-09-26
Author: Andreas