EP Review: Palace - 'Part 1 - When Everything Was Lost'
Palace make an exceptional return with wistful new EP ‘Part 1 – When Everything Was Lost’.
Enigmatic London-based trio Palace return to their poignant best with new EP, 'Part 1 - When Everything Was Lost,' out on July 18th via Fiction Records. With a reputation for crafting enchanting indie-rock melodies and soul-stirring lyrics, the band continues to evolve, inviting listeners on a heartfelt journey through the complexities of life, love and loss. Frontman Leo Wyndham seldom shies away from tackling the more weighty, lesser-championed subjects that shape our lives. In this latest four-track EP, Wyndham hones in on the topic of feminine stoicism and resilience. He explains: “The EP is about the journey of growing older with someone, and trying to move and mould to the things along the way that you don’t ever imagine or plan. The things that floor you, but will eventually bind you together. Intertwined. Inseparable.”
“'When Everything Was Lost’ is about the immense strength and power of female energy and feeling a profound and overwhelming sense of awe in that. It’s about looking at someone you love from a distance going through something hugely significant, and seeing them handle it in a way a man never could."
Palace's latest release offers another immersive chapter of their musical journey. Formed in 2014, Palace quickly earned recognition for their nostalgic sound and evocative songwriting. Comprising Leo Wyndham (vocals, guitar), Rupert Turner (guitar), Matt Hodges (drums), the band consistently deliver a mesmerizing blend of indie-rock and folk influences.
One thing Palace do extremely well is stitch emotive lyricism to genuinely moving compositions. Title track When Everything Was Lost is a spacious, lamenting track on which guttural strings and forlorn horn sections an increasingly scrappy and echoing guitar riff. The lyrics hint at grief (“Machines beside your bed, I saw the shape of our shadow”) and despair (“And now everything is fucked”) as Wyndham delivers an earnest insight to the personal tribulations that underpin his genuinely captivating songwriting.
Like Palace’s previous works, an unmistakable Radiohead influence permeates through this EP in the gloomy unresolving guitar riffs of opener All We’ve Ever Wanted and the distant, spectral vocals of How Far We’ve Come, on which amongst a body of defeatist lyricism we hear the first semblances of optimism: “I’ll hold my head up, straight spine, and pray we’ll be just fine”. Inside My Chest, the final track of the record, signifies a notable departure towards a more tender, Black Keys hinting, blues influence. Here the EP comprehensively outs itself as a paean to the irreproducible power of feminine and maternal love: “Irrеplасеаblе thе vоid thаt mоthеrs fееl, I listеn аll I саn tо yоu my lоvе, But wе nеvеr find thе wоrds, thе wоrds thеy аll gеt lоst”
With the unveiling of 'Part 1 - When Everything Was Lost,' Palace have journeyed further into their own rich and soaring soundscape. There are surely very few niches left to fill in the increasingly saturated world of emotive, indie songwriting but Palace have laid claim to theirs, once again demonstrating a dedication to melancholic realness and a steadfast ethos of crafting authentic, elevating songs that resonate deeply with audiences. 'Part 1 - When Everything Was Lost' stands as a testament to Palace's artistic growth and unwavering commitment to creating music that is introspective, evocative, and profoundly moving.
We patiently await Part 2.
Words by Eliot Otelli
