I’ve always been a huge fan of Scottish band The Fratellis first album Costello Music, and I was worried that second album Here We Stand wouldn’t be as good. Admittedly I wasn’t blown away by first single Mistress Mabel. Would I change my mind though?
Actually though, the album wasn’t too bad. My Friend John is a frantic, spaghetti-western themed stomper whilst Shameless sounds like it could have come straight off the band’s last album. Stragglers Moon is probably the most chilled out song on the album whilst Lupe Brown could be a potential single release.
Not all the album works – I didn’t really get closing track Milk and Money and Mistress Mabel still left me a little cold. All in all though this album was pretty good – and I can’t wait to see the band perform live later this year!
The Fratellis have released two albums: Costello Music (2006) and Here We Stand (2008).
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It’s that time of year again… the nominations for the Mercury Music Prize have just come out. The Klaxons won last year with Myths of the Near Future, but who will pick up the award this September?
Adele – 19
British Sea Power – Do You Like Rock Music?
Burial – Untrue
Elbow – The Seldom Seen Kid
Estelle – Shine
Laura Marling – Alas I Cannot Swim
Neon Neon – Stainless Style
Portico Quartet – Knee-Deep in the North Sea
Rachel Unthank & The Winterset – The Bairns
Radiohead – In Rainbows
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss – Raising Sand
The Last Shadow Puppets – The Age of the Understatement
Radiohead and The Last Shadow Puppets are the favourites to win… but who is your favourite?
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Mancunian duo the Ting Tings have recently stormed the chart with their feisty, punky anthems and the critics have claimed that We Started Nothing is the soundtrack of the summer. What did the folks at Other Clothing think though, that’s the important thing!
Admittedly I’m a big fan of singles Great DJ and That’s Not My Name – songs that get into your head and refuse to leave whatever you do! The rest of the album doesn’t disappoint either, Fruit Machine is a frantic poppy slice of sleaze whilst Be The One has great lyrics and a fabulous bassline.
All in all this album works really well without a duff track, and despite the album being only ten tracks long, you’ll be left wanting more.
The Ting Tings have had one album: We Started Nothing(2008)
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Mancunian indie kids The Courteeners have released their debut album St Jude. Are they one of the up and coming bands of 2008, or have they just spent too much time in their rooms listening to The Smiths?
Single What Took you So Long was very dour and whiney and I wasn’t a fan, but there were some stellar tracks on the album. Opening track Aftershow started off quiet but built into something quite retro and rocky, whilst Please Don’t is very pensive and thoughtful.
I was impressed by this album, I did admit that I was expecting something less exciting. It’s indie, but rocky at the same time, with clever lyrics and beautiful Northern vocals. Definitely one to get!
The Courteeners have had one album: St Jude (2008)
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Northern rockers The Futureheads are back with their third album. It’s been quite some time since they released their last album so was it worth the wait?
Opening track and single The Beginning of the Twist is a great starter, a frantic singalong which leaves you wanting more – whilst Walking Backwards is a loud and shouty stacatto thumper. Radio Heart has a definite eighties tinge to it whilst Work is Never done couldn’t be more punky if you stuck a mowhawk and some Doc Martens on it.
The album isn’t perfect – Hard to Bear is slow and hard to get into, but all in all this is a great sounding album and if you already are a fan of the band you certainly won’t be disappointed.
The Futureheads have released three albums: The Futureheads (2004), News and Tributes (2006) and This is not the World (2008)
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