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Editorial Review:
In spite--or perhaps because of--being written off by many critics as a commercial pub-rock outfit, Glaswegian band The Fratellis have managed to procure themselves a fairly prodigious fan base. Their catchy songs, gigantic hooks and good-time lyrics have earned the band an army of fans keen to indulge in a bawdy sing-a-long. If the trend-setting press were tough on the band’s 2006 debut Costello Music though, The Fratelli’s weren’t listening. Here We Stand continues pretty much where that album left off, although it could be argued that a lot of the charm of their first album has disappeared. The clanging rock riffs of songs like "Shameless", "Mistress Mabel" and "Acid Jazz Singer" show the band in typically ribald form, while "Tell Me A Lie" and "A Heady Tale" attempt to revive the big-haired rocker spirit of 70s acts like Slade and Status Quo. Infectious as some of this material is, Here We Stand somehow doesn’t capture the same cocky joie de vivre that made Costello Music so much fun. At the same time, it’s refreshing to hear a band so determined to do their own thing and have a good time - no matter what the critics say.--Danny McKenna
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Best album this year The most uplifting album I've heard for a while. This album is packed with boisterous, singalong classics that fulfill the promise of Costello Music. This is a better album. The Fratellis have obviously gained in confidence and there is evidence of abundant songwriting and technical skill here. On first listen, I was struck by musical reminders of Artic Monkeys (My Friend John), Suede(Lupe Brown), Waterboys and Kasabian (Tell Me a Lie), for example. This was a departure from Costello Music which had a... more info
Fratellis grow up (a bit) This is my current favourate on the iPod. A superb follow up to Costello Music, which I always thought a bit overated. It has a rocky'er blues'ier feel and loses some of the slightly contrived feeling of the previous album replacing it with a stronger sound and sharper lyrics. There is a nice variation throughout the album with harder songs such as "Mistress Mabel" and "A Heady Tale" balanced by the humour and laid back feel of "Acid Jazz Singer" and "Jesus Stole My Baby". If you liked Costello Music you... more info
A refreshing and successful change of direction. When I first listened to 'Here We Stand', I was a little taken aback. Gone were the Fratellis of Costello Music, with their thumping, fast paced sing-a-longs; in their place was a band with a collection of songs more varied, more structurally adventurous, and even a little more mellow. It was a definite change in direction; an unexpected one. And, now that I've adjusted to it, a welcome and refreshing one. Overall, I would say that 'Here We Stand' is simply a stronger album than 'Costello Music'.... more info
Excellent! I really loved the first Fratellis album and this one is even better! There's a lot more variety in this one, experimenting with many different styles, ending up with one of the best albums so far of 2008. The songs perhaps aren't as catchy or memorable as the likes of "Chelsea Dagger" but the quality is definitely higher. Well recommended for an easy listen that can also be blasted out for some mad, jump around, shouty tunes.
