Fratellis - Costello Music
Track List : 1. Henrietta
2. Flathead
3. Cuntry Boys And City Girls
4. Whistle For The Choir
5. Chelsea Dagger
6. For The Girl
7. Doginabag
8. Creepin' Up The Backstairs
9. Vince The Loveable Stoner
10. Everybody Knows You Cried Last Night
11. Baby Fratelli
12. Got Ma Nuts From A Hippy
13. Ole Black And Blue Eyes
You may have heard that Glasgow Fratellis are a little glam. Round their way, the entire space hoppers, and spangles Bolan coveted seven inches (to be able to share something from 1972-era Bowie). In Fratelliland, there is no iPod, MP3 and YouTube is not an adhesive push-bike for puncture repairs. They are shamelessly retro, yes, but do not think this means they have no original ideas.
To begin with, theirs is a brilliantly old-school/new-tricks take on the last classic-gang in the city of myth. To qualify, a band has to be "good friends" with a collective history, look cool when standing around street corners, and share a certain style and philosophy musketeer. In short, they are "we", and everyone is always "them." The Clash crowned it, and since then it has been a sprint through Happy Mondays, The Strokes and, of course, The Libertines.
The Fratellis' nod to the Ramones in all of the same surname and brandishing a badge as he exudes cool. The Libs As they concocted hyperreal back-stories - car thief, stoner, oddball mystique - which are immediately more interesting than what could be the truth. The last time a rock band has come out of nowhere so was fully trained when Franz Ferdinand - haircuts, uniforms, pictures, videos, lyrics and all the interview techniques carefully designed - had emerged on us. Maybe it's something in the water in Glasgow, the Clyde is not short of its own legends.
But despite landing as a whole, there is nothing artificial about cynically The Fratellis. They resemble those of sweat rock'n'roll. It is not just the big hair, skinny jeans, poses Blind and sulky - they are dissolved by a genuine love of music and history and their desperation to be part of all this. It is a natural reaction fanboy, it informs everything they say or do, and he feels as natural as learning to walk.
The 'fros and pouts are important, serious and attractive, but do not worry - the air height. "Costello Music" along tears, fed by incessant youthful joy and Jon's scratchy voice - part Bolan, Pete Caledonian part. light and shade is not the issue with The Fratellis, they just make a joyful noise and unpretentious. Thinking Energy and the first record cheekiness ramped up Supergrass, multiplied and the port dark denim.
In other hands, 'Henrietta' - a tale of an older woman stalker - would be unwise and untrue. Here is credible, racy chantalong air punching, all guitars and chopping upbeats "cola" which rhymes with "gondola". The permutation of "I said / she said" words ( "City Cuntry Girls And Boys") carries echoes of the trial of Pete & Carl - as does the idea of girls who might be boys, who means some air bubbles. There's constant amazement large innocent eyes on the hunt for girls, especially those who simply out of reach. When Jon sings "I like the way you dress girls city / Even if your head is in a mess," he sounds half-excited, half-terrified. Things will really begin to T - Rex on double-tracking entry for "Chelsea Dagger" and it's pretty glam-tastic away, including the brilliant "The Loveable Vince Stoner," while you know you "Re listening to one of the albums the year. It might be 13 tracks long, but there's no flab here.
However, there were doubts expressed about the authenticity of the trio for a number of reasons. They do not play their first concert in March, they were signed to the island with what appeared to be indecent haste, and a number of producers have been high-profile parachute to work on the album (as Tony 'Beck 'Hoffer). The group has also been sent to LA to complete it. It's a bit like Jet, three years ago - there is a similar amount of hype and money behind The Fratellis. And the real pressure begins now. The group is about to headline the 02 NME Rock'n'Roll Riot Tour. In the past, headline acts have included Kaiser Chiefs and Razorlight, therefore quite a mark to live up to.
But who cares about all this? Yes, the comparison rises Jet - but only because the Fratellis have delivered a brilliant retro album that builds on the past for inspiration, but it has the hips and the attitude of the year 2006. They are what Dirty Pretty Things would like to be.
At present, their glamorama rebound seems to me that this is the most important that you could own album. "Costello Music" will be grappling with the "Empire" of your soul in the coming weeks. Do yourself a favor and sign it to the Glaswegian trio now.
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