The Fratellis - A Heady Tale
"Gypsy blood will get you far"What is it with these seemingly great UK bands and their crappy second albums? After delivering a near flawless debut, unfortunately the Fratellis can be added to the list that includes Kaiser Chiefs, Hard-Fi, the Kooks and probably many more that I can't think of right now. It's the second-album syndrome... bands that burst onto the scene with a string of amazing hit singles and then piss it all away with a completely unremarkable second album. It just proves how hard it is to create something like a You See Colours, Tired Of Hanging Around, or Razorlight. Hell, even a Ta-Dah is enough to keep the momentum going. The most frustrating thing about these non-albums is that they are almost always preceded by a really good single, effectively bridging the gap between the brilliant and the so-so. In the Fratellis' case, there are fortunately a few great tracks on the new album that almost make up for the huge amount of filler that exists in the record's latter half. A Heady Tale is among the best... a complete party starter with boogie piano that Elton would be proud of. It is the most instant thing on the album and may just be enough to keep the momentum going until the got-to-be-better third release.
The Fratellis - A Heady Tale (zshare)
(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists! Buy the album here.)
** No post tomorrow, as I'll be on the road. See you on Friday!
posted by Nick at 3:58 PM
1 Comments:
Nah ... on how many albums these days do you get even three or four songs as listenable as "A Heady Tale", "Acid Jazz Singer", "Lupe Brown" and "Shameless"? Sure, "Here We Stand" has its uneven moments, and it's not "Nevermind", but it's not trying to be. These are a bunch of good old lads making good old sex, drugs and rock-n-roll music. Burlesque dancer videos of soccer hooligan battle anthems; strumming a sweet ballad in the gutter at 4am; mashing up Donovan, T-Rex, Elton John and Jimmy Page; giant letter "F" as the band logo ... these guys are classic. Best thing to come out of the UK in a long long time.
"Cold blooded women make me sneeze"
You gotta love lyrics like that ... semi-deep without trying to be. Irony that isn't all about angst and my life sucks and why don't I just kill all of you before I kill myself.
Brother Jon is a poet who's got a chop or two on guitar. His chord progressions and little lead phrases here and there are going to spawn an entire wave of new adolescent Guitar Center customers. Just wish he could get a stand-in for all those big summer festivals so he doesn't get too sick of singing "Chelsea Dagger".
Brothers Baz and Mace are smart enough to let him do the writing and singing and content themselves with being one of the great bar band rhythm sections of the day. Good for them. I hope they get rich.
As much as I like "Costello Music", I think this album's even more listenable front to back. It may not vault them to the top of the charts, but for music lovers starving in the current wasteland of hip hop and crossover country, the Fratellis are a nice fat, honey glazed donut.
Mon the F's.
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