Slightly Askew

Sat at a sticky table in The Man On The Moon with a pint of Strongbow, I brought up The Courteeners with my good friend Magic.

Nah mate.  Sounds like The Libertines.  Same old, same old.

“Bollocks”, I said.

 I’m old enough to remember when people used to say a similar thing about any guitar band that broke into the charts after October 1995:

Nah mate.  Sounds like Oasis.  Same old, same old.

“Bollocks”, I said.

The problem is, people don’t know a good thing when they hear it.  If we opened up to suggestions half as quickly as we dismissed them, we may find ourselves with a better gene pool.

Thankfully, The Courteeners jump out of the musical gene pool like a salmon dancing to a bizarre R’n'B track.  In a good way.

What Took You So Long is a glorious indie track.  One of those songs that will instantly put you in the mood to go drinking with your mates, and the same song will snap you out of your hangover with a cheeky smile.  All rolling drums and picky guitars; you can’t help but flag it down and climb aboard.

“Sometimes I’m bad and sometimes I’m rotten and sometimes I say things I probably should’ve forgotten…”

Liam Fray (a great rock’n'roll name methinks) ignites our soul with some manc garble about Morrissey and queues in the Post Office.  He’s so self-assured, he even gives a nod to transport enthusiasts - mentioning a “double-decker stagecoach”.  And indeed we all do go “woh oh, oh oh oh oh”.

Now lads, hurry up with that album.

Fast forward five years to a stickier table, and another pint of Strongbow.

Nah mate.  Sounds like The Courteeners.  Same old, same old.

“Bollocks”, I’ll say.

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