St Jude - The Courteeners
Tuesday, May 20th, 2008Yes, yes. I know we’ve spoken about The Courteeners before, but some bands are worth the effort.
St Jude has been looping on the Creative Zen for quite some time. (I have the heavyweight 12″ vinyl too, darlings.)
And it’s brilliant. Quite breathtakingly brilliant.
Not in the way that post-OK Computer Radiohead albums are brilliant. No, definitely not. With those Radiohead albums, you listen to them a few times, can’t decide whether they’re awful or not, and go with the trend (In Rainbows = brilliant, Hail to the Thief = poo poo).
No, St Jude is a much brillianter brilliant. Like putting Bucks Fizz on your Rice Krispies.
Okay, so there’s a fourteen-year problem with this idea, but it’s almost as if the Oasis classic Rock’n'Roll Star was written about listening to this album. There’s a swagger. A real swagger. Not a Twang swagger.
Idiots will tell you that
the lyrics are a bit like the Arctic Monkeys
but ignore them. They know nothing. Bands did write songs about real life before the Arctic Monkeys came along: Pulp’s Common People being the most perfect example.
So frontman Liam Fray bites…
Just because my newspaper pages havent been the Times in ages: does that mean that i don’t know as much as you?
No you didn’t, no you don’t
…amuses…
The mothers take a shine to you; that’s not the case with the dads.
How come
…and stirs the soul:
Come sing your heart out with me.
Bide your time
And all this through about five-and-a-half guitar chords.
But songs have always been more important than fancy musicianship. Which, incidentally, is why you’ll always look a dick playing air guitar.
So expect to read reviews about how it sounds like Babyshambles (it does, but with more guts and conviction) or The View (just no, fuck off now). Expect the Manchester cliches and the “he’s called Liam” bullshit. Expect the cynics.
And just be thankful.
Thankful that, every now and then, we do get the bands we deserve.
Roll on Shepherds Bush.