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
'Here We Stand' is the sophomore album by Glaswegian band the Fratellis. Continuing where 2006's debut 'Costello Music'left off, the record is packed with anthemic sing-a-long indie but with a slight rock edge. Includes the single 'Mistress Mabel'.

Customer Rating:
Summary: A refreshing and successful change of direction.
Comment: 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'. Although "Mistress Mabel" and "Shameless" both hark back to their jaunty origins, "Babydoll" and "Straggler's Moon" throw in new ideas and angles to the Fratellis' work, making them all the more interesting to listen to.

The Fratellis themselves said in an interview with the Guardian that they prefer 'Here We Stand' to 'Costello Music', as they were given more control over their songs, and this does show as you progress through their second album. This is the Fratellis as they've always wanted to be, and they're brilliant!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent!
Comment: 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.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Harder Rock, More Rythm and again instantly loveable
Comment: Costello Music, when the Fratellis debuted on the mainstream in 2006 was an album that from the very first song, you fell in love with the album and the band. Their music was instantly memorable and something that you could get up and dance to without giving much thought to what you were listening to. The art of the Fratellis is that they can make music with excellent lyrics for those who pay attention to that aspect of music, and it's catchy making them the prime choice for parties. Costello Music made an impact and gave the indie bands some credibility amongst the mainstream audiences. Usually when a new band or artist has such a successful debut they generally fail to live up to that hype with their second album.

Here We Stand, was not just the second Fratellis album, but it was an extension of their musical ability. The "Rock" aspect of their music is instantly more apparent with the first song of the album "My Friend John."
You instantly become aware that the Fratellis aren't necessarily moving away from the Costello Music sound, but they seem to be wanting to extend their sound into something even more memorable. The first released single of the album Mistress Mable is once again a unique sound for what we're used to from the Fratellis. That song can only be compared to the Elton John piano rock songs of the past and is something that the Fratellis can be thanked for, for bringing them into the present.

My top 5

1. My Friend John
2. Shameless
3. Mistress Mable
4. Look Out Sunshine
5. Acid Jazz Singer

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Here they are
Comment: The Fratellis are one of those Britpop bands exploding with energy and lovable roguishness, and that is basically what their debut album "Costello Music" was full of.

Which brings us to their sophomore offeering: "Here We Stand," an album of explosive laddish energy, late wild nights out on the town, and solid catchy riffs, just like their first one. The Glaswegians don't quite stick to a solid sound in this album, but diddle around with a few new styles and tempos -- there's shreds of alt-rock, blues-rock and hard-rock stuck in their Britpop.

They don't really add anything new to their sound -- it's all still bouncy guitar-laden Britpop -- but they diddle around with some other styles from time to time.

"Have you got a shape?" "Yes." "What shape would you be?"

With that odd little conversation, the band busts out into the rattling drums and rapidly blazing riffs of "My Brother John." It's a wild little song of "Saturday night in the year of the good thief," dumb blondes, wild night scenes, and "My friend John was a serious one/Buttoned up the back and a job half done/Lazy old boy when the good girls turn/His teeth get itchy and his rubber soles burn/When will he ever learn?"

They don't lose their momentum in "A Heady Tale," where the countryish guitars are tempered by a fierce, jangly piano and funny lyrics ("you know cold-blooded women make me sneeze"). And as the album winds on, they acquire a bit of a sunny alt-rock sound -- countryish ballads, breezy swaying rockers, fast-moving Britpop, and burning guitarpop. And they finish it off with the smooth, plaintive "Lupe Brown," and a wash of gentle piano that switches midsong into a smashing cascade of guitars.

But they do start to falter a little in the stompy, clumpy "Shameless" and the uneven, uncertain "Tell Me A Lie." Both songs seem to be a foray into harder rock'n'roll, but it feels like they overcrammed the songs with bass and electric riffs. They're far more successful with the more complex melody of "Acid Jazz Singer."

The core of the Fratellis' music has not really changed -- their songs are short, snappy and brimming with lots of pep, and lyrics about drinking, girls and the life of a band. "Here We Stand" is pretty clearly intended to be a fun, not terribly deep listen, and the Fratellis succeed magnificently in that corner -- although it lacks a cohesive sound all the way through. A little experiment here, a little influence there.

Guitars still dominate their music -- they make up most of the instrumentation, and keep everything catchy and nimble. Steely, acoustic, cycling, sharp dancy melodies and blazing electric riffs are spattered liberally all over the album, sometimes woven in with some bass. Solid drums back virtually everything, and occasionally they twine in some jangly piano and weird distortion.

And Jon Fratelli always sounds like a nice boy who's just gotten over a broken heart and a hangover -- his voice is strong but a little rough. And he sings songs that are cleverer and tighter than any previous Fratellis songs ("They got yesterday's heroes and last night clothes/You're a game old boy judging by the way you walk"). And they're full of worn-out acid jazz singers, "Mistress Mabel," and thieving gypsy women.

"Here We Are" is the sound of a band figuring out what they want to be when they grow up, and providing a little entertaining music along the way. Worth hearing, but hopefully leading on to something even better.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Why change a winning formula?
Comment: With 'Costello Music', The Fratellis gave us an album packed full of fast-paced, sing-a-long indie songs with a slightly hard edge and they've done exactly the same with 'Here We Stand', a high quality collection of instantly likable tunes. 'Costello Music' was always going to be a difficult album to top and, although 'Here We Stand' hasn't bettered their debut, it is certainly able to sit comfortably next to it, like a cheeky little brother.

This album is jam packed full of hard-edged riffs, witty lyrics and good-natured, big choruses. 'My Friend John', 'A Heady Tale' and 'Shameless' are three very catchy, brilliant songs and a great way to start the album; the first track featuring a guitar riff the Arctic Monkeys would be proud of, the second opening with a jaunty piano line - a real knees-up tune, while the last of the opening trio, 'Shameless', continues the theme of upbeat, immediately enjoyable songs.

'Look Out Sunshine!', the forthcoming single, is the 'Whistle For The Choir' of the album and if it isn't a huge summer hit (it is released in August), I would be extremely surprised. 'Straggler's Moon' is a little darker and slightly less immediate, but still a very good song with a quirky, snappy chorus, reminding me a little of Supergrass. The first single, 'Mistress Mabel', is a great tune and is up there with the quality of singles from their debut album.

Other highlights on the album include the charming, foot-tapping tunes 'Babydoll' and 'Acid Jazz Singer', the slow, heavy rock/breakneck-speed blues contrast of 'Tell Me A Lie' (possibly the heaviest thing they have done to date), 'Lupe Brown', which kicks-off with a celtic-like riff and the other two tracks on the album aren't half-bad either (the last track on the album 'Milk And Money' is especially interesting), giving the listener a good listening experience from the start to the very finish.

All-in-all, this is a very pleasing album and a worthy follow-up to their excellent debut. Perhaps it doesn't quite scale the heights of the very best moments of 'Costello Music', but it really isn't far behind. I would wager that people who enjoyed the first album would be much more likely to enjoy this release than not. A quality second album from the Glaswegians.

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