Product Description

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

Track Listing

1. My Friend John
2. A Heady Tale
3. Shameless
4. Look Out Sunshine!
5. Stragglers Moon
6. Mistress Mabel
7. Jesus Stole My Baby
8. Baby Doll
9. Tell Me A Lie
10. Acid Jazz Singer
11. Lupe Brown
12. Milk & Money

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #317 in Music
• Released on: 2008-06-09
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 53 minutes

Amazon.co.uk review
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

Customer Reviews

Best album this year
The most uplifting album I've heard for a while. This album is packed with boisterous, singalong classics that fulfill the promise of Costello Music. This is a better album. The Fratellis have obviously gained in confidence and there is evidence of abundant songwriting and technical skill here. On first listen, I was struck by musical reminders of Artic Monkeys (My Friend John), Suede(Lupe Brown), Waterboys and Kasabian (Tell Me a Lie), for example. This was a departure from Costello Music which had a consistent Slade feel. The variety of styles is welcome and promises even better for the future because it suggests a good understanding of what it takes to write great songs.

Fratellis grow up (a bit)
This is my current favourate on the iPod. A superb follow up to Costello Music, which I always thought a bit overated. It has a rocky'er blues'ier feel and loses some of the slightly contrived feeling of the previous album replacing it with a stronger sound and sharper lyrics. There is a nice variation throughout the album with harder songs such as "Mistress Mabel" and "A Heady Tale" balanced by the humour and laid back feel of "Acid Jazz Singer" and "Jesus Stole My Baby". If you liked Costello Music you will like this album but it is worth a try also is you find The Kooks or Feeder more to your taste. You could be in for a pleasent surprise.

A refreshing and successful change of direction.
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!