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The Fratellis - Here We Stand
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Here We Stand is a baffling album. None of the dozen songs on The Fratellis’ second album are awful and it’s been efficiently produced. But, really, it’s hard to see the point. If you must listen to mainstream/no surprises guitar rock, there are more thrills with The Enemy, better lyrics (‘Ruby’ aside) with Kaiser Chiefs and at least a hint of sexual ambiguity with The Killers.
Sadly, this Scottish trio - personable chaps though they undoubtedly are - don’t have any discernible angle. It’s forgettable, mid-paced indie filler of the kind you ignore on the radio and that’s it.
Take ‘A Heady Tale’. It’s energetic, if unfortunately reminiscent of Robbie Williams’ ‘Let Me Entertain You’. But deep down, listeners will know it’s only as good a Bluetones b-side, albeit with a slightly less annoying vocal.
Elsewhere ‘Shameless’ and ‘My Friend John’ appear to signal an ill-fated attempt at a glam rock revival. But whereas Supergrass’s very good Diamond Hoo Ha album recently came over all Bowie, this LP channels Mud, Slade, Wizzard and Gary Glitter in unedifying fashion.
Lead single ‘Mistress Mabel’ is at least speedy, catchy bar-room ribaldry. It’s the only thing here that deserves the success of ‘Chelsea Dagger’, the single that threatens to be this band's career high.
A disappointing record whose lyrical banalities, such as “you said you was long gone/ I just laughed and said alright,” on ‘Babydoll’, only accentuate the lack of imagination that appears to have gone into making it.
Lou Thomas
