The Courteneers
St. Jude
Phantom Sound & Vision
By Miriam Lamey
The Courteeners have been compared to, and even said to be the new Oasis. After flipping through the tracks on St. Jude, the similarities are vaguely apparent. Same softly accented vocals, same laddishness vibe. Yet The Courteeners are more like their contemporaries The Enemy (UK) than Oasis, for both transmit a sophisticated angst via their Britpop-based chords and rough guitars. However, while The Courteeners may channel Oasis, St Jude is a pretty solid stand-alone album with enough spirit and unselfconscious sonic abandon to get many a crowd leaping.
The touchingly danceable “Not Nineteen Forever” presents a wistfully upbeat gem that balances just the right amount of fast-paced snare drums with a smattering of hollow vocal wisdom. Lyrics are, at times, barely distinguishable (throughout the album, in fact) as if to enhance a drunken attempt at maturity. Ok, fine, this does sound disdainful, but in reality, The Courteeners pull off this dusty dance-rock track and befuddled vocals to produce something uplifting, although not particularly musically complex. But in all honesty, the lads are smart enough to know what they’re doing – a sense illustrated by this track and the album’s opener “Cavorting” (with slightly more distinguishable lyrics). “The club is full of overrated, dehydrated goggle-eyed girls/and they’re trying to stare at me” leans towards the misogynistic, but please note, The Courteeners are merely observing their peers, an impartial sense enhanced by the lack of an Oasis-like sneer in these words. A whirling guitar riff – like such a drug induced daze – whips through the song, as if listeners are to view it through the mystified clubgoers eyes.
While it’s easy to harp on The Courteeners’ youth, their tracks are certainly accessible and easy to enjoy. They lean towards the Shed Seven, Oasis and Stone Roses breed of Britpop as opposed to the Suede or Mansun style, but don’t let this be off putting. St Jude isn’t precisely cheerful, but the band plays about with heavy chords and forceful melodies a la The Pigeon Detectives, and produce exciting tracks. In particular, “If It Wasn’t For Me” spits out smacking high pitched riffs, pronounced bass drum and smashing cymbals to pound listeners hearts and let them rock out. The Courteeners have a certain drama present that sings through the heavy chords, even on a lighter, poppier track like “No You Didn’t, No You Don’t.” Said tune has a Madchester, early 90’s swingy feel to the ringy chords and swaying bass lines. Yet while The Courteeners don’t fully conceal their influences, they have put together a fairly inspired, intelligent album that’s not great, not terrible, yet definitely a social comment. And I’ll certainly drink to that.
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