A Quick Dip Into The Music Thing
Just got The Fratellis new disc "Here We Stand." It's good. Not great. It's clearly a sophmore effort compared to "Costello Music" which had the brilliant "Flathead" (used in an iPod ad), "Chelsea Dagger," "Henrietta" and other fun such as "Ol' Black and Blue Eyes."
As a musically talented friend once pointed out to me, you have a lifetime of songs to pick from for your first album. That pool of excellence dries up after the inital effort. You have to be damned good to make good records after you've put your heart and soul into your first. (cough)hootie and the blowfish(cough)
But, thank goodness, "HereWe stand" is good. Certainly good enough that I'm pleased to have bought it. What it lacks is the manic energy of "Costello Music." My faves look to be "Acid Jazz Singer" and there's something about "A Heady Tale" that puts me in mind of early Who. Yet "Mistress Mabel" is the feature song. Fair enough. They get to feature whatsoever they choose.