Costello Music

The Fratellis | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 13, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Cherry Tree
• ASIN: B000MXPE74
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (70 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,891 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #20 in Music > Rock > Oldies & Retro > Garage Bands

Track Listings

1. Henrietta

2. Flathead

3. Whistle For The Choir

4. Chelsea Dagger

5. Gutterati?, The

6. For The Girl

7. Doginabag

8. Creepin Up The Backstairs

9. Vince The Lovable Stoner

10. Everybody Knows You Cried Last Night

11. Baby Fratelli

12. Got Ma Nuts From A Hippy

Editorial Reviews

From Amazon.co.uk

There's nothing terribly complicated about the Fratellis' debut album, Costello Music, but that's by no means a criticism. Rather than inject their songs with complex chords, or steep their lyrics with their political and social agendas, this Glasgow trio have instead focussed on writing 13 songs that are pure, unabashed entertainment. And it's a pace--and an attitude--that doesn't let up, from the jumpy opening bars of "Henrietta" to the groupie-reminiscing of "Ole Black'n'Blue Eyes". In many ways, Costello Music sounds like a return to the hedonistic rush of early 1990s Britpop, with its exhilarating guitar riffs and arrogant swagger--"Chelsea Dagger" somehow applies the attitude of early Oasis to the pop catchiness of Great Escape-era Blur. But the Fratellis also know their history: the ska-punk of "Cuntry Boys & City Girls" and "For the Girl" has the Fratellis sounding like the cheeky offspring of the Clash, or a less-irritating Madness. But all this analysis kind of misses the point of Costello Music: this is music for dancing, not for contemplation. It's loud, fast and in-your-face, exactly what you'd expect from three young men with guitars. --Ted Kord

Product Description

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Witty and imaginative., March 26, 2007

By 

G.Villan (travelling around the world) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Costello Music (Audio CD)

The Fratellis are Barry, Mince and Jon Fratelli.
A Glasgow three-piece assembled through a mixture of luck and lazing around drinking a pint.
They are just about to get huge, so limber up and prepare to dance.
"Costello Music" is an uplifting and joyous set of well put together songs, blending Jon's complex tales with some simple, but effective melodies. It makes a nice change, like The Kooks and the Monkeys before them, for a band to produce a record that's all about the melody. Alongside the tunes come interesting and profound lyrics that stick in your head and Jon Fratelli can certainly put a good line together.
"And though I may be a beggar/And you may be the queen/ though I may be on downer I'm still ready to dream," comes from "Whistle For The Choir", a slow whimsical acoustic driven ballad.
However what follows next is "Chelsea Dagger", uncompromising, dirty and raucous backed with a crowd leaping riff. "For The Girl" seems to be born into disco bliss before breaking its way out into a snarling scream that typifies the surprises in store on this record.
"Everybody Knows You Cried Last Night" is another intriguing addition. Stand out tracks have to be "Henrietta", "Flathead", "Whistle For the Choir" and "Doginabag". The nearest the band comes to feeling tired is on "Baby Fratellis", but you can forgive them when you're still whistling from the previous track.
Recorded in Los Angeles and produced by Tony Hoffer who produced Beck and Supergrass, "Costello Music" is amongst the most talked about indie albums of 2006.
The album contains a brilliant mix of the 1970's and 60's rock'n'roll, with addition of punk and catchy melodies.
The new album has everything that the audience likes in good rock music: well-coordinated musicians' playing, sing-along choruses and witty rhymes, it's got the style and the punch backed up by Jon's killer voice. Rock n' roll is alive and well in "Costello Music" and yet again a band has emerged to blow the socks of the last.
Fratellis take a melody, throw it around and then bounce it in your face. You'll love it.

22 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Breath of fresh air, 4 enthusiastic stars, March 15, 2007

By 

Michael Brent Faulkner, Jr. "Brent Faulkner" (Kentucky) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Costello Music (Audio CD)

I first heard The Fratellis on MTV when they were playing the video clip for their single "Flathead". There sound drew me and made me want to listen to the full length album, COSTELLO MUSIC.

"Henrietta" starts off the album with a bouncy, lively feel. The guitars are "nasty" and dirty sounding and The Fratellis let it all hang out on the opening track of COSTELLO MUSIC. The hook is incredibly catchy and makes you want to keep pushing the repeat the back button to hear "Henrietta" again and again. The energy just might be where the true lovability factor for The Fratellis comes from. They definitely have a distinctive sound, not unlike the pheonomenal Arctic Monkeys in that regard. "Flathead", the single that is recieving airplay over here in the U.S. is exceptional. The lyrics are genuinely top-notch, the music is energetic and in the case of "Flathead" itself, it is unpredictable. The switch of meters during the chorus is genius, something that only the most adventurous of bands are willing to dare to even put off. Again, it is unique compared to what U.S. bands are doing. "Flathead" doesn't even resemble the same park as Daughtry's "It's Not Over" or FOB's "Ths Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race"; it's a whole different style, whole different sound, and a whole different league.

"Whistle for the Choir" slows and quiets things down a little. The chord progression is very nice and the lyrics shine over the subtle acoustic guitar work from the onset. the track picks up, and while it is more dynamic than the intro, it isn't nearly as bombastic or testerone-filled as "Henrietta" or "Flathead". The change is much appreciated, and "Whistle for the Choir" proves to be as strong as either "Henrietta" or "Flathead". "Chelsea's Dagger" resurrects the testosterone filled sound that the group achieved on the first tracks, which is a welcome return and well planned. The lead vocalist as always sounds strong and his voice ascends to the top of the production very well, a problem often encountered when the guitars are overproduced (everything blends well here!). "The Gutterati?" speeds the tempo up even more and the vocals grow quite indecipherable. But like the punk music in America that grows to extreme tempos, it is the "effect" of the song that matters more at that point as opposed to the lyrics. The harmonica solo is definitely unique; show me a harmonica solo in an American rock band that isn't classified as southern or blues-rock...exactly. "The Gutterati" is definitely LOUD.

"For The Girl" doesn't slacken on energy a bit. The hook is definitely killer, which is a strong point of The Fratellis, as all of their songs show. "Doginabag" slows thigs down, aiming for a bluesier number. The guitars sound straight out of the 1960s, most certainly the sound that The Fratellis are trying to achieve. "Creepin' Up The Back Stairs" features infectious claps to begin the song and breaks into full-fledge indie-rock infection. Again, not unlike "The Gutterati", the words sometimes mush together, giving off a mix between the fast-swing jazz performance, rap, and punk. It doesn't quite achieve the same plane as the best, but it is (as the whole album is), above average.

"Vince The Loveable Stoner" certainly wins prize for one of the most uniquely named tracks. Again, the Fratellis slow things down to a more moderate tempo after the "blazing" "Creepin' Up The Back Stairs". Not the best of the best, but again, wouldn't you be drawn to listen to a song about a "loveable stoner"? I would. "Everyone Knows You Cried Last Night" is another track worth a listen merely by its title. The blunt nature of the Fratellis just maybe another one of their draws and maybe why the could possibly become the U.S. new imported indie darlings. "Everyone Knows You Cried Last Night" turns out to have a blues quality reminiscent of the 1960s. The lyrics continue to be potent here, quite like their contemporaries, The Arctic Monkeys. The "spunky" nature of the group adds to the package.

"Baby Fratelli" proves to be the "big number" with an anthemic chorus that would make any classic rock & roll star or listener proud. The changes of style utilized here are great as well and the guitar riff during the verse is genius. "Baby Fratelli" turns out to be one of the best of the album, up there with "Henrietta", "Flathead", "Whistle", among others. "Got Ma Nuts From A Hippy" is certainly pretty blunt, again a draw to the Fratellis. Despite being good, the track is a bit of let down, though not by much. an "Untitled" track ends the very distinguished album.

Overall, The Fratellis have it going on. Occasionally, the band teeters on the cusps of total absurdity with their dynamics (rock can really be never too loud), but otherwise, the material is first rate. 4 stars.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just wow., April 24, 2007

By 

Jessica Scheiber "LB fanatic" (New York City, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Costello Music (Audio CD)

Picked this up mostly because I wanted to get free shipping from Amazon and this was cheap and recommended for me. Had never heard of the band. Put on the CD and promptly realized why it had been picked out for me. AMAZING. Nearly every song is terrific, my personal favorites at the moment being "Henrietta" and "For The Girl." Every song has so much energy it's hard to sit still while listening, and the hooks are the catchiest I've heard in a long time. Amazing debut, god knows why it took so long to release it in the US!