01.27.08
It’s not for the cock, it’s for the hype
The Courteeners, Nottingham Rescue Rooms 21/01/2008
The Courteeners have been hailed in a number of hot tips for 2008 lists and are increasingly touted as a new hope, a great new band to believe in again. The magazines say they’re taking the torch passed on by previous Manchester guitar bands- like a brutish Smiths or an intellectual Oasis. So, tonight at Rescue Rooms, the question is, can they cut it?
The sold out gig seems to be made up of already converted fans, keen to get to the front and chant football songs, convinced before the gig of the bands ability. As the band swagger onstage and mutter a quick “alright Nottingham?”, everyone goes nuts. The slightly ape-like singer Liam Fray does his best impression of Liam Gallagher doing his best Pete Doherty impression. During the opening song, he gets hit on the head by a beer can thrown from the rowdy crowd, though he hardly seems to notice and more cans and beer are pelted to and fro for the rest of the gig. As he belts out his vocals with obvious confidence and meaning, it becomes clear that the singer has already welcomed the tag that some magazines have given him, of a sort of self proclaiming Manchurian indie hero, with more than open arms.
However, when you strip away the fighting talk, the interviews setting out a manifesto, the swagger and the fact that they fit the part, there’s not that much there. When you get down to the raw bones of the band, you realise they really don’t differ much from the Libertines inspired bands such as The View, Pigeon Detectives and The Enemy. Which is ironic as on their previous single “Acrylic”, Liam Fray seems to be viciously attacking these bands with the lyrics- ”You’re just like plasticine/ being moulded into a Libertine dream..”
The Courteeners do have a couple of very decent indie pop songs though. Singles “What Took You So Long”, “Acrylic” and in particular ”Cavorting” are great, driving little nuggets of popery. Unfortunately, the band stumble and lose pace in between these songs with their lesser known compositions. During a slower, quieter song in which the band leave Fray to handle on his own, the crowd start chanting “Nottingham is full of fun” and “Shit shit shit!” which the singer actually takes quite well.
Despite the hype, the band seem a little lacklustre with their performance tonight, standing like statues playing instruments. However, this Oasis style no nonence approach to their performance is lapped up by their enthusiastic fans.
Tonight, The Courteeners show that, although they have a couple of good songs, are really very similar to a lot of other indie bands right now; their sound is heavily influenced by the Libertines and they sing about the weekend a lot. However, even at this fairly early stage they’re attracting a legion of loyal fans. If tonight’s anything to go on, they’ll be headlining venues five times this big by autumn. They haven’t so much proved they are worth the hype, but just suggested they will succeed despite of it.
Princess said,
January 27, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Not ONE car pun?
G Town said,
January 27, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Not even one I’m afraid mate…
The very cool drama (?) teacher would be disapointed that I didn’t include my great “they were constantly trying to accelorate but never even got to 3rd gear” little pun but you know…
Sorry for the rabbish spelling.
I am Jeff Higgins said,
January 28, 2008 at 12:27 am
“brutish Smiths or a intellectual Oasis.” hahah sounds like you’ve got its completely upside down. I’ve heard the smiths called a lot of things but brutish definitely is not one of them haha ridiculous.
G Town said,
January 28, 2008 at 10:20 am
Right. Yeah I wasn’t calling the Smiths brutish Mr Higgins, my friend. I was saying that some magazines are portraying the Courteeners as if they were like the Smiths but more brutish than the Smiths already are. You know like “a brutish Smiths”? Becuase calling the Smiths brutish would be ridiculous.
THe Jeff Higgins said,
January 29, 2008 at 10:10 pm
oops i skim read and miss read. Still i don’t think any magazine is likely to have compared them to that extent. It’s more likely they just said they were the next big Manchester band. To compare them in that was was also a bit silly.
pepsi blue said,
April 10, 2008 at 1:59 am
the enemy aren’t much like the libertines. where is the striking similarity? the music from all three bands rock–the libertines, the courteeners, and the enemy. that seems to be the only striking similarity between all three bands.
The author said,
August 19, 2008 at 2:53 pm
This article has actually regressed the inteligence of anyone who’s read it. I mean to talk about manchester guitar bands and ignore the stone roses.
But its ok as he trumps that with liam gallacher doing a pete doherty impression. I mean WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING MAN?
The only impressions liam gallacher does is 80% ian brown (but you have already ignored the roses once) and 20% john lennon.
And more to the point who came first? libertines or oasis, ahh yeh oasis so shouldnt your shitey comparison be revsersed?
idiot