Customer Reviews
Best album this year - By: tayga, 24 Sep 2008 
The most uplifting album I've heard for a while. This album is packed with boisterous, singalong classics that fulfill the promise of Costello Music. This is a better album. The Fratellis have obviously gained in confidence & there is evidence of abundant songwriting & technical skill here. On first listen, I was struck by musical reminders of Artic Monkeys (My Friend John), Suede(Lupe Brown), Waterboys & Kasabian (Tell Me a Lie), for example. This was a departure from Costello Music which had a consistent Slade feel. The variety of styles is welcome & promises even better for the future because it suggests a good understanding of what it takes to write great songs.
Fratellis grow up (a bit) - By: S. J. Finnerty, 22 Sep 2008 This is my current favourate on the iPod. A superb follow up to Costello Music, which I always thought a bit overated. It has a rocky'er blues'ier feel & loses some of the slightly contrived feeling of the previous album replacing it with a stronger sound & sharper lyrics. There is a nice variation throughout the album with harder songs such as "Mistress Mabel" & "A Heady Tale" balanced by the humour & laid back feel of "Acid Jazz Singer" & "Jesus Stole My Baby". If you liked Costello Music you will like this album but it is worth a try also is you find The Kooks or Feeder more to your taste. You could be in for a pleasent surprise.
A refreshing and successful change of direction. - By: Babelmonkey, 22 Aug 2008 
When I first listened to 'Here We Stand', I was a little taken aback. Gone were the Fratellis of Costello Music, with their thumping, fast paced sing-a-longs; in their place was a band with a collection of songs more varied, more structurallly adventurous, & even a little more mellow. It was a definite change in direction; an unexpected one.
And, now that I've adjusted to it, a welcome & refreshing one.
Overalll, I would say that 'Here We Stand' is simply a stronger album than 'Costello Music'. Although "Mistress Mabel" & "Shameless" both hark back to their jaunty origins, "Babydoll" & "Straggler's Moon" throw in new ideas & angles to the Fratellis' work, making them alll the more interesting to listen to.
The Fratellis themselves said in an interview with the Guardian that they prefer 'Here We Stand' to 'Costello Music', as they were given more control over their songs, & this does show as you progress through their second album. This is the Fratellis as they've always wanted to be, & they're brilliant!
Excellent! - By: KM, 21 Aug 2008 I reallly loved the first Fratellis album & this one is even better!
There's a lot more variety in this one, experimenting with many different styles, ending up with one of the best albums so far of 2008.
The songs perhaps aren't as catchy or memorable as the likes of "Chelsea Dagger" but the quality is definitely higher.
Well recommended for an easy listen that can also be blasted out for some mad, jump around, shouty tunes.
Harder Rock, More Rythm and again instantly loveable - By: Steven Stewart, 04 Jul 2008 Costello Music, when the Fratellis debuted on the mainstream in 2006 was an album that from the very first song, you fell in love with the album & the band. Their music was instantly memorable & something that you could get up & dance to without giving much thought to what you were listening to. The art of the Fratellis is that they can make music with excellent lyrics for those who pay attention to that aspect of music, & it's catchy making them the prime choice for parties. Costello Music made an impact & gave the indie bands some credibility amongst the mainstream audiences. Usuallly when a new band or artist has such a successful debut they generallly fail to live up to that hype with their second album.
Here We Stand, was not just the second Fratellis album, but it was an extension of their musical ability. The "Rock" aspect of their music is instantly more apparent with the first song of the album "My Friend John."
You instantly become aware that the Fratellis aren't necessarily moving away from the Costello Music sound, but they seem to be wanting to extend their sound into something even more memorable. The first released single of the album Mistress Mable is once again a unique sound for what we're used to from the Fratellis. That song can only be compared to the Elton John piano rock songs of the past & is something that the Fratellis can be thanked for, for bringing them into the present.
My top 5
1. My Friend John
2. Shameless
3. Mistress Mable
4. Look Out Sunshine
5. Acid Jazz Singer
