AOB: CD of the Week

The Courteeners - St Jude

AFTER a week of trying to think of nice things to say about this album, the best I’ve come up with so far is that it has cool artwork.

Sadly, the cover is about the only thing that is original on the Courteeners debut record, St Jude.

Singer Liam Fray is obviously very aware of his roots in the Manchester music scene, and appears to be trying to fuse the more melodic tunes of the Stone Roses with the snarling aggression of Liam Gallagher.

It is a peculiar mix that doesn’t really work, and although the resulting songs are not especially offensive, so derivative is the Courteeners’ style that you feel like you’ve heard it all before. Several times.

In What Took you so Long? Fray refers to himself as “Morrissey with some strings”, but St Jude is unlikely to cause panic on the streets of London, or anywhere else for that matter.

Top Tune: er...

U's Blog Verdict: 1/5