The wait is over! After three long years since the release of ‘Falcon’, the arrogant, yet loveable, Liam Fray and his band are back with their third studio album ‘ANNA‘.
It may seem that The Courteeners have took a gamble by working with electronic producer Joe Cross, notable for his work alongside Hurts, but the risk has certainly worked. The electronic sound has pushed the band in a slightly different direction, which will fill the void in the music scene that has seemingly been missing for a very long time.
The reinvention of the quartet is clear with album opener ‘Are You In Love With A Notion?’; a song that hits, reminding you that they’re back with back with a bang.
Following on from the opening track comes lead single off the album ‘Lose Control’, if you didn’t think the opening track showed enough change in the bands sound; this certainly does. With plenty of electronic sounds mixed with catchy rhythms, it sets the perfect tone for the rest of the album.
Another difference in the sound is the stronger, perhaps more challenging, vocals from frontman Liam Fray, but a challenge he thrives in. This becomes clear in ‘When You Want Something You Can’t Have’, which reminisces the old favourite ‘Yesterday, Today and Probably Tomorrow’, but with their new distinctive electronic sound.
You always expect to find one or two tracks on a Courteeners album that you know are going to be absolute classics for years to come from the first listen, ANNA is no different. ‘Welcome To The Rave’ has the feel of arguably the band’s best track, ‘What Took You So Long?’.
After hearing ‘Welcome To The Rave’ and ‘Money’ live at their homecoming in December, and watching the crowds reaction, you just know that these two tracks are going to be instant classics.
The band have always carried a slight stereotype that “they are only big in Manchester” but, after hearing this explosive album, it’s safe to say that this isn’t something you should be hearing again. If there was ever an album Liam Fray could write to silence the doubters and make his band the biggest and best thing to come out of Manchester since Oasis; this is it.