Some bands are fundamentally good. Some put fun and mental in fundamental. Scottish trio called The Fratellis is incredibly cute group of talented people who enjoy lighting up our mood with fun indie rock songs. On their latest record, they decided to take us to circus again. The end of the summer is strategically a good period to release indie rock album, hopefully it will work out commercially for Eyes Wide Tongue Tied.
This is the band who offers good music and a lot of jokes. The level of inspiration they had when they were making the first album is probably never going to be reached again, but The Fratellis, just as their fans, seem like unbothered by it, always managing to pull of something that is satisfactory. That being said, Eyes Wide Tongue Tied is not a masterpiece, but that doesn’t mean it is not fantastic.
Contrary to their previous record We Need Machine, the tempo is pretty slow, generating a lot of easy songs, not saturated with instrumental ornaments. It doesn’t mean the band is giving up. It just shows how they are evolving. It is especially notable in the song called Slow where their sound falls somewhere between U2 and some psychedelic ballade by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Tunes like this could really bring them more fans, so maybe it is just a teaser and they will pursue this style on the next studio album.
Me and the Devil is an obscure intro, very logical, hopefully they will open upcoming tour concerts with it. Impostors (Little by Little) reflect the familiar mannerism of The Fratellis. The song has a funny riff that Johnny Cash would appreciate, while the chorus gives a britpop impression.
The Fratellis never had problems with singles. Baby Don’t You Lie To me is a substantial up-tempo hit song, the type we are expecting from them, and Desperate Guy is a chance for the band to present themselves in a different tone.
Thief cuts the album in half and sounds like Electric Six tune. Dogtown and Rosanna are terribly ordinary but the redemption comes with Too Much Wine, a song they will definitely embrace as their anthem.
Eyes Wide, Tongue Tide leaves us without surprises, nor good or bad. Even those who didn’t have a chance to listen to The Fratellis before will enjoy this rock 'n' roll circus.
