Cover for We Need Medicine
Cover for We Need Medicine

It came to my attention yesterday that apparently there exist people who don’t like the Fratellis’ breakout hit “Chelsea Dagger”.

I know.

This is baffling to me!  It was over on the AV Club where someone on another album review asked if they’d review the newest record (and first after a hiatus) We Need Medicine.  Admittedly, it’s just commenters, and the dissent against common sense didn’t come from anyone officially associated with the AV Club itself, but it’s still utterly confusing.

…Are… are they listening to it wrong?

Anyway, though, for me, it was the first thing I heard, and I pretty much immediately checked out Costello Music, the first one, and my love for them was cemented with the second, Here We Stand, with the great songs “Acid Jazz Singer” and “Mistress Mabel”.  I wasn’t quite as into the Codeine Velvet Club album — but it’s still pretty damn good.  But, of course, I was overjoyed when I heard they gotten back together and were putting out a new record for 2013.

I knew it was going to be great.

…and as it turns out, it is.  The opener, “Halloween Blues” is pretty much exactly what you’d expect from the Fratellis — and doesn’t sound like five years has passed since the last time we heard from them, side projects aside.  And the sound doesn’t let up.  “She’s Not Gone Yet But She’s Leaving”, “This Is Not The End of the World”, “Jeannie Nitro”, it’s all golden.  It’s got that great, anthemic rock stomp with the vocal sneer that Jon Fratelli’s famous for, and well, yeah.  If you want a great rock album, the Fratellis deliver as usual.  I expect to continue to enjoy the hell out of this one.

Of course, if you’re one of these weird people who doesn’t think “Chelsea Dagger” is any good, then you probably won’t like this album.  But seriously, get yourself checked out or something.  That… that just can’t be healthy.

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