The Fratellis Jump To a Major Label
Will the transition hurt or help this budding band?
The Fratellis have only been around for just over three years, but they've already made quite a splash. The band consists of vocalist/guitarist Jon Fratelli, bassist Barry Fratelli and drummer Mince Fratelli. Their last names aren't actually Fratelli, only Barry has any real tie to the name as it was his mother's maiden name. It's unclear where they got the name for their band but I like to think that they're big fans of The Goonies, however it's much more likely that Barry suggested it.
The three lads from Glasgow, Scotland came together in March of 2005 to play their first show ever and things picked up almost immediately. After just nine shows, they we signed by Fallout Records. Just over a year after their first show, The Fratellis EP was released. The effort gained them attention from the press and NME ran a two page feature on them, naming them "the best new band in Britain". It's not often that a band becomes a phenomenon as quickly as The Fratellis did. Their first single, "Henrietta", was released in June of 2006 and reached the twelfth spot on the UK Charts.
The success of "Henrietta" was only a hint at what was to come with their debut album Costello Music. The album received a mix reception from critics. The most common criticism was that the album was "predictable" but critics also praised Costello Music for being utterly infectious and outright fun.
Critics aren't always an accurate gauge of success. Despite mixed reviews, people were flocking to see The Fratellis perform. After less than two years together, their songs were being sung from the upper decks of soccer stadiums around the UK and their singles were tearing up the radio. American audiences were introduced to The Fratellis through the magic of the iPod commercial. For quite a while, they were known as "that band from the iPod commercial."
The funny thing is that it wasn't until well after the release of Costello Music that the band really came into their sound. At the time, they had only been together for a handful of shows and the sound was still developing as time went on. With their new record, Here We Stand, they've come into their own. The album adds rock-n-roll piano into the mix, reminiscent of Jerry Lee Lewis or early Elton John. Overall, the album is bigger, heavier, meatier and perhaps even catchier than Costello Music.
Overall Recommendation: If you haven't heard The Fratellis, pick up Costello Music to get your feet wet. Even though their sound has evolved a bit, Here We Stand will still rock your face off.
Posted by Cory Roop on Jul 07, 2008 @ 8:10 am
