Until now, Manchester rockers The Courteeners seemed obsessed with making that record – the one that elevates them from hometown heroes to megastars. They’ve approached the task by creating a sort of Britpop 2.0: music to be bellowed by lads on holiday in Tenerife.
Their fourth full-length effort, Concrete Love, marks a change. For the first time it seems they have made a record for themselves, rather than for their audience. It might be the making of them. Yes, there are one or two examples of old habits dying hard: ‘Dreamers’ is relatively slight; ‘Black And Blue’ is all volume, with little substance. Otherwise, though, this LP is the work of musicians who have found the confidence to trust in themselves. Classic influences abound, from the ’80s synths of ‘Saboteur’ to the playful ’70s lilt of the made-for-radio ‘Summer’. ‘Has He Told You That He Loves You Yet’ shows – whisper it – some actual sensitivity, while ‘Small Bones’ grows from a low-key beginning into a complex track.
Even the stadium rock of ‘How Good It Was’ owes more to, say, Editors or Elbow than Oasis. If there were to be a Gallagher-esque bout of posturing, it would likely be something along the lines of “our kid, check out this fuckin’ string arrangement.” The band has made no secret of the desire to be an all-conquering force. Concrete Love may not catapult them to those dizzy heights, but it’s certainly a significant step in the right direction.