Post by Darren on Aug 25, 2009 8:24:05 GMT
Not Nineteen Forever
Review
1 Review by the Forum
Review
1 Review by the Forum
“Not Nineteen Forever is a catchy track telling the tale of those times when you know you’ve gone that step too far stayed out that little bit too late and really pissed someone off. We’ve all been and we can all relate to that.” By Cherry Glasgow |
Even though the track is written from a male perspective feeling bad about not paying his girlfriend enough attention and spending too much out with his mates; as a female I have been on the receiving end of those ‘what time do you call this’ and ‘look at the state of you’ looks as many times as I’ve dished them out. This track has everything you want from a classic catchy tune, good lyrics, a nice clap along sing a long bit…but for me I always feel (on record) there is something missing from it that other tracks such as WTYSL, Cavorting, and others on the album have, that I just can’t put my finger on. That said it is great live, partly because of the energy with which it is performed and partly because of the atmosphere it creates. One of my favourite memories of V festival this year is bumping into some lads we had been stood near watching whilst watching the courteeners at the end of the night and having a massive sing along to NNF with various random people joining in singing their hearts out (in the pouring rain might I add). So the verdict on Not Nineteen Forever as a single…is it my favourite Courteeners tracks…no…..will you hear me singing in at the top of lungs whenever it is played at a gig, in a club or even in my car…of course! The B-sides represent the two different sides of the scale. Smiths Disco is a slower number while If It Wasn’t For Me and Trying Too Hard to Score have all the making of good old dirty rock and roll tracks. When I first heard Smiths Disco I was sceptical. I am much more of a tradition rough and ready crashing guitars and hammering drums kinda of girl, however following a few listens I found this stuck in my head more of than the rest of the tracks. This track is about wanting to go to the ‘Smiths Disco’ a place where people can be themselves; and not wanting to go the places where people are pretentious and generally a bit shallow. I don’t know why but when listening to this track I built up a picture in my head of what the ‘Smiths Disco’ would look like - in fact I have one in my town. A dark and dingy place that to the untrained eye looks like a dive. Your feet stick to the floor, but the people and tunes are great and drink is cheap. The upmarket ‘wine bars’ up the road will never be able to rival the atmosphere and you’ll have the best nights there. I know I have never had a bad night in mine. The nice thing about the recording of the track is it sounds as though it a live recording done in one go, and Fray’s voice sounds great stripped down, this track has a kind of honesty about it. Little is written about Fray’s actual voice but I think this track showcases everything that is great about it, it has a certain edge to it and like the track an honesty that really makes you believe in him and in what he is saying. I was surprised how much I liked Smiths Disco - but I guess that sums up The Courteeners you might think you can make your mind up on first impressions and you may be quick to judge however on reflection you may be pleasantly surprised. If It Wasn’t For me is the track that lead to Fray been accused of msychoci in the Guardian review - this track is not about a relationship with a girl, but with a male friend whom has been lost to a ‘brand new squeeze’. What I love about this track is the passion in it – the fact that betrayal from a friend can cut as deep as betrayal by a lover. Trying too Hard to Score is another classic rock roll track in the same vain as the latter telling tale of someone who thinks he’s cool and was but has dabbled in things and taken it that step to far, a kind of fall from grace. Again this has everything I love the guitars, the drums the build up to chorus. |
Overall as a collection of tracks I think Not Nineteen Forever and the B-sides are a good illustration of what the Courteeners are capable of from hardcore tracks that you can jump up and down and scream to, to a softer sensitive ‘get your lighters out’ track. However they all have one thing in common, there is always something in there we can relate to - we’ve all either been their or no someone like that and there lies the appeal of The Courteeners to their loyal fan base. 8/10 |