Acrylic

[Darren]

Acrylic
Review

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2 Previews by the Panel

“The second instalment in the journey of the courteeners, after the murmurs surrounding cavorting it was time for the band to release a single to the masses. Acrylic was that single!!” By Ian Park

The opening of Acrylic pairs resemberlance to the Libertines, that's not a criticism (wear your influences on your sleeve). Its a great intro and the song that first introduced me to the Courteeners properly. Its a full assault, with Liams delivery razor sharp. The song writer with the the best people watching skills in the business. (The same to be said For B-side Cocaine Kimberly but more of that in a bit!!) The naivety in the recording is there. Slightly rough, disjointed and maybe even slightly too fast, But it still works and works very well. Liam's goes into a rant apparently based on people (in Manchester presumably) who might look the part but have no talent. "you've got ok jacket, but you've got no spine." A warning to any pretender to the crown that its going to take more than the right look to muscle in on HIS crowed with the added line of dismissal "please vacate this city of mine" its both funny and treating but as always its seems to be with tongue very much placed in cheek. As for the B-side no second rate rubbish. Cocaine Kimberly see's Liam delivering a warning through song to a young lady who it seems has developed a problem with Class-A substances. Again an excellent short rant that what also a favourite on The Courteeners first few full tours.

A Step On 7/10

“There’s Not Enough Paper in the World” By Fergal Kinney

Straight from the trash of the chiming guitar intro, you know that Acrylic is something special. Regardless of any hype, anything you may have read in the press, anything that people may have told you, this is what it is all about. “Your just like plaster scene being moulded into a Libertine dreamer”, spits Liam Fray, more resembling a young Joe Strummer or John Lyndon than any of his Mancunian predecessors. Acrylic is a rush of energy, laden with hooks and variations in dynamics at every turn, held together by a more than strong set of scathing yet tongue-in-cheek lyrics penned by front man Liam Fray. For a man complaining there is “not enough paper in the world” to sum up his disgust at contemporary scenester bands, he seems to have chosen his words wisely. Each line is a direct stab at the pretenders riddling the current music scene, with all the right clothes but none of the songs, be it on a local scale or a national scale. “I only wish you had the songs to back up your talk of so long, but we all know that’s not the case, rather show your face in an ancient bar that nobody goes in” mocks Fray, each line rolling off the tongue, a poetic torrent of well informed abuse comparable to Morrissey being an X Factor panellist or Oscar Wilde in a pub brawl. The song rolls up into an energetic array of guitars and drums, climaxing before the sudden end. This is a song that in years to come will still ignite beer soaring through the air amidst pogo-ing frenzy. Acrylic is a more than competent, exciting and articulate debut national release and packs all the right punches without being outdated or remotely pretentious. B-side Kimberly, (formerly Kokaine Kim), is reminiscent of early Kings of Leon with an almost skiffle sounding drum beat and a resounding fuzz in both the vocals and the angular guitars that is not all too dissimilar to that of The Strokes. Fray sings of “sparkling teeth, needle nights and champagne fairytales”, an interesting contrast and another lyrical gem in their fast growing repertoire. “Kimberly” is as charming, clever and hook-y as its A-side and its reputation as a live favourite is firmly understood due to this superb recording.

If only all debut singles were this promising and exciting 8/10