Courteeners have quite easily become one of the UK’s most successful bands this side of Arctic Monkeys. With regular festival headline slots up and down the country, huge homecoming shows and Number One records, there’s a handful of bands that can boast those accomplishments, and the Manchester group are comfortably one of them.
Next month, Courteeners will play an intimate gig at Club NME’s comeback in EartH Hall in London, alongside huge DJ sets and tunes all night long. As we look forward to their show, here’s some of the group’s biggest bangers yet.
‘Not Nineteen Forever’
When: 2008
Why: The band burst out the gates with instant-classic debut ‘St Jude’, earning praise from NME and in 2008, Bono would call them the “best band of the last 10 years”. High praise! It was ‘Not Nineteen Forever’, a pensive, ludicrously fun indie banger, that would define their early years.
Best bit: Liam Fray’s call for “every single one of ya’s” to bounce before the final chorus at their mammoth live shows.
‘Cavorting’
When: 2008
Why: One thing that the Courteeners excel at is pure entertainment; as with much of ‘St. Jude’, the energy of standout ‘Cavorting’ is both splendidly snarky and giddy at once, as it details an indie club night in Manchester derailed by “sixteen pills” and some rather colourful characters. 15 years on, listening to this track is still a relentlessly enjoyable experience.
Best bit: The delicious confidence with which Fray sneers his way through the pre-chorus.
‘What Took You So Long?’
When: 2008
Why: This song would prove surprisingly prescient, with Fray explaining that the song was inspired by the snobs on the internet arguing about music on fan forums rather than going out to enjoy. Sounds familiar, eh? Its rousing chorus did connect with the kids in the venues, mind, and remains the band’s closing song in the live set.
Best bit: There’s no mucking about in the song’s opening lines: “You’ve spent too much time sat in your bedroom/On your PC, are you sure that you couldn’t /Have found the time/ Swallowed your pride, admitted your jealousy?”
‘Are You In Love With A Notion?’
When: 2013
Why: The band’s third album, 2013’s ‘Anna’, is probably as close as they’ve ever been to going pop. While previous album ‘Falcon’ was indebted to their love of the National, on ‘Are You In Love With A Notion?’ they sound sleeker and shinier than ever before. No surprise it’s got a comfortable home in every live setlist.
Best bit: The sharpness and crispness of every drum beat. It sets up a soaring pace towards that mammoth chorus
‘The 17th’
When: 2016
Why: Courteeners’ fifth LP ‘Mapping The Rendezvous’ marked a sea change for the band: crucially, the poppier moments were unapologetically committed, as evidenced by lead single ‘The 17th’. The track, in its heart swelling melody and flourishes of thumping drum beats, captured the immersive bliss of partying into the wee hours.
Best bit: The drop in the final chorus makes for a moment of anthemic gold.
‘Hanging Off Your Cloud’
When: 2020
Why: As the band’s shows got larger and larger – in 2018 they headlined Heaton Park for the first time – as did the musical scope. Upon release NME called their sixth album ‘More. Again. Forever.’ where this song features, “as experimental but familiar”.
Best bit: Amidst their most expansive songwriting yet, they’re able to pair subtle strings with a singalong chorus.
It’s back! Club NME returns together with Ladbrokes Live with gigs across the UK. Sign up for free at Ladbrokeslive.co.uk for your chance to win tickets.
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