The Courettes – Back in Mono – album review

What’s not to love about The Courettes? I mean, lets face it everything about this band screams sheer class. The supremely talented duo have not left a stone unturned in considering exactly what they want The Courettes to be. Their divine retro aesthetic, from their image and their instruments, through the design of their cover art and on through to the music and its production, you can be under no illusion of what to expect. They wear their influences well and truly on their sleeves, coming from a very specific and distinct place and time in history, but allowing those of us who missed out on the opportunity to live through that era vicariously to experience it for ourselves.

The Fabulous Courettes

Don’t get me wrong The Fabulous Courettes, as the cover to Back in Mono proclaims, are in no way some tribute act to a style of days gone by. Far from it. Despite the retro styles and sounds, the band are a breathe of fresh air bringing something utterly refreshing and different to 21st Century rock n roll, and boy are they dedicated to their art. Just take a quick scan of their Facebook page and check out their gruelling tour schedule. This is a band determined to get their music and message out there to as many people as they possible can.

And what about that music? Wow. What can I say. After two absolutely banging albums to date in Here Are The Courettes, and We Are The Courettes, married couple Danish Martin on (wait for it) Drums, Backing Vox, Timpani, Shakers, Castanets, Tambourine, Handclaps, 13th Vox Tube and Brazilian Flavia Couri on (phew) Vox, Fuzz Guitar, Electric Guitar, Acoustic & 12 String Guitar, Backing Vox, Piano, Tambourine, Handclaps show absolutely no sign of letting up on Back in Mono with 14 tracks of sheer unadulterated joy.

Majestic

For someone like me, whose sound of Christmas comes in the form of Phil Spector’s Christmas album, it can’t just be me that gets a feeling like all my Christmases have come at once when the opening bars of the majestic Want You! Like a Cigarette, with its merest suggestion of See My Baby Jive too, burst through my speakers.

From then on in, it is nothing but joy and magic all the way. As each songs closes and you think things can’t get any better, they only go and pull another rabbit out of the hat. So many treats do they have up their elegant sleeves it would be unfair to pick specific songs as highlights. Back in Mono is highlight after garage highlight, one of these never skip a track albums that has you practically frothing at the mouth with excitement in expectation of what is coming next on first listen.

Passionate Authenticity

Their fervour and love for what they do is apparent in their flawless playing and their passionate authenticity can be heard in shedloads through the Courettes own reproduction of that famous Wall of Sound. Everything they have begged, borrowed or stolen from the past sounds fresh and new, their attention to detail is second to none. Listen carefully for loads of sneaky little easter eggs and tributes to great songs and artists of the past. Things like the little spoken word segments and the “look out, look out, look out” part in single Hop the Twig.

Of course these wouldn’t be the songs they were if the elation displayed by the passionate vigour of the playing, isn’t tempered in some songs by tragic tales in the likes of Too Late To Say I’m Sorry and Cry, Cry, Cry. However, don’t be despondent, as even these songs would lift you to the heavens, such is the apparent effortless ease with which Flavia and Martin ply their trade. Every song on this album, bar none, has an invigoratingly restorative feel, making the listener feel invincible as they revel and bathe in the glow of these 14 slices of sublime joy. This is up there amongst the contenders for album of the year.

Be There or be Square

At the end of the month, they bring the party to Glasgow’s Mono, a venue that could have been named just for them. I’ll see all you Misfits and Freaks down the front for what is certain to be one of the live events of the year. Be there or be square cats.

The Courettes. Fabulous indeed they are. Go and shout their name from the rooftops and share the love.

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