The Fratellis – Half Drunk Under a Full Moon

It’s been a tough year-plus, and we all really need something to pick up our spirits....
The Fratellis : Half Drunk Under a Full Moon
7.7 Cooking Vinyl
2021 
The Fratellis : Half Drunk Under a Full Moon

It’s been a tough year-plus, and we all really need something to pick up our spirits. Yes, we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and it’s not a train, but it’s still far away after so much, and isn’t so much a bright new day as a slow dawn. That’s what makes upswing of The Fratellis’ Half Drunk Under the Full Moon so enjoyable.

Years removed from their British buzz breakthrough, The Fratellis are still putting out records, and haven’t lost their smile. From the swingin’ upbeat of the titular opening track, Half Drunk is an unabashedly big record, the kind of glam-grand that’s coming back these days (see The Struts). “Drunk”, the more tropical following “Need a Little Love”, bopping “Living in the Dark” and horns-led “Six Days in June” might not have passed muster with the judge-y hipsters of yore, but even they’d still be tapping their toes. The sadder tracks such as “Strangers In the Street”, “Action Replay”, and “Hello Stranger” do lean towards the maudlin side, but at least provide a breath before The Fratellis get happy again.

Like America’s acclaim for the Midwestern nice Ted Lasso, we’re all looking for the big love these days. So, forget about what it’ll do to your indie-cred and just enjoy the enjoyable Fratellis.

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