The Fratelli’s ‘In Your Own Sweet Time’

By Kariann Tan

2018 seems to be the year marking departures from the status quo in music, and the recently released In Your Own Sweet Time album by The Fratellis is no different. Nearly gone are the rapturous and heavy riffs that once flooded your ears on the daily (think “Chelsea Dagger” or “Henrietta”). Here, we are served with laid-back vocals and groovy bass lines that are sure to keep you on your feet as you traverse through the 11-track record.

The album begins with a banger, “Stand Up Tragedy,” that is almost reminiscent of the general atmosphere of Costello Music. This track, however, is glossed over with shimmering sounds and synths. Unfortunately, the song itself doesn’t quite achieve something incredible. However, it doesn’t really need to. A happy song is a happy song, and that’s what we got with the upbeat lyricism.

Contrastingly, “Starcrossed Lovers” is a track that is infused with exhilarating riffs and rhythm. The introduction itself is relatively calm as opposed to the rest of the track, and you can most certainly hear the feeling of summer oozing out of the melody. The lyrics, concerning fleeting love (“She said Romeo, Romeo/I’m your Juliet/I’m the pot of gold that you haven’t found yet”), contribute to the overall aura that embodies the song. It’s definitely a track that you wouldn’t be surprised to hear out loud along with friends, due to its replay-ability factor and its rather simple takeaway.

Another stand-out song – that almost mirrors the opening track’s optimistic sound – is “The Next Time We Wed.” It’s ironic, really, how such a song that sounds like a happy daydream contains lyrics that directly juxtaposes the direct meaning of the track. The message involves abrasive actions such as wringing one by the neck to teach a lesson and giving one a chance to be his/her obsession. It’s assumed that it was written from a crazed perspective, possibly for comedic effect. From this point onwards, we can start to see the obvious: the album was never intended to provide anything philosophical. Rather, we are given an unequivocally jubilant collection of music that definitely serves its purpose in perking one up on a rather tame day.

Perhaps the most interesting and complex track out of the listing would be their concluding track, “I Am That.” The musical composition almost harkens back to the golden era of English math rock. The use of strings helps elevate the track’s nostalgic factor, as well as its unusually long song duration. It’s a great intermission from the carefree anthems that are heard beforehand.

The album from start to finish encompasses many uplifting songs, a couple surefire ways to get you in a good mood. As that’s so, I definitely recommend everyone to give it a spin. It’s definitely worth it.

Listen to In Your Own Sweet Time on Spotify now.