At what point between┬áChelsea Dagger and now did The Fratellis lose it? A change of sound for the band has resulted in a mish mash of all the acts that have appeared in the charts over the last twenty years, and not in a good way. ÔÇÿWe Need Medicine’, third album and comeback after a five-year hiatus for the Scottish trio opens with ÔÇÿHalloween Blues’. A promising intro brings bluesy-Seasick Steve vibes to your ears before an abrupt change in tone sends you straight back to the late 80’s with an uncanny resemblance to George Michael’s ÔÇÿFaith’.

If the first track wasn’t tumultuous enough for you, then the move between track two ÔÇÿThis Old Ghost Town’ (ÔÇÿBrown Eyed Girl’ with a slight spring its step) and track three ÔÇÿShe’s Not Gone Yet But She’s Leaving’ (could have been ripped straight from ÔÇÿFavourite Worst Nightmare’) leaves you questioning what they could come up with next. The answer to that question is a bunch of songs that wouldn’t sound out of place at a high-school dance in the 50s. Title track ÔÇÿWe Need Medicine’ provides the record with not much more than a slightly below average name; musically, better things could be found on ‘NOW! 48’.

ÔÇÿUntil She Saves My Soul’ ensures the album ends on a high note, but by this point it’s hard not to notice the repetitive nature of the band’s come-back attempt. Individually, the tracks all have their merits, together; you can’t help but wonder just what The Fratellis were thinking.

Charlie Mock