The Fratellis - Here We Stand - Deluxe Edition (2008)

Here We Stand is a baffling album. None of the dozen songs on The Fratellis second album are awful and it's been efficiently produced. But, really, it's hard to see the point. If you must to listen to mainstream/no surprises, guitar rock, there are more thrills with The Enemy, better lyrics (Ruby aside) with Kaiser Chiefs and at least a hint of sexual ambiguity with The Killers. Sadly, this Scottish trio - personable chaps though they can be - don't have any discernible angle. It's forgettable, mid-paced indie filler of the kind you ignore on the radio and that's all.

Take A Heady Tale: It's energetic, if unfortunately reminiscent of Robbie Williams' Let Me Entertain You. But deep down, listeners will know it's only as good a Bluetones b-side, albeit with a slightly less annoying vocal.

Elsewhere Shameless and My Friend John appear to signal an ill-fated attempt at a glam rock revival. But whereas Supergrass very good Diamond Hoo Ha album recently came over all Bowie, this LP channels Mud, Slade, Wizard and Gary Glitter in unedifying fashion.

Lead single, Mistress Mabel, is at least speedy, catchy bar-room ribaldry. It's the only thing here that deserves to have the success of Chelsea Dagger, the single that threatens to be this bands' career high.

A disappointing record whose lyrical banalities, such as: ''you said you was long gone/ I Just laughed and said alright'', on Babydoll, only accentuate the lack of imagination that has gone into making it. --Lou Thomas ~BBC Review