The Fratellis

Here We Stand (Interscope)

There’s a whole lot of arctic monkey business going on with sophomore Fratellis release Here We Stand. Fans of the band’s poppy, guitar-driven 2006 debut, Costello Music, will again gather ’round to pound pints while jamming energetic tracks such as “Mistress Mabel.” The charm also holds steady on well-marinated pub-rousers such as bongo-driven lead-in “My Friend John” and the cheesy sing-along “Look Out Sunshine!” The trio of Scottish faux-bros owes significant debts to T.Rex and the Kinks, swerving onto Abbey Road long enough to let Mr. Kite cast a shadow over “Stragglers Moon” (sample lyric: “And then you’re out there digging holes again./Six million people can’t be wrong”). If the band’s found inventive ways to stretch out its melodies, lad-in-chief Jon Fratelli delivers best on soused songs illuminating how love has gone wrong. Party on. (1pm, AT&T Blue Room stage.)

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This article appears in September 26 • 2008.

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