Courting – ‘Lust For Life’ album review: Confused, indecisive and a lack of identity
THE SKINNY: The issue is that by a third album, a band should have a firm grasp of who they are. Experimentation and evolution are crucial—hence why the second album often feels so defining—but by number three, there should be a balance between pushing forward and solidifying a clear identity. A sound that feels undeniably theirs. A sense of purpose in what they’re trying to achieve. On Lust for Life, or insufferably, How to Thread the Needle and Come Out the Other Side to Tell the Story, Courting don’t have that.
The band themselves are proud of that, boasting about the album’s contradictions and contrasts. Sure, that’s a powerful thing. Showcasing a full range of sounds and styles in one place can be thrilling, creating an album that keeps listeners engaged, drawing them in further with each song. But the issue is that as Courting jump from one thing to the next, it doesn’t feel masterful—it feels messy.
It’s clear from the very start. The album has two openings—‘Rollback’, a lush orchestral overture, followed by ‘Stealth Rollback’, a loud, chaotic dance track that feels like being kicked backwards into a trippy freefall. It’s easy to see what they were aiming for. Placing two stark musical contrasts side by side could be a bold, attention-grabbing move. It could make the listener sit up and take notice. It could be an interesting statement. But they don’t pull it off. The songs have no real connection—no tease, no buildup to make the abrupt shift feel intentional. Just as there’s no clear throughline from those two tracks into the rest of the album. Instead, it feels like the band had an idea, executed it, and immediately moved on—exactly how the rest of the album sounds.
Maybe that’s the issue—Courting can’t resist their own whims. It was the same on New Last Name and, to some extent, on Guitar Music, though on their debut, the chaos felt more exciting simply because they were new. Back then, it was bold. Now, it just feels indecisive. The album suddenly throws in saxophones and violins at random, only to abandon them just as quickly. Songs meander into sounding like two different tracks mashed together, but instead of feeling intentional or editorial, it comes across as if they simply forgot to separate them.
However, there are good moments here, and they come when the band keep it simple. When they allow themselves to just make a solid indie rock song, it works. These are clearly skilled and passionate musicians—people who love music and love their own music. On tracks like ‘Namcy’ and ‘After You’, when they don’t overthink, overdo, or let their obsessive desire to be unique run away with them, they’re at their best.
Even then, though, there’s a distinct lack of identity. Instead of carving out their own space, they end up borrowing one crafted by other bands.
For fans of Courting. If you’ve endured the other two albums, I’m sure you can endure this one, too.
A concluding comment from the band’s Twitter trolls: *Some kind of threat about bombing the ‘basement Far Out write from’*
Lust For Life track by track
Release Date: March 14th | Producer: Sean Murphy-O’Neill | Label: Lower Third
‘Rollback’: The band have listened to Black Country, New Road, and it shows. [2.5/5]
‘Stealth Rollback’: But now the band has decided they don’t want to be BCNR at all; they want to be heavy techno music makers, composers, and Fat Dog. Whatever will be next? [2/5]
‘Pause At You’: Oh, they’re gonna be an indie band now! Courting transforms into a Strokes-esque group for a bit here, and it’s not half bad. [3/5]
‘Namcy’: The ultimate example that Courting can be good if they can just cut the crap for a little while, resist the urge to overdo everything and just let themselves be a rock back for a moment. [3/5]
‘Eleven Sent (This Time)’: Sticking with the simplicity for a solid run, there’s a moment where the album becomes really, really solid. However, it lacks a middle ground. It is possible to be innovative while also being enjoyable; you can be experimental without going crazy, but then the band haven’t pulled that off. It’s either plain or it’s everything at once. [2.5/5]
‘After You’: Nicely high-octane, this would sound big in a small, packed out, sweaty venue. And as the song rolls through changes, maybe this is the start of them being able to pull it off. However, it still feels like they’re reheating another group’s nachos rather than having their own identity. [3/5]
‘Lust For Life’: Starts promisingly moody and atmospheric but across the first half, the band are now trying to be The 1975, with a saxophone randomly thrown in for good measure And then suddenly, it cuts to seemingly a whole other song in a way that’s less cool and more confusing. [2/5]
‘Likely Place For Them To Be’: The title is the best part of the song as The Strokes’ nachos are inedible by now, but Courting is still trying to feed you them. [1.5/5]
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