Courting – ‘New Last Name’ album review: a derivative mess of indie landfill
THE SKINNY: Self-identifying post-punk outfit Courting have returned with their second full-length album, New Last Name. Although the record acts as the natural progression of their earlier sound, if you were to close your eyes and listen to it, you could be listening to a hundred different bands. And unfortunately, what the album lacks in originality, it fails to make up for in musical talent.
Across the entirety of the nine-track album, the band failed to land on a single original thought. As the tracklisting progresses, the sound becomes more and more reminiscent of a kind of indie parody that firmly belongs in the past. To make matters worse, the vocal performance of Sean Murphy-O’Neill – who, despite his pseudo-American accent – is from Liverpool, borders on being reminiscent of emo or pop punk at points, creating a bizarre mishmash of ‘things that might appeal’.
For the ever-dwindling number of music fans who are not yet sick of having the same thing repackaged over and over again, there is certainly something to be enjoyed on New Last Name. Courting capture the substanceless optimism and youthful sound of guitar-led indie rock pretty well. Presumably in an effort to diversify their sound, certain tracks hint at disco influences, but these often feel underwhelming and somewhat forced. Furthermore, the almost impressive lack of subtlety in O’Neill’s lyricism means you don’t have to think too hard about what the songs might mean, it’s all presented fairly obviously and without much depth.
In spite of the fact they often refer to themselves as being a part of the post-punk scene, a term which is becoming ever more diffuse on a daily basis, Courting seem to share much more in common with the 2010s, an era not yet old enough to revitalise. Indie rock, as a term, has fallen out of fashion as of late – perhaps due to the oversaturation of the scene or its connotations with a sense of soft-boy toxic masculinity – but make no mistake, the bands are still around; they have just repackaged themselves in an effort to stay marketable.
For fans of: “Being random.”
A concluding comment from Tom’s mother: “Leave them alone. They’re just young kids who’ve never heard of a fuse, let alone the knowledge to change one, trying to have a laugh. But they must see a tailor immediately.”
New Last Name track by track:
‘Throw’: An impressively energetic start to the album, with a bassline reminiscent of Squid, ‘Throw’ quickly falls apart with the bizarre-sounding autotune vocals of O’Neill. Mind you, the weird Daft Punk tribute vocals are the only thing that sets the track apart being a painfully generic indie rock track. [2/5]
‘We Look Good Together’: Musically, this track is a highlight on the album, with disco-influenced jangly guitar riffs forming the backdrop. However, it is once again let down by the pitifully generic vocal performance and lyrics, which are about as subtle as a broken bone. [2.5/5]
‘The Hills’: Even without the return of the ridiculous autotune vocals, this building track of love and heartbreak could never be anything more than forgettable. The inclusion of a saxophone is promising, but it never really gets a chance to shine, often overshadowed in the mixing of the track. [1/5]
‘Flex’: In what is a stunning indictment of the record as a whole, ‘Flex’ is the definite highlight. Not only do the laughable robotic vocals take a backseat, but the saxophone comes more into the forefront to create a fun, if substanceless, track. [3/5]
‘Emily G’: Every song on this album is heavily reminiscent of indie artists from a decade ago, to the point where it feels like a game of ‘guess the tune’. Despite its promising electronic beginnings, ‘Emily G’ is painfully derivative and features some of the most cringeworthy lyrics of recent memory, with an unironic use of “OMG!” forming the basis of the chorus. [1.5/5]
‘Babys’: Embracing their disco influence, ‘Babys’ feels completely disjointed from the rest of the album. In what is becoming a recurring theme, the early promise of the instrumental is soon let down by embarrassing lyricism and vocal performance. [2/5]
‘The Wedding’: A track so painfully generic that the idea of it being written by an indie AI bot becomes a distinct possibility. Courting have never sounded as manufactured or sterilised as they do on this song. [1/5]
‘Happy Endings’: The only time thus far that Courting have tried to lean into the post-punk influence they claim to hold, this track features a pretty commendable bassline and a fairly inoffensive vocal performance. However, why you would have a song called ‘Happy Endings’ and not make that the last song on the album remains unknown. [2.5/5]
‘America’: This is not a cover of the Razorlight song, though Courting borrow so heavily from that era of indie that it might as well be. ‘America’ only reaffirms the earlier suggestion that ‘Happy Endings’ should have been the final track, as it offers absolutely nothing of note. [1/5]
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out New Music Newsletter
All the latest New Music from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.