Jon Fratelli just might be one of the most underappreciated musicians of the last decade. Between side projects like Codeine Velvet Club and his solo work, Jon has given his main venture, The Fratellis, a wealth of sound. A healthy mix of rock, blues and Brit pop mean that each new album is guaranteed to be something new. However, variety doesn’t always guarantee innovation. In Your Own Sweet Time, the band’s new record, feels slightly under-cooked and lacks the ambition that has often elevated The Fratellis to their greatest points.

In Your Own Sweet Time is a hodgepodge of sound that leans heavier towards the bluesy side of the band while mixing in some dance-ready disco beats. However, the album seems to lack a core theme outside of coy, ‘kind-of love songs.’ That’s not to say that In Your Own Sweet Time lacks its charm, but it is missing the personality and vigorous storytelling that is often associated with the band.

Drummer Mince Fratelli kills it throughtout the album. His percussion changes from song to song and becomes absurdly hypnotic. The shift from soft beats (“Told You So”) to quick, party drumming (“Advaita Shuffle”) and everything in between (“Indestructible”) is simple but effective. He maintains a steady rhythm and connecting tissue from song to song. Barry Fratelli’s bass levies a strong backing to each song that only reinforces the dance aesthetic of the album (“I’ve Been Blind”).

Jon’s guitar is fantastic, and finds footing somewhere between 80’s pop and classic rock. There are some great solos interspersed across the record (“I’ve Been Blind”), but there also seems to be a lack of ideas. The guitar during “Next Time We Wed” feels like it was plucked right off of the band’s sophomore album, Here We Stand. The lack of variety early on makes songs like “Stand Up Tragedy” and “Told You So” almost sound exactly the same on the first listen.

However, the second half of the album becomes much more interesting, as songs like “I Guess…I Suppose…” and “Indestructible” allow for some experimentation and pure energy. “Laughing Gas” is a stand out on the record, as it sounds like a lost classic from the band. It hits the pop sound that the record seems to have been aiming for.

The biggest sin on In Your Own Sweet Time, however, may be the lyrics. There is little cohesion to the album aside from the fact that each line rhymes and it dabbles in the idea of relationships. It’s perfectly acceptable that an album not try to make a large statement. However, when a line such as that from “Told You So”, as Jon sings, “Oh, I miss the womb / Put me back and make it soon / Where’s my bliss, what’s this sound? / Have you seen my solid ground?” holds just as much meaning as if it were an instrumental part, I would almost prefer the latter. Given the storytelling prowess of the band, it’s disappointing to see that talent put to waste.

“Starcrossed Losers” at least is one of the few songs that shows this talent, though, as it builds a love story from the ground up. “It started out as nothing in the strangest sense / He was never in his right mind, no defense / She waved for his attention, often on repeat / Every time she heard his name and his heartbeat”.

In Your Own Sweet Time is one of the weaker efforts by The Fratellis. It shows the promise of a band this far into their career, but fails to find the cohesion needed to make it one of the group’s most memorable albums. While it adds a disco sound to the bands repertoire, it sounds like more of a gimmick than an integral vision of what The Fratellis could be.

3/5

by Kyle Schultz

Kyle Schultz is the Senior Editor at It’s All Dead and has worked as a gaming journalist at Structure Gaming. He lives in Chicago and loves The Fratellis more than some family members. He partially got into hockey because “Costello Music” plays when the Blackhawks score. Oh, the future is fun!