Courting share their exciting debut album ‘Guitar Music’
The Liverpool four-piece did not disappoint with this thrilling debut, ahead of their UK headline tour.
Photo: Alex Bex
Since Not Yr Man — their first single released in 2019 — Courting have continued to impress with numerous releases; experimenting with styles and creating tunes that bring vitality to indie music. Although only eight tracks long, Guitar Music is nothing short of excellent.
The record kicks off with an exhilarating baseline that propels the album forward in the form of Cosplay / Twin Cities. This track illuminates Courting’s confidence to fall into a more unique style than their peers.
The first single taken from the record, Tennis, builds into a lively track which translates perfectly when performed to a crowd – the band’s recent performances at Reading and Leeds Festivals were weekend highlights for many. The drums on the song pull focus as they provide the brilliant crescendo that couples with frontman Sean Murphy-O’Neill’s distinct vocals. Similar to the third track Loaded; which is a fun, explosive song exploring themes of change.
Famous is an upbeat track with a dreamy synth as the lyrics challenge the superficiality of the world. Murphy-O’Neill captures the frustration everyone feels towards today’s beauty standards throughout the song, especially in lyrics like, “You think you know someone / But you’ve really got no idea”.
Track 5 is a redux of Crass, which originally featured in Courting’s debut EP Grand National. The new ending to the song highlights the band’s progression and willingness to bend genres and styles.
Jumper is an upbeat love song bound to fill you with joy. The band lean into their playful pop side on this track, referencing influences like Charli XCX in the opening with the line “I love her like Charli loves cars”. Courting’s backing instruments still run through the track wonderfully.
A highlight from the record comes from the longest song on the album: Uncanny Valley Forever. The track shows a much more sentimental side to the band, reminiscent of bands like Black Country, New Road’s recent endeavours. Gradually the song builds up to create a beautiful climax with more vulnerable lyrics such as “But we could get older together / Please keep a place for me there”.
The album closes on PDA; the sound accompanies the opening track to allow the record to feel whole and cohesive. Stunning guitar is the centrepiece of the track, showcasing the talent that the young Liverpool four-piece behold.
The unique and exhilarating sound of Guitar Music proves that Courting are a band worthy of interest as they shape their style into a wonderful body of work. As they set off on their UK tour, we anticipate lively performances to solidify Guitar Music as one of the best albums of 2022.