Originally published by L.S. Media. August 2nd 2011.

Jon Fratelli has spent the last few years watching his band The Fratellis come from seemingly nowhere to become terrace sing-a-long heroes with their catchy music and Vaudeville-like lyrics. Although they divided critical opinion with their two studios albums, their popularity has remained high with tracks such as the infectious Chelsea Dagger and the sleazy Cuntry Boys and City Girls turning up in clubs and its heavy rotation at football and N.H.L. matches.

Since 2009, Jon Fratelli has been working on new material which has culminated in his debut solo album Psycho Jukebox.

For any fan of the man’s previous work and who was expecting more of the same, stop here and keep away! There may be an undercurrent of tracks that may sound vaguely familiar but on the whole Jon’s new work breaks out of the stranglehold of the genre he had immersed himself in and offers a look at a different dimension to Jon’s ability as a musician.

Not every track comes off in a good light but in amongst them a few lyrical and musical gems that make the album worth buying rather than ignoring completely, these include the multi-facetted and outstanding Magic and Mayhem, the first single from the album Santo Domingo and the impressive She’s My Shaker.

Jon deserves admiration for being brave for moving away from the image he and his other band members had found themselves in, and rather than becoming a pastiche, even if it was a colourful version of himself, he has taken this courageous step and redefining himself as a more serious artist who in future years will have a substantial amount to offer the music he is purveying.

Psycho Jukebox probably won’t trouble the charts too much and primarily will be picked up by fans of the Fratellis which is understandable, however for a little change in pace the album comes across as worth listening to and is a good start to a new chapter.

3 stars

Ian D. Hall