NewsThe Courteeners re-record their debut album St. Jude for its tenth anniversary
Manchester indie-band The Courteeners are to issue a newly recorded ‘unplugged’ version of their their debut album St. Jude in April next year and will play two celebratory concerts around the same time: a Teenage Cancer Trust gig at The Royal Albert Hall and a Manchester Arena show.
Speaking of the decision to re-record the album, frontman Liam Fray said:
“We were looking for a way to mark the 10 year anniversary of the release of St. Jude … we thought it might be worth at least raising a little glass to celebrate the fact that we’re still here. I’d been out on an acoustic tour this autumn, re-working and revisiting tunes from the back catalogue, stripping them back, bigging them up and experimenting with some different interpretations. The string section were incredible and unknowingly nudged me into unlocking something special. I loved revisiting all the old songs and putting a new twist on them. So, the day after the final date of my solo tour, I gingerly prised myself out of bed, booked a studio, rang the band, brought in some string-players and we ‘re-did’ St. Jude in a few days. And it sounds fucking brilliant”.
The band’s official store has signed CDs, signed vinyl LPs, signed bundles and includes an exclusive vinyl picture disc as well a cassette edition (signed!).
St Jude was originally issued in 2008 and reached number four in the UK album charts. Most of the album was produced and mixed by Stephen Street, best known for his work with The Smiths, Morrissey and Blur.
Pre-order St. Jude: Re-wired will be released on 6 April 2018.
You can pre-order it via the band’s official store.
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Harmless as they are, I’ve never understood their appeal. Very bland, average indie rock in my opinion. Though they never kicked on to anything major, they do seem to have a loyal hard-core fan base, most of whom seem to know EVERY WORD of EVERY SONG and sing along at their gigs (which gets extremely annoying as you feel like you’re in a mass karaoke event).
Guess this will be a niche attraction to said fan base and if it helps them make some much-needed money, fair enough.
This album is great. If you don’t know them you should.
Its songwriting like Gene or Five o’clock heroes, in its best tradition.
I bought this LP 10 years ago and it’s indeed a very good album. I usually don’t really care about bands or solo singers revisiting old albums with different orchestrations and arrangements. The Wedding Present and Lucinda Williams did the same. For WP it’s worse than the original album. Terrible idea. For Lucinda Williams, it worked and I tend to like the new version.
I really like ‘George Best 30’!
Given that it Gedge around ten years from recording it to releasing it I think we can safely take it as the curio it is.
Paul is trying to get the ‘deluxe demograph to try more modern bands ;)
For those asking who, why don’t you check them out, whilst not being what you would call mainstream there is certainly plenty to like
It’s an increasing trend, but I just think 10 years is far too soon an anniversary to ‘celebrate’ an album.
Manics have done this three times so far… The Holy Bible, Everything Must Go and Send Away The Tigers.
I agree that 10 years is far too soon, however, with bands having to tour more than ever to make ends meet, any kind of special, one-off anniversary tour is something bands can’t resist. Therefore, all of the indie bands of the mid-noughties are taking advantage of the 10 year anniversary re-issue.
Who indeed! I think it probably is worth celebrating that they’re still here, especially when some of us weren’t aware they were here to start with, lol
Lots of signed editions available just like the last album. Unfortunately they signed so many copies they ended up signing them as squiggles and single letters. Kind of spoils it. I have lots of signed editions of their earlier releases which were done in much smaller quantities and the difference in the quality of the signatures is incredible compared to the last ones.
who?