Liverpool band Courting’s third album, Lust for Life, Or: ‘How To Thread The Needle And Come Out The Other Side To Tell The Story’, released via Lower Third, gives listeners layer upon layer of sounds and moods, like a beautiful rock ‘n’ roll collage. This makes the album feel both versatile and exciting – it’s something you could listen to just as easily at a dingy punk club as in a candlelit bath.
One of the album’s singles, “After You,” is an example of how Courting deftly uses sound layering to build energy and interest. Instruments are slowly layered one on top of the other into a rich musical tapestry. Courting’s frontman Sean Murphy-O’Neill said that in “After You”, the band “wanted the wall of guitars and the drums to feel almost hypnotic.” This is evident upon listening to the song, which is short, to the point, and leaves the listener feeling in a daze at the end of the track when the music cuts off suddenly.
The lyrics of “After You” can be interpreted through a complex lens, revealing both romantic undertones and subtle menacing edges. Murphy-Oneill highlighted this intriguing duality, noting that much of the album delves into the concept of contrasts within relationships. The fascination with dualism resonates throughout tracks on Lust for Life. A striking example can be found in “Namcy,” where the lyrics artfully juxtapose vivid imagery and contrasting ideas. The chorus, with its catchy lines of “French exit, Irish goodbye,” captures a playful tension, making it irresistibly fun to sing along to while prompting deeper reflection on the meanings behind its words.
While rock is undoubtedly the dominant genre on the album, it also incorporates elements of punk, dance, hyperpop, and traditional pop. “Eleven Sent (This Time)” stands out as a fantastic pop song, featuring beautiful melodies and a catchy hook that listeners are likely to hum absentmindedly for days. Courting demonstrates their versatility across multiple genres, impressively blending them together.
Overall, Lust for Life… is a fun listen that is incredibly musically skillful. While every track on the album is solid and well executed, sometimes it feels like the band is playing it safe. The experimental nature of some of the arrangements and the way the vocals occasionally drift from polished to downright unhinged are the most exciting parts of the album, making listeners wish Courting would lean into that weirdness and push the experimental nature of their music even further.
