User Score
8.1

Universal acclaim- based on 79 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 66 out of 79
  2. Negative: 6 out of 79

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  1. BobS
    Apr 5, 2007
    10
    Absolutely excellent
  2. Aug 24, 2010
    10
    Amazing. A truly worthy of 10/10 album. A MUST-HAVE in every indie collection. With each song worth a listen, it is a great pity that they only managed to give 2 brilliant albums before splitting, even if that split has been classed as "Temporary" by the boys themselves. It is not often an album comes along with which i enjoy every song, and this album had many of its songs in my iTunesAmazing. A truly worthy of 10/10 album. A MUST-HAVE in every indie collection. With each song worth a listen, it is a great pity that they only managed to give 2 brilliant albums before splitting, even if that split has been classed as "Temporary" by the boys themselves. It is not often an album comes along with which i enjoy every song, and this album had many of its songs in my iTunes top 25 most played playlist, including "Flathead", from the old iPod advert, which topped my list with about 120 listens. Until i had to reinstall my computer, setting the play count back to 0 again.
    10/10. Why? a Truly essential album that everyone should have the pleasure of listening to. There is a song for everyone on this masterpiece.
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  3. JonathanF.
    Mar 15, 2007
    8
    great fun. unbelievably catchy bar anthems
  4. PeterB
    Mar 25, 2007
    10
    Freaking awesome. One of my favorite new bands.
  5. [Anonymous]
    May 16, 2007
    7
    Though they do sound a lot like the Arctic Monkeys, their musical ability when it comes to hooks is stronger, though they lack in the lyric department in the comparison.
  6. DanP
    May 8, 2007
    9
    Excellent! I like it a lot, and listen to it often, catchy and sometimes a little old, but worth the cost.
  7. RafaelZ.
    Jun 10, 2007
    10
    great powerfull and eletric song. high speed sound. GREAT.
  8. ChristopherW.
    Sep 18, 2007
    7
    I blindly picked this album up at the local libary yesterday and was pleasantly surprised by the energy, drive, and humor is this music. This is a good soundtrack for fun times, simple as that. Cool right through!
  9. llonglifee
    Mar 15, 2007
    9
    almost perfect
  10. MattD.
    Mar 16, 2007
    9
    Kind of the missing link between Franz Ferdinand and My Chemical Romance. Not incredibly substantive, but you will be hard pressed to find a more enjoyably catchy and jubilant CD.
  11. IsaacA
    Mar 21, 2007
    10
    It's hard to have more fun with a CD this year, yet still retains that all-important strut. And it's furlongs ahead of Franz bleedin' Ferdinand. Highly recommended.
  12. TheNarcolepticInsomniac
    Apr 14, 2007
    7
    When Costello Music is on, it's a lot of fun. Some songs miss the mark, but on the whole it's good. Worth the 8 bucks it cost. Flathead and Chelsea Dagger in particular are good.
  13. AndrewC
    Apr 30, 2007
    10
    Just fun. I hope I'm not alone in feeling like modern rock is a pretentious waste of time, overblown angsty crap that doesn't speak to me at all. Costello Music doesn't exactly speak to me either, but it understands that music doesn't have to - it just has to entertain you.
  14. CameronS
    Apr 7, 2007
    9
    One of the best albums of the last 5 years! The first 4 tracks are worth the purchase price. You must get this one.
  15. EmetV
    May 14, 2007
    9
    An excellent album - like all the tracks. Can see it getting old over time. Not buying those who say it all sounds the same...great summer music!
  16. RyanT
    Aug 20, 2007
    8
    Excellent album. Catchy and fun. I've been listening to it for weeks.
  17. AndrewM
    Mar 15, 2007
    9
    This is definitely one of the best albums so far this year. Every song is catchy and makes you want to rock out (or get in a bar fight!). The Fratellis have got it going on!
  18. NickD
    Mar 21, 2007
    10
    Incredibly catchy tunes that are more fun than you should have by listening to a debut album
  19. RichardF
    Apr 13, 2007
    10
    Been in the CD player since it's UK release in September and I still listen to it with joy 7 months down the line.
  20. LukeB
    Jun 16, 2007
    9
    This album is the most fun I've had in ages! Tracks like 'Henrietta' and 'Everybody Knows You Cried Last Night' will leave you grinning for days. It's a flashback to when music used to be fun...
  21. DamienC
    Aug 17, 2007
    9
    This is an awesome album, full of unpretentious rock, skinnied down to three glaswegians kicking up a storm. Great Stories.
  22. Nov 30, 2010
    8
    A highly enjoyable album. Fast-paced, fun, lots of energy and bawdy lyrics. Can understand the detractors but never fail get excited when listening to this album. Unfortunate that Chelsea Dagger has become synonymous with football chanting imbeciles but never mind.
  23. Feb 13, 2011
    7
    There are only two or three songs on here I didn't like a lot. There's about 4 tracks I absolutely adore. I love their style. The melodies are catchy as hell. My favorite songs are "Flathead", "For The Girl", "Got Ma Nuts From A Hippy", and "Chelsea Dagger". I'd definitely give this album a shot!
  24. Oct 24, 2014
    7
    A solid debut album which optimised the UK indie music scene for the mid to late 2000's. Short, punchy, catchy, energetic songs. Still an album I listen to regularly, with a number of very underrated tracks 'Ole Black N Blue Eyes' and 'Creepin' Up The Backstairs' to go alongside the infamous 'Chelsea Dagger' (indie disco classic) and 'Whistle For The Choir'. A few filler tracks aren'tA solid debut album which optimised the UK indie music scene for the mid to late 2000's. Short, punchy, catchy, energetic songs. Still an album I listen to regularly, with a number of very underrated tracks 'Ole Black N Blue Eyes' and 'Creepin' Up The Backstairs' to go alongside the infamous 'Chelsea Dagger' (indie disco classic) and 'Whistle For The Choir'. A few filler tracks aren't quite up to the standard, 'Doginabag' and 'Vince The Loveable Stoner' to name a few. But nevertheless a decent effort, definitely worth a listen.

    It's a shame they couldn't follow it up with the next album 'Here We Stand'; a rushed album for me with material far weaker than Costello Music
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  25. Aug 13, 2021
    10
    Iconic album that got me hooked on this band! Chelsea Dagger is one of my top ten favorite songs. Other standout tracks for me are: Henrietta, Whistle for the Choir, and Creepin' Up the Backstairs.
Metascore
71

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 17
  2. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    83
    Their punchy choruses and propulsive garage riffs are as addictive as those of 2006 sensations Arctic Monkeys. [16 Mar 2007, p.69]
  2. Mojo
    80
    The record comes on like a sweaty, amphetamine-fuelled rehearsal room bash that went extraordinarily well. [Oct 2006, p.102]
  3. The numbers which populate Costello Music are a darn sight better than Carl Barat and Pete Doherty's solo exploits.