The Courteeners: Falcon

"You're not 19 forever," sang the ­Courteeners' Liam Fray in 2008, and thus, two years later he's back – a bit more grown-up and longing for home. And therein lies one of ­Falcon's major problems. Its best track is a five-minute paean to a city left ­behind, and ­Elbow have already done the love letters to Manchester – and much more ­beautifully. Also, it's rather ­apologetically called The Opener (it's the first track). There are other good ­moments here. Take Over the World treads the right line between balladry and the driving indie that the Middletonians do best. But most things fall between the cracks – either sub-Guy Garvey/Conor Oberst ballads, Oasis rip-offs (Will It Be This Way Forever?) or the Reverend and the Makers-like funk of the single You Overdid It Doll. ­Parochialism can be charming when done well – but each reference here to "Deansgate fireflies" and "Chinese ­chippies" makes you long for Fray to draw a bigger ­picture. Despite his ­swagger, he seems a sensitive soul; you just suspect the Courteeners could do better.