It has been brought to my attention that the eagerly-awaited new Cooper Brown album is now available. Entitled "Power Without Responsibility", it features 13 newly recorded tracks, 2 of which are classics from the Creepy Tree era. You can just go ahead and buy one from the merchandise section of their website.

It's priced at £7.50 online but the band will be selling them at gigs for £5. Not only do you get the music this time, but there are 3 videos plonked on the CD too, which should play (provided you have the right codecs etc) on most systems. There're even lyrics in the CD booklet this time so you can figure out what Bill & Gaz are singing!

Here were my thoughts a couple of weeks ago when I heard the demo version of the new album:

1. Bombs Away

   First played at the Harlow gig way back when, this is a powerful rocky number typical of Cooper Brown. Knowing The Fat Controller in question, the lyrics never cease to amuse me. Hearing the track in the car on Friday morning (turned up to 11, of course) had me nearly careering off the road in laughter at the reference to the fat git having the hooks removed from the back of the cubical doors because he kept getting his clothes trapped on them. Lose some weight -- not the hooks!

2. Magnify [Listen]

   As with Bombs Away, this is a track that I already new as an excellent Cooper Brown track from earlier gigs. Liking it lots. Good sound, nice and catchy. Great drums on this song.

3. Best Friend

   This was the first track on the album that I hadn't heard before, so I cranked it up a little louder. A very anthemic track, which I can see being a real crowd pleaser at future Cooper Brown gigs.

4. Close the Loophole [Listen]

   When this track had finished playing for the first time, I skipped straight back to the beginning and played it over again, sitting in the car in the car park for longer than I needed to. Close the Loophole is, in my opinion, the best track on the album. If not the best Cooper Brown track ever. Very heavy guitar sound... I can imagine this getting airplay on rock shows across the land!

5. Deep Red

   From the opening bars, you can tell this is Cooper Brown. Powerful guitars and Bill's gravelly vocals. This is a track that has grown on me with every listen. The ending reminds me a little of Iron Maiden, which is always a winner in my book.

6. Wanted Things

   This is probably the most subtle track on the new album, which makes it stand out. Great lyrical content delivered very well. According to The Johns Principle, this really should be track #7.

7. Believe in the System

   My only complaint with this track is that it's too short! It seems like it ends just as it was getting started, which is a real shame because it's got a really good feel to it.

8. The Birthday Picture

   Track Eight makes a comeback after first appearing on The Creepy Tree EP. I liked this song a lot on the first CD and while it may have been altered subtly since then (I haven't listened to Creepy Tree for a while), I cannot hear the difference (sorry, guys). Still sounds great, though.

9. Someone in my Head

   This is the third real stand-out track for me. Everything about this track tells me that it's going to be a hit with Cooperfans and those who have yet to hear their Raahking sound. I'm not sure Bill's "I wanna go" should make the final cut. The "huh" should, though!

10. I Imagined

    As I was driving to work this morning, I was thinking that this song should be titled (Nothing like) I Imagined, which describes the track perfectly as the track sounds nothing like I would imagine from the title. Perhaps it conjours up images of John Lennon. Full of Cooper Goodness, this track only narrowly missed out on my fantasy set-list. Such are the disadvantages of being surrounded by so many strong tracks.

11. Netsurf Deluxe [remix]

    Unlike the Birthday Picture, Netsurf Deluxe has been very much re-worked since it first appeared at the tail end of The Creepy Tree EP and sounds awesome for it. A hard-hitting guitar intro lets you know that this is a Cooper Brown track worth sitting up and taking notice of. Raahk!

12. Justice

    I love the jingly-jangly guitar intro to this song, but I'm not sure what it is about the chorus that I don't like about it, but something about it bugs me. It doesn't bug me enough that I want to skip the track, but if it was any longer than the 2:35, then maybe I would. Sorry.

13. My Dream Began in England

    I liked this song when it was played live as "Mungflesh". The substitution of Mungflesh with My Dream does the song a lot of justice. I see this track as very radio-friendly and a real winner.

Overall impression

This is by far the best Cooper Brown offering to date. The Cooper Sound has come on leaps and bounds since the early days and the quality of the production on this record really exaggerates that. I'm looking forward to hearing the new material live, which is when Cooper Brown songs really come into their own.

Which brings me onto remind readers that the next opportunity to catch Cooper Brown live is at their gig next Friday. Flyers are available on the website.