Courting
Courting performing at Reading Festival 2022
Background information
OriginLiverpool, England
Genres
Years active2018–present
LabelsPIAS
Members
  • Sean Murphy-O'Neill
  • Sean Thomas
  • Joshua Cope
  • Connor McCann
Past members
  • Michael Downes
  • Sam Brennan
Websitecourtingband.com

Courting is a British electronic rock band based in Liverpool. The band is composed of Sean Murphy-O'Neill, Sean Thomas, Joshua Cope, and Connor McCann.[1]

History

Formation

The band formed in 2018 in Liverpool.[2] Throughout 2019 and 2020, the band released multiple singles including David Byrnes Badside and Football, both of which received a limited run double A-side 7" record via Nice Swan Records.

Guitar Music

On April 5, 2022, Courting released the song Tennis as the lead single for their debut album Guitar Music. The single was described by NME as tongue-in-cheek, and playful. The band described "Tennis" as "“a paypig’s personal redemption narrative, set in "the city", and told in two parts: A twisted tale of two lovers' back and forth, bound by cricket, bodybuilding and money. A story as old as time".[3] The single saw regular airplay on BBC Radio.

The second single, "Loaded", was released on 25 May 2022.[4] On August 16, 2022, the band released the third single Jumper in promotion of the album. In an interview with DIY, the band described the song as "an outlier on the album". Sean Murphy-O’Neil further said of the album that it "is a gentle story of true unrequited love, meant to playout like a 2006 romcom. It is about growing old and believing everything will fall into place, the mundanity of doing dishes, and leaving oppositional film reviews.[5]

On September 23rd 2022, Courting released their debut album Guitar Music to critical acclaim. NME described the album as "a raucously fun debut that serves all aces."[6] The albums release was followed shortly by an extensive UK tour.

New Last Name

Over the course of 2023, Courting played various one off 'roadtesting' shows around the UK and Europe, debuting many new songs live. On February 13, the band played a sold out show titled 'The Wedding'. Two live tracks from this session, versions of Tennis and Jumper, were later released on the groups Bandcamp page, as well as a cover of the Icona Pop and Charli XCX track I Love It.[7] The band also supported Circa Waves on their 2023 UK tour.

On July 7, 2023, Courting released the song "Flex" as the first single off of their upcoming second studio album, which was reviewed highly positively by critics. In late 2023, the band started teasing a one off tie in project, 'The Throwbecks' as a way of promoting the album. The band performed a single show billed as 'The Throwbecks' on November 16th 2021 at the Kazimer in Liverpool. On the 8th November 2023, the second single off the album "Throw" was premiered on BBC Radio 1, as well as the bands second album 'New Last Name' being announced for a January 26th 2024 release. Despite New Last Name being a studio album, the band stated that it 'came together as a play', stating that while the record is connected by a narrative, it is mainly a collection of the bands "most contained pop songs, and strangest experiments sat side by side."

On December 14th 2023, Courting released "Emily G" as the third single off of New Last Name. On January 8th 2024, the albums fourth and final single "We Look Good Together (Big Words)" premiered on BBC Radio 6.

Style and songwriting motifs

The band has been described as a clash of post-punk and hyperpop.[8] The band has also been described as indie rock,[9] and art punk.[10]

The band has become known for their frequent references to car parks throughout their songs, as well as having two of the groups biggest tracks (Football and Tennis) referencing sports in their titles. The band has also previously written about fame, British pub culture and falling in love with robot influencers.

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Singles

Title Year Album
"Not Yr Man"
 2019 Non-album single
"Football" 2020
"David Byrne's Badside"
"Popshop!"
 Grand National EP
"Grand National" 2021
"Tennis" 2022 Guitar Music
"Loaded"
"Jumper"
"Flex" 2023 New Last Name
"Throw"
"Emily G"
"We Look Good Together (Big Words)" 2024

Other appearances

Title Year Album
"Kuon Kuon Kuon" 2020 The Big Plan Compilation[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Signed vinyl on tour". Twitter. 27 September 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  2. ↑ "Getting to know… Courting". Dork. 4 June 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  3. ↑ Campbell, Erica (6 April 2022). "Courting drop playful new track 'Tennis' and share tour dates for this fall". NME. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  4. ↑ "Loaded | Courting". Bandcamp. 25 May 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  5. ↑ Brex, Alex (16 August 2022). "Courting drop new track 'Jumper'". DIY. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  6. ↑ https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/courting-band-liverpool-debut-album-guitar-music-review-radar-3315311
  7. ↑ https://courtingband.bandcamp.com/track/flex
  8. ↑ Mellen, James (22 September 2022). "Courting – Guitar Music". Clash. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  9. ↑ Buchanan, Rhys (22 September 2022). "Courting – 'Guitar Music' review: a raucously fun debut that serves all the aces". NME. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  10. ↑ "Courting". Anchor.fm. Spotify. Retrieved 23 September 2022.
  11. ↑ "The Big Plan Compilation, by Various Artists". The Big Plan. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
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