The Courteeners - O2 Academy Sheffield, on Monday, October 2

FANS of Indie rockers the Courteeners have had plenty to be excited about of late   within a week, the band released their latest album, Concrete Love, and headlined the NME stage at Reading and Leeds festivals.

The Middleton four-piece began in 2006 and are best known for their singles That Kiss and Not Nineteen Forever.

Their fourth album came out only 18 months after 2013’s Anna, and it is an intriguing listen.

Although the guitar tone sounds similar to Snow Patrol and singer Liam Fray’s vocals sound like a Mancunian Alex Turner, especially in the quiet moments, each individual song has something to keep the listener engaged.

Notably, several of the 11 songs on Concrete Love have brief, deceptive intros featuring a heavier sound, a dance beat or even an organ.

In particular, it is praiseworthy that Concrete Love does not dip in quality in the middle as many albums do: that it is hard to pick a standout track is a reflection of the overall quality.

The gentle Has He Told You That He Loves You Yet is made to sing along to, as are the catchy Next Time You Call and the groovy Saboteur.

Most recent single How Good It Was is a fitting choice, boasting one of the album’s strongest choruses, and the more laid-back Summer works well in isolation.

Lyrically, the Courteeners are a mixed bag.

The imagery used in Small Bones has a potent honesty to it, but Dreamers grates somewhat, with Fray complaining “the charts are full of cartoons and lawyers/ having a gap year before choosing employers/ what about my life?”, a sentiment that has often been said before, even if there is some truth in it.

Overall, Concrete Love is an enjoyable effort and its songs are sure to go down well on the upcoming tour, which kicks off on October 27 in Sheffield’s O2 Academy.