Julian Cope Friar Tuck
Julian Cope's Friar Tuck arrives as a mischievous, melody-forward romp where garage-fuzz and affectionate trolling collide with plaintive orchestration. Critics agree the record's charms lie in its lo-fi home-studio quirkiness and mantric power, and the consensus suggests a rewarding, if slippery, listen rather than a fully polished statement.
Across three professional reviews, Friar Tuck earned a 74.67/100 consensus score, with writers consistently praising standout tracks that pair tunefulness with eccentric production. “Reynard The Fox” is repeatedly cited as a highlight, while “The Dogshow Must Go On” and “Me And The Jews” are singled out for earworm hooks and slow-burning scope. Reviewers noted the record's nostalgia-tinged imagery, playful wordplay, and Mellotron-tinged arrangements as strengths that make the best songs on Friar Tuck stick in the head.
While some critics point to slipperiness and deliberate rough edges, the dominant voice across Uncut, Classic Rock Magazine and Tinnitist frames the album as a gleeful return to melody that relishes mischief and anti-authoritarian mythmaking. Whether you prize hummable choruses, garage-rock grit or off-kilter orchestration, the critical consensus suggests Friar Tuck is worth hearing for its standout moments and idiosyncratic charm.
Below, read the full reviews to see what critics say about the best songs on Friar Tuck and how these tracks fit into Julian Cope's wider catalogue.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
The Dogshow Must Go On
1 mention
"The Dogshow Must Go On is the earworm here, a sub-two-minute garage charmer"— Uncut
Me And The Jews
1 mention
"slow-burning drone-rock on the seven-and-a-half-minute " Me And The Jews ""— Uncut
Bill Drummond Said
1 mention
"12 brand new humdingers"— Tinnitist
The Dogshow Must Go On is the earworm here, a sub-two-minute garage charmer
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Reynard The Fox
Bill Drummond Said
Laughing Boy
Me Singing
Sunspots
The Bloody Assizes
Search Party
O King Of Chaos
Holy Love
Torpedo
I Went On A Chourney
Mic Mak Mok
Land Of Fear
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 4 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Julian Cope sounds invigorated on Friar Tuck, and the best songs - particularly “The Dogshow Must Go On” and “Me And The Jews” - capture his gleeful, garbled genius. Tom Pinnock writes in a conversational, slightly wry register, praising the album's breezy vitality and lo-fi, first-take energy while noting its slipperiness. The review points listeners toward the earworm charm of “The Dogshow Must Go On” and the slow-burning scope of “Me And The Jews”, framing them as highlight moments that sum up why fans ask about the best tracks on Friar Tuck.
Key Points
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The Dogshow Must Go On is the best song because it is called the "earworm" and exemplifies Cope's garage-charmer energy.
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The album's core strengths are its breezy vitality, lo-fi home-recording immediacy, and playful, garbled lyricism.
Themes
Cl
Critic's Take
Julian Cope’s Friar Tuck is a gleeful, mischievous return to melody that relishes silly, vivid imagery and a loveably brash home-studio wonkiness. The review points to the fun wordplay in titles and highlights how the record is listenable rather than merely experimental, so best songs on Friar Tuck feel like those that pair tunefulness with that quirk - think “Reynard The Fox” and “Laughing Boy”. Emma Johnston’s tone is amused and approving, noting the album won’t stun but will stir, which makes these upbeat, melodic tracks stand out as top picks.
Key Points
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The best song pairs Cope’s rediscovered melody with his gleeful mischief, making it the most immediately satisfying.
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The album’s core strengths are tunefulness tempered by quirky home-studio production and witty, anachronistic imagery.
Themes
Critic's Take
Julian Cope’s Friar Tuck reads like a press release written with a wink, and its best songs - notably “Reynard The Fox” and “Bill Drummond Said” - are called out as hummable, wah-acoustic delights. Darryl Sterdan’s tone is playful and affectionate, praising the album’s garage-fuzz dub, mantric powerdrive and Mellotron orchestration while nudging at its micro-trolling. The result is a record that feels cosy, defiant and edgy, the sort of collection whose top tracks lodge in the head and stick there. The review makes clear the best tracks are those balancing melody and eccentric production, making them the standout moments on Friar Tuck.
Key Points
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The best song(s) are the hummable, wah-acoustic moments that pair melody with Mellotron orchestration, making them earworms.
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The album’s core strengths are its garage-fuzz production, mantric energy, and playful, defiant lyrical stance.