It's hard to know what's worse for a band: break-ups, meltdowns or backlash. During their meteoric, two-year rise, the Fratellis have endured all three.

The Scottish trio were responsible for some of last year's catchiest rock singles. If you didn't come across their eminently hummable single Flathead, used in an iPod commercial, you could hardly miss the similarly enjoyable Chelsea Dagger in its umpteen TV sports highlights package airings. Their debut album, Costello Music, hit No.2 on the British charts and sold solidly around the world. All of which led to some predictable teething problems.

Frontman Jon Fratelli (real name John Lawler) is reluctant to complain about travelling the world and playing rock music, yet the demands of a band on the rise took its toll. It came to a head last year when he stood on stage at the Coachella festival and could not muster a croak.

"I didn't leave the band," he says. "But you can't tour when the singer can't sing."

The band halted activity as he fled home to Glasgow to his family. "Within about four to five days of being home, I reassessed everything," he says. "People shouldn't moan about this. This is everything I ever wanted."

The Fratellis formed when Lawler drafted two fellow musical journeymen from Glasgow through an advertisement in a music shop. They were guitarist Barry Fratelli (Barry Wallace) and drummer Mince Fratelli (Gordon McRory). A few months later, the band hit a purple patch in the rehearsal room. Lawler was popping out two or three songs a day and the trio seemed to have the world at their feet. Soon after, however, Mince broke his back in a car accident and was confined to a wheelchair for at least three months.

"The accident was the most soul-destroying thing ever," he says. "We were really getting somewhere, and it's not the kind of thing you come back from quickly."

Yet just one month later, he courageously stepped back behind his kit and the band headed to the US to record Costello Music. Despite the terrific reaction to the album, Lawler admits he was unhappy with parts of it. "We didn't think it was particularly us," he says.

For the follow-up Here We Stand, recorded this year, the group made a bold call: they would change all of the elements that had been instrumental in their success the first time.

Producer Tony Hoffer was jettisoned and the band produced the record themselves.

"There is a huge mythology around producers and productions," Lawler says. After recording Costello in LA, the band built a new studio in Glasgow for Here We Stand. The gimmicky elements of Costello were also discarded.

"We were desperate to make an album we could stand behind for the next 18 months," Lawler says. "In doing that, you can't help but piss some people off. I always figured we would lose as many fans as we gain."

How has he coped with the charge that the band have failed to replicate the strengths of their debut album? "I haven't coped with it," hesays.

"You do have to ignore the criticism of the second album. You'd be a liar if you said there hadn't been a backlash, there has to be. People buy into their impression of what they think you are. You have to make a decision of whether you will do the same thing over and over or you will do whatever the hell you want. It doesn't always make sense to everybody."

Lawler is dismissive of criticism that the album lacks a standout single. "People's attention spans are shorter and harder to second-guess," he says. "Chelsea Dagger and Flathead are still there. You don't need to make another version of them."

He also has a far from considered attitude to endorsements. "Any offers that have offered enough money are accepted," he cheerfully admits.

He recalls seeing his beloved football team Celtic play AC Milan at their home oval, Celtic Park, last year. The venue proudly trumpets Chelsea Dagger after each goal scored. "Against European teams, it's not that often," he says. "But that day, Celtic scored the winner and there was 60,000 people singing and dancing to my song. I was there. It was incredible. How do you put into words how good that feels? For all the doubtful things you do just for the money, at least you still have that. It's pure and nobody can take it away from you."

The Fratellis play the Hi-Fi Bar August 4 and 5. Here We Stand is out now.