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The Charlatans 'Us and Us Only' |
| Released | 1999 | |
| Other Albums | Melting Pot | Up To Our Hips |
| Tellin' Stories | Between 10th and 11th | |
| The Charlatans | Some Friendly |
| Summary | Of all the albums which have been termed 'triumphant', this is one of the few that actually merits such a cliched description. The Charlatans have returned with their most dazzling album yet, 'borrowing' Bob Dylan's harmonica and one of Led Zeppelin's keyboards, to frame Tim Burgess' joyous songs of a man whose heart is truly "on fire". | |
You know, The Charlatans. Bunch of Mancunians, floppy-fringed singer. Sound a bit like Oasis, released that "Only One I Know" record years ago.
Ever regarded as the dogged also-rans of Britpop, The Charlatans have had more than their fair share of malign fate. Following the tragic death of Rob Collins, and betrayal by a trusted accountant, at one point it looked like this album would never be made. Nevertheless, with Us and Us Only, the Charlies have arguably released their finest record to date. Characterised by an unrelenting sense of optimism, …Us Only sees a band who have pulled together and pooled their influences to make one of the most heart-warming records of the year.
Although The Charlatans sound more like a tight-knit musical collective than ever, this is really Tim Burgess’s record. Lyrically more openly personal than their previous releases, Us and Us Only bares the soul of a man in love. Despite declaring on ‘Impossible’ that they are "all too hard to please", Tim’s woman trouble seems only to stretch to a bit of standard confusion. The sweet infusion of his happiness trickles through the crisp harmonies and obvious Dylan references of "The Blind Stagger"
That is not to say that there aren't some darker moments on this record. The loss of Rob Collins still hangs heavily over the band, with the "sweet black angel/laughing on my shoulder" of ‘Senses’ a poignant reminder of their
Probably the weakest track on the album, ‘A House Is Not A Home’, recalls the solid guitars which characterised so much of their earlier output. Elsewhere
You know, The Charlatans. Triumphant over adversity, lead singer in love. Sound a bit like Bob Dylan, just released a damn fine new record.
