The Charlatans made a surprising comeback in 1995, turning in an eponymous album that earned them their best reviews and sales ever. Tellin' Stories, the follow-up to The Charlatans, should have been triumphant, but tragedy struck midway through its recording, when keyboardist Rob Collins was killed in a car accident. Collins was an integral part of the band's lineup, creating a distinctive, swirling, neo-psychedelic sound, and it seemed unlikely that the band could carry on without him, much less record a record as earthy and warm as Tellin' Stories. Primal Scream's Martin Duffy volunteered to help the band complete the album, which was basically written before Collins' death, and that might explain why there are no overt references to his absence anywhere on the album. Instead, Tellin' Stories is another collection of classicist rock & roll spiked with dance beats, much like any other Charlatans album. Where its predecessor was more informed by mechanized beats, the rhythms are more organic, which perfectly suits the rolling "North Country Boy," the sweeping "One to Another," and the heart-tugging "How Can You Leave Us?" And, like any other Charlatans album, it doesn't quite hold together, falling apart with instrumentals and ill-conceived songs toward the end. On the whole, however, Tellin' Stories is more consistent than their earlier records, and the best songs showcase the band at its strongest, which is quite an achievement considering the traumas the Charlatans underwent during its recording. More than anything, that's a fitting salute to Collins.
What separates the 2006 compilation Forever: The Singles (released in the U.S. in 2007) from the 1998 Melting Pot? The simple answer: the eight years separating the two compilations and that Forever draws heavily from the four albums that came out since Melting Pot, resulting in such '90s Charlatans classics as "Just Lookin'" and "Jesus Hairdo" being left behind. In effect, if Melting Pot documents the Charlatans peak, tracing their rise from the baggy of 1990's Some Friendly to the retro-rock of the 1997 masterpiece Tellin' Stories, Forever is the story of how this quintet turned into rock & roll survivors, weathering tragedies and shifts in fashion to become a strong, reliable rock band, always dependable for solid, entertaining albums even if their singles were not as big or as memorable as "The Only One I Know," "Can't Get Out of Bed," "Just When You're Thinking Things Over," "One to Another," or "North Country Boy." Forever is a good overview of that band and is a worthwhile introduction in that regard, but Melting Pot remains a better portrait of the band at its popular and creative peak
The average American's concept of Britpop is a vision filled with images of Radiohead, Oasis, and Blur. With the release of Us and Us Only, The Charlatans UK (Charlatans everywhere else except the US) have shown that they too are a contender in this musical battle for recognition. And while Tim Burgess's lyrics may never reach the artistic incomprehensibility of Thom Yorke's, and nor will the band members become as recognizable as the often-despisable Gallagher brothers, The Charlatans continue to climb up the Britpop ladder. Us and Us Only is the fifth album from The Charlatans.It is also their first album on MCA, after breaking from indie label Beggar's Banquet. The album continue the natural progression of the band while at the same time dealing with the death of their keyboardist, who was replaced by pianist Tony Rogers. Building melodies around keyboards has always been a standard tactic with The Charlatans,and this album is no different. However, this time around other influences become apparent as well. Such is the case with the album's opener "Forever." Influences of the UK's big beat scene are unmistakably present. Sampled strings, a driving bassline, and a steady drum beat slowly build until Burgess's vocals enter and the song takes full form. Sound layers build, combine, and recede creating the sonic force necessary to introduce this album. Music varies in style throughout the album, running the gamut of haunting mental discharges to earnest acoustic ballads. "Good Witch / Bad Witch 3" is a Stone-Roses-esque blend of Air-meets-Death in Vegas lamentation which leaves the listener at a state of meditative mental stasis, only to be thrown from this stasis by the opening acoustic chords of "Impossible." Throughout the album the band continues to shine. Bob Dylan influences are obvious in some of the acoustic songs, especially "A House is Not a Home" to the point where it would not be surprising if the man himself stepped in for a verse or two. Yet other songs place layers upon layers, incorporating harmonicas, synths, organs, and pianos taking pop-rock music and transcending its boundaries. The Charlatans started out with their own vein of rock, and have continued to stay within that vein. They tread their own ground progressing at their own rate, oftentimes leaving the rest jof the pack behind. While Oasis has continued to remake the same album time and time again and Radiohead progresses so much as to change style on every album, The Charlatans bring back their previous styles and build upon them. Fans of earlier works will be pleased by this album, and for those who are looking for Britpop that is staying up with the times, Us and Us Only is the answer. They have at times been called too hip for alt.rock fans as well as not progressive enough for fans of Britpop innovation, but nevertheless this album is an excellent work - one of their best. It will also be the album to introduce them to an audience larger than their fellow countrymen and those Britpop junkies who have already realized the band's talent.