Charlatans: You Cross My Path
Friday, 09 May 2008 07:41
Back to their best on their tenth studio album
Cooking Vinyl, out May 12th.
In a nutshell…
Deliciously retro, fresh and just plain impressive.
What's it all about?
You Cross My Path signals yet another fresh leaf for the band, and showcases the Charlatans' sound musical and production abilities. As usual with the Charlatans, their inspiration is taken from a motley mix of sources – particularly prominent on the album are Euro-influenced grooves and Wurlitzer organ sounds. As we are moved through the ten songs on the album, the listener is taken down a path past organ-heavy New Order-esque refrains to deep guitar laments, via potential festival anthems. Particularly lovely are My Name Is Despair and You Cross My Path. Always open to new ideas, the band has taken the Radiohead concept a step further: the album is offered as a free download on their website from May 17th.
Who's it by?
The Charlatans have been an intrinsic part of the British music scene for the better part of twenty years now, bursting into the public psyche with The Only One I Know, reaching the top ten in 1990, closely associated with the Madchester genre. Since then, the West Midlands-born five have achieved sustained popular and critical praise for their work. One thing's for sure: you can't say the band hasn't kept on its toes throughout the years, and You Cross My Path is yet another example of the Charlatans’ talent for producing fresh but classic sounds.
As an example...
"One would like to dye my hair/ at least let me do your roots."
Likelihood of a trip to the Grammys
The critics will love it, the fans will embrace it, and people in the street will stop and cheer it. An all round good-egg of an album; it would be great to see it there.
What the others say
"I have to be honest, this is probably the best LP the band have made since Tellin' Stories... it somehow manages to appeal to both the modern indie fan and the older, more Mancunian-based nostalgia fan." – Electric Roulette.com
So is it any good?
Some may call it (and have called it) "New Order lite" and there is much evidence that the Mancunian alternative band have had a goodly amount of influence on You Cross My Path. However, the particular skill of the Charlatans is to take these sounds and experiment, yet remain true to the classic Charlatans sound. The uplifting harmonies and intense and meaningful lyrics we know the band is capable of are only enhanced by their creative dabbling in different sounds and solid production.
Song-wise, My Name Is Despair shines out, perhaps not as single material but as typical old-school Charlatans melded with dazzling freestyle organ sounds and delicious harmonies. This Is The End also follows in this vein, with the potential to be a summer festival anthem, and Mis-Takes could be a contender for single status.
9/10
Rebecca Heath
"This review is almost spot on. The album is simply superb and should be part of any serious music lover's collection." - Big Digger
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