Seven albums in, and
the Charlatans
haven't so much settled into a groove as they've settled into a style. They long ago carved out a niche between classic
British rock
and post-
Madchester
British dance
, and that's what made their music seem fresh for several different generations -- they represented whatever you wanted to see within their distinctly British blend. In that sense, they are indeed proving themselves to be like
the Stones
, who subtly incorporated modern trends into the sound, sometimes so seamlessly you didn't realize they were branching out.
The Charlatans
work from the same template, gradually expanding their sonic texture in terms of modern
dance
trends, without ever abandoning their
rock
base. They occasionally emphasize one side over another --
Us and Us Only
played to the
side of the fence, while
Wonderland
is very heavy on groove and texture, a move that's strangely emphasized by
Tim Burgess
' unexpected reliance on a falsetto. This can mean that the songs fade into the background, but that often seems like an intentional move, since it happens so frequently throughout a record where the surface remains stylish and sleek. Still, that means there's not a whole lot to hold onto, although certain songs start to emerge upon repeated listens --
"You're So Pretty - We're So Pretty"
seduces with its minor-key swagger,
"Love Is the Key"
rocks convincingly,
"I Just Can't Get Over Losing You"
swings nicely. Even so, this winds up as simply a good, solid
Charlatans
record, despite the efforts to jazz things up with a heavier dancefloor quotient. That may seem like a slight, but a solid
record still satisfies, and can't quite be taken for granted just yet. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine