The Album Review Club - Week #145 - (page 1923) - Tellin' Stories - The Charlatans

[RobMCFC]

Anyone else hearing Liam Gallagher vibe in some of these tracks ? Especially ‘all kinds of time’ and bought for a Song, f*ck! And ‘Supercollider’ tell me that’s not Liam

Yes. Like I said, three of the last four songs seem like an Oasis plug-in module.

 

[mancity2012_eamo]

The Stunning my highest mark and the only group I'm investigating their back catalogue from this thread.

Try The Walls as a follow on to the Stunning who only have the 3 albums on Spotify.
The two Wall brothers continued on and have another three albums.
You can hear a progression from Paradise in the Picturehouse through to Twice Around The World and then into Hi-Lo by The Walls which adds a retro synth and organ sound that is totally different but every bit as addictive to me.
They progress and mature through the following two albums.

Going to see them next Friday. Haven’t been to a gig since well before covid.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

Anyone else hearing Liam Gallagher vibe in some of these tracks ? Especially ‘all kinds of time’ and bought for a Song, f*ck! And ‘Supercollider’ tell me that’s not Liam

I wrote that in my review -- Supercollider HAS to be an Oasis rip. And I agree with you on "Bought For A Song" and "Elevator Up" (the bonus track) too.

The Supercollider lyrics are a kick too -- "Gather 'round the gas tower / Don't it kind of look like a bong? / I heard it backwards / Hidden in a Pink Floyd song."

 

[Saddleworth2]

It’s pleasant. Talk about damning with faint praise. I’m listening it just now for the third time and it’s easy to like and difficult to critique. Well written, played and sung power pop, sounds like quite a few bands (that I couldn’t name) and the music feels very familiar. I can’t think of a single instance I would choose it to sit and listen too, power pop is not a genre I particularly frequent. If I want vocal based pop I’ll put on Pet Sounds. That jangly guitar, maybe some document, power pop, Steve McQueen.
Foggy, it’s a really good pick. Have never listened to them before and enjoyed this album. For me though it’s a an average mark of 5/10.

 

[BimboBob]

It's like lift music. I know I've heard this before but can't remember where. An hour later it comes to me. Everywhere. This album is as generic an album as you could wish to have. a bit of swearing? Check. Guitar pop hooks? Check. Lyrics that have to rhyme? Check. But what of the mid song solos I hear you ask. Oh wait...check.

It's kiddie rock. Rock lite. A collection of guitar songs aimed at the late teen/ early 20 something American kids. You know the type. Until...

They suddenly branch out. It's part Beach Boys, part Simon and Garfunkel, part country (Hung Up On You), part Oasis...It's as though they decided to chuck in everything and anything...

I like an album as an adventure, start from the beginning and listen, a journey, with a common theme running. This is not that. The whole album splutters along, staggering from one genre to another without really hitting the mark in any. Is it any wonder that their previous outing bombed and their record company cut them loose? Without Stacy's Mum this album would have followed.

Plus points? Erm...they sing the word shit? There's none really. It's been done before them. It's been done better than them. It's of it's time. It's very dated. It gets a massive 2/10.

 

[Bill Walker]

It's like lift music. I know I've heard this before but can't remember where. An hour later it comes to me. Everywhere. This album is as generic an album as you could wish to have. a bit of swearing? Check. Guitar pop hooks? Check. Lyrics that have to rhyme? Check. But what of the mid song solos I hear you ask. Oh wait...check.

It's kiddie rock. Rock lite. A collection of guitar songs aimed at the late teen/ early 20 something American kids. You know the type. Until...

They suddenly branch out. It's part Beach Boys, part Simon and Garfunkel, part country (Hung Up On You), part Oasis...It's as though they decided to chuck in everything and anything...

I like an album as an adventure, start from the beginning and listen, a journey, with a common theme running. This is not that. The whole album splutters along, staggering from one genre to another without really hitting the mark in any. Is it any wonder that their previous outing bombed and their record company cut them loose? Without Stacy's Mum this album would have followed.

Plus points? Erm...they sing the word shit? There's none really. It's been done before them. It's been done better than them. It's of it's time. It's very dated. It gets a massive 2/10.

I'm not keen on this album and Bimbo you have described pretty much how I feel about this band.
I don't know... the music didn't do anything for me really as it just sounded generic like I've heard it all before by somebody else, I just can't remember who.
Sorry foggy I will not be playing this again there is no point as it does nothing for me I'm afraid.
I don't feel any attachment to it, I don't detect any depth.
It's well produced.
3/10

 

[RobMCFC]

It's like lift music. I know I've heard this before but can't remember where. An hour later it comes to me. Everywhere. This album is as generic an album as you could wish to have. a bit of swearing? Check. Guitar pop hooks? Check. Lyrics that have to rhyme? Check. But what of the mid song solos I hear you ask. Oh wait...check.

It's kiddie rock. Rock lite. A collection of guitar songs aimed at the late teen/ early 20 something American kids. You know the type. Until...

They suddenly branch out. It's part Beach Boys, part Simon and Garfunkel, part country (Hung Up On You), part Oasis...It's as though they decided to chuck in everything and anything...

I like an album as an adventure, start from the beginning and listen, a journey, with a common theme running. This is not that. The whole album splutters along, staggering from one genre to another without really hitting the mark in any. Is it any wonder that their previous outing bombed and their record company cut them loose? Without Stacy's Mum this album would have followed.

Plus points? Erm...they sing the word shit? There's none really. It's been done before them. It's been done better than them. It's of it's time. It's very dated. It gets a massive 2/10.

I'm not keen on this album and Bimbo you have described pretty much how I feel about this band.
I don't know... the music didn't do anything for me really as it just sounded generic like I've heard it all before by somebody else, I just can't remember who.
Sorry foggy I will be playing this again there is no point as it does nothing for me I'm afraid.
I don't feel any attachment to it, I don't detect any depth.
It's well produced.
3/10

Everybody's entitled to their opinion but by heck, these two reviews are harsh.

I agree that there isn't a cohesive theme to this album, and for that reason, it could never qualify as great, but what they have done across multiple genres is pretty catchy. I like more thoughtful, deeper stuff, but pulling off a memorable 3-minute pop song is no mean feat, and they've done that several times here. Cohesive it isn't, but it's certainly doesn't lack variety and only the attempt at country doesn't work for me.

Anyway, each to their own.

 

[Mancitydoogle]

As I’ve said before I like FOW, I bought their first album when I was going through my Power Pop period with the likes of Marshall Crenshaw and Mathew Sweet.This album is a progression from the first two albums.It shows off their song writing ability and the fact they can switch styles, albeit tongue in cheek easily.I like Chris Collingwood‘s voice, the production, the witty lyrics, the musicianship and the variation in tracks, like the Cars tribute and the Oasis pastiche, which I think is a piss take of a band who blatantly copied the Beatles Lol.
its a very good easy listening album that’s mostly upbeat and doesn’t take itself seriously which to me ,as mostly I listen to melancholic and depressing music,or so my wife tells me is a refreshing change.

8/10

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

It’s perfectly fine for folks not to like this. It’s not supposed to be heavy nor meaningful, which the most casual bit of reading on the band would tell you. It’s SUPPOSED to be derivative and a series of homages.

And of course that’s why I selected it — because it’s anti-prog. Because there is still joy in pop music that doesn’t attempt to be groundbreaking or important, that’s merely a function of hooks and rhymes. At least to me.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

Everybody's entitled to their opinion but by heck, these two reviews are harsh.

I agree that there isn't a cohesive theme to this album, and for that reason, it could never qualify as great, but what they have done across multiple genres is pretty catchy. I like more thoughtful, deeper stuff, but pulling off a memorable 3-minute pop song is no mean feat, and they've done that several times here. Cohesive it isn't, but it's certainly doesn't lack variety and only the attempt at country doesn't work for me.

Anyway, each to their own.

There’s no adulation of the genius, no dark brooding poetry, no 14 minute songs, no music so complex it takes a wizard to play. But you are absolutely right — if it were easy to write a memorable 3-minute pop song, there would be a shit-ton more good ones.