(2020) The Charlatans - Between 10th and 11th (Expanded Edition)


Review:
…The bonus content on the reissue is remastered tracks from the live show from Chicago in 1991, known as ‘Isolation 21.2.91.’ A few songs aside, the Charlatans generally regard this release as their least successful album, considering it was recorded at a personal and professional crossroads (Baker’s departure, Rob Collins’ conviction, and so forth). Criticism within and without settled on Flood’s production style as well, his crisp, technically sharp abilities seem to go against the band’s natural flow. In hindsight, though, Between is much stronger than its reputation, with many fans proclaiming it their favorite. It’s partly due to Burgess’ more up-front vocals — his singing is still some of the calmest one will ever hear at the front of such a band, but his performance maintains Some Friendly‘s loose flow while sounding more compelling. Similarly, Blunt’s bass sounds stronger and Rob Collins’ keyboards stand out more, either shading or leading the songs perfectly. “Weirdo,” the album’s lead single and strongest point, has a brilliant lead organ break from Collins and series of great funk stabs that became his strongest performance ever. Equally fine is the electric piano start to “Tremolo Song,” leading to a deep Blunt bass and sassy flow of a song. Brookes and Mark Collins also fill out their parts equally well, with Flood’s production strengthening and creating excellent arrangements for everyone as a whole. His numerous touches are really something, from the sudden shift to buried/flanged production on “Ignition” to “Subtitle”‘s atmospheric mixing and burbling bass. Other highlights include the string-laden charge of “Can’t Even Be Bothered” and the concluding “No One (Not Even the Rain).”


Tracklist:

Between 10th & 11th
1. I Don’t Want to See the Sights
2. Ignition
3. Page One
4. Tremelo Song
5. The End of Everything
6. Subtitle
7. Can’t Even Be Bothered
8. Weirdo
9 .Chewing Gum Weekend
10. (No One) Not Even the Rain

Live at Chicago Metro
1. Imperial 109
2. The Only One I Know
3. Not Very Well
4. Believe You Me
5. Then
6. Happen to Die
7. Flower
8. White Shirt
9. Indian Rope
10. Opportunity
11. Sproston Green
12. 10th and 11th


Media Report:
Genre: indie-pop, indie-rock
Format: FLAC
Format/Info: Free Lossless Audio Codec, 16-bit PCM
Bit rate mode: Variable
Channel(s): 2 channels
Sampling rate: 44.1 KHz
Bit depth: 16 bits