|
Wonderland
09/17/2001 9:11 PM, Yahoo! Music
Rob O'Connor
When the Charlatans UK first emerged from the Manchester scene of the early 1990s, there wasn't much to suggest that they'd still be making solid albums a decade later. Sure, they had a few cool moments where their shimmering and pretty guitar-keyboard-dance groove washes could take on psychedelic glee, but overall, who was really expecting much? But with each album, they slowly (and emphasis on slowly, these guys take forever to release an album) built staying power. Wonderland sends them back to their rhythm-quest roots. It rocks less but parties harder than 1997's Tellin' Stories. Even the elegy to late keyboardist Rob Collins, "I Just Can't Get Over Losing You" delivers a groove worth more than pure mourning. "And If I Fall" tastefully loops electronic production tricks with an R&B groove that Babyface might think he wrote. Singer Tim Burgess cops a Curtis Mayfield vibe for "Wake Up." Lots of weird things going on here.
|
