There's a feeling of portent here, from the tidal wave of opener
"Forever" to the lump-in the-throat drama of closing tracks "The Blind
Stagger" and "Watching You." Us & Us Only is serious business.
Only fools underestimate The Charlatans these days, of course. Having
outlasted almost every other British rock band of the '90s and survived
adversities that would have killed off The Rolling Stones, having
released a dozen classic singles and five excellent albums, they've
earned the right to be taken seriously. And, to be honest, they've
always had a way with a dramatic sonic statement - Some Friendly's
"Sproston Green" and Tellin' Stories' "One To Another" still sound like
approaching thunderstorms.
Yet Us & Us Only's sustained intensity is still surprising. The album is
lean at 10 tracks, and has none of the (admittedly enjoyable)
instrumental makeweights that peppered all the band's previous records
(although a miniature Rhodes groove is tacked on to the last track).
The tempo is restrained, but the self-produced sound is big - even
though Jon Brookes' thundering drums are absent from several tracks, Us
& Us Only is The Charlatans' heaviest album.
Tim Burgess rises to the occasion, singing with melodic purpose and even
giving it a bit of throat-shredding dynamism on "Senses." His lyrics
continue to improve too - he's ditched the vague sketches of the early
years in favor of the heart-on-sleeve directness that made "One to
Another" so affecting. Minus one ill-advised quote from the Stones'
"Sweet Black Angel," this is his finest hour, highlighted by the wistful
"I Don't Care Where You Live" and the monumental "The Blind Stagger."
His Dylan studies have paid off.
Us & Us Only is a powerful, inspired rock album from a band that clearly
wants to make a point. That it may be the best work of their career,
continuing their remarkable development into one of the finest bands of
their generation, is some statement indeed.
If you like The Charlatans, check out:
The Charlatans Tellin' Stories
Swell For All The Beautiful People
The Rolling Stones Let It Bleed
Bob Dylan Blood on the Tracks
-- jf
