The Charlatans
You Cross My Path

There's no doubt that the idea by Radiohead has left its mark.

While there is still discussion on the validity of their initiative (for the few who might still not know, Yorke and company decided to release their latest album "In Rainbows" as a download, allowing purchasers to choose their own price, and only later release the physical disc), The Charlatans have opted for a more radical method: offering the new work "You Cross My Path" for free from the XFM website. The album will then be released on May 19 in CD and vinyl/box set format, on the Cooking Vinyl label. It's a bold and courageous move, which surely only a band with an established and long career can probably afford.

Now, let's talk about the album. Produced by The Charlatans themselves along with James Spencer and recorded between Los Angeles, Ireland, and Cheshire, it was preceded a full five months by the title track, a driving first single that already reveals the band's intentions; abandoning the dub and reggae fascinations of the previous "Simpatico," to aim for more classic rock atmospheres.

The keyboard, first and foremost, continues (as expected) to be fundamental to the sound of Tim Burgess and company. Tracks like "Mis-takes" (a cascade of very eighties sounds) and "Missing Beats (Of A Generation)" (the latter being splendid, perhaps the best Charlatans track in six years) highlight this aspect well.

"Oh! Vanity", opener and new single, is catchy and engaging in its extreme simplicity, fundamentally British, starting with the pleasant bed of guitars and keyboard. "Bad Days" begins with a pounding bass and then follows a danceable path, enriched with lively acoustic guitars. The balance shifts, however, in tracks like "My Name Is Despair" and "The Misbegotten", focusing more on enhancing the groove of the piece (expanded sounds, semi-hallucinatory vocals, hypnotic drum loops) rather than sticking to the classic song form. Melodically, the band seems to weave more incisive and pleasant textures compared to some lackluster performances pre-Simpatico (much of "Up At The Lake"), a clear sign of good (and rediscovered) inspiration. Tim Burgess, as usual, performs well, perfectly comfortable enriching the sound textures woven by the band with his vocal skill and versatility.

Alan McGee (for those who don't know, a well-known manager in Albion for discovering heavyweights like The Jesus And Mary Chain, Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine, Teenage Fanclub, Oasis, and The Libertines) has called "You Cross My Path" their best work since "Tellin' Stories".

A bit exaggerated, perhaps, but certainly not far from the truth.

Key Tracks: "Oh! Vanity", "Missing Beats (Of A Generation)", "My Name Is Despair"