The Charlatans - Who We Touch
No sooner had The Charlatans released the anniversary edition of their debut album, Some Friendly, they return with a new collection of tracks, twenty years after their first effort.
Who We Touch is their eleventh studio album and once again, the band have changed direction whilst retaining their distinctive musical identity. Tim Burgess has stated that the record is “a soulful voyage”, which (with the exception of the punk tinged opening track ‘Love Is Ending’) is a perfect summary of its ten track duration.
‘My Foolish Pride’ is a sweet, reflective composition of lost love (“We used to laugh at all the jokes that we told/And on holidays we would hug in the car”) which completely suits Burgess’s vocals.
‘Intimacy’ is overly long but the gradual build up and climatic ending will probably fair better when played live, though Burgess’s vocals (to be perfectly honest) sound strained by this point.
‘Sincerity’, on the other hand, is a wonderfully nostalgic track stemming back to the band’s aforementioned debut. It features their trademark use of synthesizers and keyboards in infectious loops, along with a simplistic but catchy chorus and a bridge which hooks onto your attention tightly. It is a track which would no doubt be dismissed if it was recorded by a new band, but for the long established boys from Northwich it is a prime example of their charm.
‘Trust In Desire’ is a heartfelt and uplifting lament, whilst ‘Oh!’ is a pleasant track of reconciliation which will divide fans with its shifting time signatures, but deserves praise for its element of surprise upon its first listen. Its finale - the minimalistic and ambient ‘You Can Swim’ - is a heavenly and calming ending to an impressive piece of work.
Who We Touch contains a collection of moods with an overtone of blissful optimism which nods towards the laid back delivery of the bands earlier days whilst still managing to remain upbeat, current and eternally likeable.
Who We Touch is their eleventh studio album and once again, the band have changed direction whilst retaining their distinctive musical identity. Tim Burgess has stated that the record is “a soulful voyage”, which (with the exception of the punk tinged opening track ‘Love Is Ending’) is a perfect summary of its ten track duration.
‘My Foolish Pride’ is a sweet, reflective composition of lost love (“We used to laugh at all the jokes that we told/And on holidays we would hug in the car”) which completely suits Burgess’s vocals.
‘Intimacy’ is overly long but the gradual build up and climatic ending will probably fair better when played live, though Burgess’s vocals (to be perfectly honest) sound strained by this point.
‘Sincerity’, on the other hand, is a wonderfully nostalgic track stemming back to the band’s aforementioned debut. It features their trademark use of synthesizers and keyboards in infectious loops, along with a simplistic but catchy chorus and a bridge which hooks onto your attention tightly. It is a track which would no doubt be dismissed if it was recorded by a new band, but for the long established boys from Northwich it is a prime example of their charm.
‘Trust In Desire’ is a heartfelt and uplifting lament, whilst ‘Oh!’ is a pleasant track of reconciliation which will divide fans with its shifting time signatures, but deserves praise for its element of surprise upon its first listen. Its finale - the minimalistic and ambient ‘You Can Swim’ - is a heavenly and calming ending to an impressive piece of work.
Who We Touch contains a collection of moods with an overtone of blissful optimism which nods towards the laid back delivery of the bands earlier days whilst still managing to remain upbeat, current and eternally likeable.
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