Who We Touch

These are warm, appealing tunes with no false bluster or crass anthemism, light years ahead of the bombastic drivel certain peers have offered up this year. The Charlatans are old fashioned, maybe even a little antiquated. But are they past it as songwriters? No way.

It's recognizably the Charlatans--it's hard to disguise Tim Burgess's laconic drawl or the light psychedelic pull of his melodies--but they're unexpectedly abandoning their dad-rock handbook and taking risks, winding with their freshest, best album since they traded the Happy Mondays for the Rolling Stones.

Alongside an early double hit of the two best pop songs the band have written in a decade and a rabble rousing take on their own Sproston Green, the album sees Tim Burgess pay respect to lifelong influence Crass. [Sep 2010, p.118]

The Charlatans have never been afraid to fail, which makes it all the more pleasant when they succeed. Who We Touch isn't exactly an easy album to sink into, but it gets less weedy with each listen.

Sure, there's no serious wheel re-invention taking place here, and only a sycophantic fool would suggest that. Nevertheless, Who We Touch can hold its head high, safe in the knowledge that its creators are by no means a spent force.

"Trust in Desire"--one of the album's strongest-brings together several stringed instruments, making the song sound like an epic movie soundtrack, and "Sincerity" is an excellent track filled with toe-tapping, fist-pumping beats and sing-along lyrics. Who We Touch is packed with several such numbers, but also loses its way on a few others.

The Charlatans make commendable attempts to expand their creative horizons. [Oct 2010, p.88]

Who We Touch works best when the band revels in their sense of adventure, but it suffers dramatically when overtly appealing to days gone by.

On Who We Touch there is barely a sign of The Charlatans. [Fall 2010, p.66]

Once the dust dies down, though, the remainder of Who We Touch feels disappointingly timid in comparison, and the particularly saggy middle section sees them pitch their tent smack bang in the middle of the road.