The Charlatans - Between 10th & 11th (1992)

I loved this album when it was released. And at a time when the charts mattered, I was extremely disappointed when it limped into the album charts at number 21 before promptly disappearing.

The record still holds up today despite it’s very dark undertones.

Go on… give it a proper listen, and it’s far better than its rep suggests. In fact, it’s probably their most misunderstood record—tight, shadowy, and quietly confident. Tim Burgess sounds more front and centre than on Some Friendly, still laid-back as ever but finally nudging toward actually singing rather than mumbling. The basslines from Martin Blunt throb with purpose, and Rob Collins’ keys are, frankly, majestic throughout.

“Weirdo” is the obvious knockout—one of their finest ever, with that spiralling organ line and just the right mix of funk and menace. But there’s depth beyond the single. Tremolo Song shimmies in with electric piano and a bassline that slinks rather than swaggers. Ignition dabbles in weird, filtered textures that feel like getting sucked into a radio. And Can’t Even Be Bothered is practically orchestral compared to their earlier stuff—like they were trying to out-melancholy The Verve before The Verve had even got going.

Yes, it bombed at the time. Wrong sound, wrong moment. But in hindsight, this was the turning point—the survival album. They’d wobble, they’d stumble, but they never quite fell.

Goosebumps from start to finish! by Del Franklin