For their 13th studio LP, the Charlatans have wheeled in friends, legends and even a literary great to give ‘Different Days’ a distinctly collaborative feel.
There’s a strong Mancunian flavour to the record, too, with New Order’s Stephen Morris (drums and programming) featuring on seven tracks and Gillian Gilbert playing synths on one. Add to that input from iconic Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr, who contributed to three numbers, and you start to get the picture.
But the roll call elsewhere is truly diverse, with crime writer Ian Rankin and Lambchop’s Kurt Wagner landing spoken word tracks and Catastrophe writer and star Sharon Horgan contributing backing vocals. Perhaps the biggest coup of all, though, is Paul Weller, who co-wrote, played piano and sang on the genteel album closer Spinning Out.
Plastic Machinery features Marr and is a cracker. It’s classic Charlatans and a worthy single, with its brilliant chorus and quivering guitar solo. Marr also pops up on Not Forgotten, a track sent over to the Brian Jonestown Massacre’s Anton Newcombe as a work-in-progress before bouncing back less than 15 minutes later with some additional ideas added in. Its impressively moody, brooding verses are of particular note.
Marr seems to have cornered the three best tracks on the album, with his third and final contribution coming on the brilliant title track. It’s a little like opening a musical box as acoustic guitars are overtaken by a huge chorus that hits home after teetering on the brink for a tantalising moment.
‘Different Days’ opens with Hey Sunrise, which provides a mellow introduction. The faster tempo and trademark Hammond organ of Solutions – “Desperately seeking solutions,” sings Tim Burgess – are another highlight while the lazy, chilled out There Will Be Chances delivers a wonderfully catchy chorus as Burgess tells of finding no answers from staring into space.
But a couple of cuts here offer less than its best moments, notably the mildly irritating The Same House and its repetitive “we can live in the same house, we can all wear matching shoes” refrain. The largely uninspiring Over Again also stumbles due to a lyrical reliance on its title.
Following on from 2015’s superb ‘Modern Nature’ was never going to be an easy task, so bulking out the band’s four-man line-up was perhaps a wise move. ‘Different Days’ not only continues the Charlatans’ fine legacy, but it gives the band a fresh feel and new impetus that is all the more remarkable when you consider that they are approaching their 30th year. As Burgess recently Tweeted Serge Pizzorno after the Kasabian guitarist said his band was one of the few rock ‘n’ roll outfits still going: “Oh do fuck off!”
The Charlatans Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Fri June 16 2017 - SCARBOROUGH Open Air Theatre
Wed November 29 2017 - NOTTINGHAM Rock City
Thu November 30 2017 - SHEFFIELD O2 Academy Sheffield
Fri December 01 2017 - WOLVERHAMPTON Wolverhampton Civic Hall
Sat December 02 2017 - MANCHESTER O2 Apollo
Mon December 04 2017 - GLASGOW O2 Academy Glasgow
Tue December 05 2017 - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE O2 Academy Newcastle
Thu December 07 2017 - LEEDS O2 Academy Leeds
Fri December 08 2017 - CARDIFF Cardiff University Students Union
Sat December 09 2017 - LONDON O2 Academy Brixton
Sun December 10 2017 - DUBLIN Academy
Mon December 11 2017 - BELFAST Limelight
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