The Charlatans - Some Friendly (1990)

Some Friendly will always be the quintessential Charlatans album. It has a vibrancy that their other albums have lacked, a willingness to reach for the pop jugular until it surrenders to their baggy vision. That is not to say that the Charlatans have stopped producing terrific pop thrills, but outside of this album they remain a 'what a wonderful single, pity about the album' band. In a live setting the Charlatans shows sparkle due in the most part to the infinite enthusiasm of leadman Tim Burgess. A showman in the Ian Brown mould, it's obvious he still gets mighty kicks from what he does. Each Charlatans gig reaches a beautiful climax when 'Sproston Green' is given a full expansive reworking. This song closes 'Some Friendly' and remains the epitome of a savage assault on the senses with organ drenched guitars swirling over Burgess' lively vocals. Back in 1990 when Some Friendly was released Burgess was a flamboyant bowl haired Madchester vision (take a look at the video for 'The Only One I Know', a true historical document of the early days). The band were prime movers in the Madchester scene and it seems likely that their legend will forever be connected with this period.

'Some Friendly' is full of steamrolling, organ fused, indie grooves. Things get off to an auspicious start on the bass heavy 'You're Not Very Well', nothing revolutionary but a gentle introduction to what lies ahead. 'White Shirt' never gets any recognition but it is a sublime tune, full of fruity twists and vocals that are angelic and mischievous all at once. At this point in their career the Charlatans were capable of producing incredible 3-minute pop wonders. I can still remember the feeling of hearing 'Then' on the goals of the week section of Match of the day. It is a thundering rendition that has a cool swagger that remains intact to this day even if it's creators have got a bit flabby. Madchester bowed to the Hammond ingrained tunes of the sixties. The Inspiral Carpets and the Charlatans adopted this sound more than most. Tunes like 'Believe You Me' loudly hark back to the past while infusing a modern day spirit into proceedings. Songs like 'Polar Bear' and 'Flower' may seem a little lightweight but they are imbued with a youthful attitude and energy that is hard to match. 'The Only One I Know' has passed into the realm of legend at this stage. It is still the Charlatans most cherished moment. Not sure if it's the repetitive Hammond structures, that indie-dance beat, Tim Burgess' detached utterances or the bass frontier near the end but whatever it is, this song is truly genre defining.

The Charlatans slowly became more mainstream as the nineties progressed and while they still have it in their power to conjure up magical melodies there has been a slow progression towards the knackers yard as inspiration slowly diminishes. Keyboardist Rob Collins' tragic death may have signalled the start of the slow demise. The newer albums lack direction and a lot of the material sounds a little sedate and workmanlike. The Charlatans true image will forever be cast in this indispensable debut, however. Whether it can appeal to a new set fans is open to question but for those who remember 1990 as the year they grew up something intangible and unmistakably cool still lurks between this album's grooves.

Rating: 8/10

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