Customer Reviews

Between 10th & 11th (Reis)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've rarely seen a positive review of this CD in the music press (even the band weren't happy with it apparently), but for me, it remains my favorite album of the 90s, possibly ever. Despite the band's terrific work since, I don't believe they, or anyone else, have matched this effort. For me, it's one of those special albums that affects you in the strongest way. From the opening of "I Don't Want To See The Sights" through the end of "No One...Not Even The Rain", "Between 10th and 11th" is first rate from start to finish, with a seamless, bass-heavy production by Flood. If I had to pick favorite tracks, I would have to choose "Ignition", "Page One", "Tremelo Song", "The End Of Everything", and "Chewing Gum Weekend". If I had to decide on only 10 discs to keep for life, this would definitely be one of them - it is that good. It's been eight years since I bought this CD, and I still get the chills from it. A classic.

When The Charlatans first released this album I rushed to buy it, thinking it would be a natural continuation of their excellent debut, "Some Friendly". I could not have been more misguided. This album is a completely unique piece of work that has truly stood the test of time and stand by itself as an essential masterpiece of early 1990s modern rock. I had never heard anything like this album before or since. Although the band is reported to spurn this album as not being one of their favorites, I have to say that I think this is their finest work. Although I really enjoy the different direction they took following this album, which did not enjoy the commerical success of the first album, this album really changed me. It is intelligent, blatant, cruel, passionate, cutting edge and beyond all things it is absolute sonic bliss. The soundscapes created by the organs; the attention of the bass; the sweeping, spacey guitars; Tim Burgess's nonchalant yet retrospective vocals: all are timeless. In this album you will find songs that you identify with, yet you do not understand why. You will come to understand each one of them as part of a story, and that story maybe one for which you create for yourself, or it may be the story of the author. Whichever, this is an album that is meant to be heard alone, either whilst driving long distances, or in the solitude of one's home, or while you work, or study. It will make you think, it will make you yearn, it will inspire you, it will make you angry, and then happy, it will make you feel wonderment and then sadness. And most of all, it will all make perfect sense to you. If there ever was just one album I could take with me to a deserted island, or on a space flight to another galaxy, this would be it. A timeless classic that amazingly intersects love and emotion with the industrial "space age" we live in.

One of my rules when listening to a new band is waiting for their sophmore release before making an educated decision about their talent. Bands like Oasis, Coldplay, The Wonder Stuff, Sigur Ros, The Verve, and Suede have all blown me away with their sophmore releases. You can spend ten years toiling over the first record but the second one is where the pressure of a follow up comes in. With between 10th and 11th, The Charlatans proved that they were up to the challenge. with amazing songwriting and Flood's masterful production, The Charlatans produced a masterpiece that, so far, has been unmatched in their career. Every song just feels right and feels as though they belong together. This record also gave us some of The Charlatans most experimental tracks. The haunting melody of "Subtitle" and the abrupt mood of "(No One)Not Even The Rain" have proved to include a formula that, sadly, The Charlatans could not find again. If you are to purchase on album by this act I beg you to make this the one, you will not be disappointed. I heard a rumour some time ago that the members of the band hated this record which is why you don't hear much of it in concert and why it was ill-represented on the greatest hits cd. it always seems to me though that when an artist hates his work it turns out to be the work the public loves the most, hey guys, keep making records you hate.
Essential Tracks - Subtitle, Wierdo, (No One)Not Even The Rain, Page One
Downside - The single only track "Over Rising" would have been a welcome addition to this record.

With anticipation I eagerly awaited this sophomore release from the Charlatans hoping they would prove to be unique and set themselves apart from all the other British bands who emerged in the early 1990s. I felt, with Between 10th and 11th, the Charlatans fulfilled the promise of their first album, Some Friendly, with great music, a few fun songs, and somewhat clever lyrics. Again, Tim Burgess's vocals are distinctive... and the band carved out what I would call a "Charlatans sound" with this album. Perhaps the band is dissatisfied with this effort, and perhaps critics were quick to dismiss it, but I for one could not take it out of my CD player for weeks when I purchased it. Even today, almost ten years later, I fondly listen to this CD, with the brilliant opener, "I Don't Wanna See the Sights." The second song on the album is not fabulous, but it spills into the third song (another beautifully crafted, upbeat gem) "Page One", which displays catchy guitar work and nicely penned lyrics, "I can't even save myself, and your brutality is obvious to me..."

Other highlights of this album include "Tremelo Song", teh BRILLIANTLY indifferent "I Can't Even Be Bothered" followed by the quirky, delightful "Weirdo" and "Chewing Gum Weekend." Definitely a complete project well worth your while. This is an overlooked gem.

This is the Charlatans' second LP...a very solid effort, and one of their best, but their 3rd LP (Up to Our Hips) is the ultimate. The band describes that one as being very "bleak". But "Between" is full of mid-tempo songs that take a while to sink in, and once they do you won't want them to leave. The only truly funky song is "Weirdo" with its manic Hammond organ solo, while "Page One" has a chorus which is so infectious that you won't know what hit you. The ending "(No One) Not Even the Rain" is a brilliant end to a rather sad LP. This is a must-have for Charlatans fans.

The first few listens on this record I thought it was boring but after about three listens I become to love it. This album is like wine, it gets better with every listen. Its mystical, a record you put on to escape. "Weirdo" has to be one of the band's best song. This album is well worth your time, just give it time.

Despite many reviews, I find this one of their best albums. The songs are more though provoking, less simple, and the music is nothing but brilliant. The more you listen, the more you like it.

Let me just start by saying that today this morning, a Friday, the sun shone, having no alternative, on the something new. With sincerest apologies to the exiled son of May Beckett from Foxrock. Still though, there I was and me on a sick day on account of yet another migraine, that the official story over the phone but as a matter of hard fact I just discovered last Thursday that bananas, which I had eaten at least two and actually more like three of every day for at least eighteen years, had suddenly sort of boomeranged back to banjax my brain, so I decided today of all days to milk this disposition right into a three-day weekend. A potent trigger for migraines is what Google said of bananas, I logged on and found out. Sigh. But that's not the first thing, which is today, the fifteenth of August, the September issue of Playboy just came out and part three of Denis Johnson's serial pulp fiction Nobody Move is right on schedule. The stolen wallet of Ernest Gambol, wounded hitman, is so full of cash that Jimmy Luntz has to actually stand up to take it out of his pocket. I myself had to stand up to laugh properly at this. Or Jimmy saying "For goodness sake" to Deputy Rabbit after the county cop told him the Caddy looked like it might have a bullet hole in the left rear quarter panel. And then there's Jimmy and Anita finding John Capra outside his trailer stringing an old guitar at dusk and after just the perfect amount of time here is what John Capra asks: "I think what I want to say right here is 'What is the meaning of this?'" Or finally there's the story Jimmy tells Anita about the hippie wandering in from the desert to gamble his last quarter in Vegas and in addition to the usual assorted scraggly threads this hairball is sporting a pair of Hindu balloon pants. There are at least fifty thousand of these little gems in every installment so far of this pitch-perfect and seamlessly hilarious noir in progress. Kudos too to Playboy for snaring this dude from the top drawer--and while I'm at it Ashley Harkleroad for the August cover. Nude Tennis, Anyone? As Eric Clapton might say, wouldn't that be nice? Tim Burgess and his band though. Both of the two main reasons I own Between 10th and 11th are one, the bananas--the first time I clocked that bunch of chimp feed on the cover I think I probably decided more or less instamatically to log online and fill my shopping cart with this record along with Mountain's Climbing and Nantucket Sleighride because the vendor in this instance made absolutely irresistible a combined combination of three albums plus a postage scenario that hinted at less than three days. The other reason I bought this record by Them Cheeky Charlatans is that, well, really it's a record by The Charlatans, innit? Their other album Some Friendly which I'm only slightly ashamed to say I actually stole from a friend of mine once while the dude was in the kitchen making tea--I'm not apologising either, the felly's cat Pookie nearly had me eye out when I went for the remote--but that record hasn't even the slightest or minutest botch if you ask me. Great electric shapes it throws every single time--check out Opportunity at high volume in your slippers of a Saturday lunchtime and thank God for these cats from Cheshire. This one here though, B10&11, is an altogether moodier affair, the first song is I Don't Want To See The Sights so listeners are right from the off put on some kind of notice. And to be honest sometimes I can't even be bothered to play Can't Even Be Bothered, which is a shame really coz it's a good song, especially coming out of your telly in the early AM. The tunes behind the songs are the real catch here in any case and each and every one eventually gets a hold of you--mostly it takes mere seconds. I ain't kidding about the telly either--I suddenly lack a good record player now and that's the sad truth. Jimmy Luntz put a bullet in my Toshiba. I don't really mind though, there's the final installment in October, it's a four-parter is Nobody Move, and this story ain't done by a long shot.

My review title says it all about this album. Between 10th and 11th was the second album by the Charlatans and is usually the "forgotten" one, as it has no instantly recognizable singles on it, is not included in discussions of their best, and was slagged so badly by the brutal (and usually WRONG) UK music press that it's been largely overlooked and forgotten. Which is all incorrect, as this is a FANTASTIC album! Their first album, which is vastly overrated, is, in actuality, a mediocre album with a few stunning songs on it (Sproston Green, Then, The Only One I Know). Between 10th and 11th, however, is masterful!

The sound is much thicker and textured, perhaps more so than any other Charlatans album. It's fantastic, though, with Rob Collins' keyboards and Tim Burgess' hushed vocals really at the fore. The best songs on here (honestly,they're all great) are I Don't Want to See the Sights, Ignition, Tremelo Song, Can't Even Be Bothered, Weirdo, and Chewing Gum Weekend, but like I said, they're all awesome. And the segues between some songs is very effective and like a punch in the chest at times.

While I wouldn't get this album if I were starting to get into the Charlatans (for that you should get the self-titled, Tellin' Stories, and Up to Our Hips), this is essential for any fans of this great band!

The Charlatans themselves seem to slag off this album, complaining that the production weakened it. They should listen to the album again, screw the production, it's the tunes that make this cd so damn great. This album is absolutely fantastic! "I Don't Want to See the Sights" and "Ignition" are truly amazing songs, and the others are not much worse. It is one of the only CD's I own that doesn't contain a song that I skip over. If you like good pop music, you must buy this. At least give the samples a listen, you'll see what I mean.