Us And Us Only

The Charlatans UK | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 19, 1999)
• Original Release Date: October 19, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Mca
• ASIN: B00002DDP6
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #306,229 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars let's think, March 2, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Us And Us Only (Audio CD)

I'll start by saying that this is my first review ever, of anything. What inspired it is the poor reviews some other people have given the album and one reviewers remark that the band misses the deceased "organ player", Mark Collins. I do not know if he Mark Collins has died but he is actually a guitar player for the band, not a keyboard man. This may give some readers insight into the quality of that review. "Us and Us Only" is perhaps the finest offering the Charlatans have given. Certainly it is more guitar driven than than the earlier albums "some freindly" and "betweem the 10th and 11th" and "sound-wise" is similar to "up to our hips" and "tellin stories". Anyway, this album is a treasure. It grooves like early Happy Mondays and is combined with pop and mature lyrics that should reveal to the recent "stereophonics" and "gomez" fans who the masters are (and I enjoy both of those bands). Buy and enjoy it as you groove around whatever town you live in. Thanks for your time.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Thoroughly Good Album With A Couple Of Highlights, October 25, 2001

By 

Bjorn Clasen (Rolléngergronn, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Europe) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Us And Us Only (Audio CD)

'Forever' opens this album. And does so experimentally. Once the long song has reached its lyrical part after the long intro's crescendo, the album sounds like The Charlatans do.

It is tempting to describe the style as a mixture of Bob Dylan and Oasis...

The highlights are 'Senses (Angel On My Shoulder)' and 'My Beautiful Friend'. The former starts with a Dylanish harmonica, supported by silent and concentrated piano play, and later explodes in a feast of vocals, violins, guitars... and still the harmonica. The latter has its brilliant lyrics and vocals, and a very charlaming beat and makes an uncomplicated but irresistible composition.

Both songs are The Charlatans at their best: Outstanding!
Also the silent guitar semi-ballad 'The Blonde Waltz' is a very typical Charlatans song which it is hard not to fall for.

A worthwile album from The Charlatans.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly great album by the most underrated 90's band., July 13, 2000

By 

David Groves (England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Us And Us Only (Audio CD)

The Charlatans have always dabbled in psychedelia, right from their debut album in 1991. This album brings it to the fore aswell as treating us to great production, meaningful lyrics and some of the most interesting tunes they have written.

The opening epic 'Forever' shows how far the band have come, building up using keyboards, bass guitar, backwards loops and improved Burgess' vocals to help create a true masterpiece.

'Impossible' hears Burgess go into Dylan territory for the first time (complete with harmonica), but the song fails to do enough to be anything special. 'The Blonde Waltz' shows the new direction the band have taken with the album, with meaningful harmonies, travelling bass lines but as ever with trippy organ backing. The songs builds up into a good psychedelic love song.

'A House Is Not A Home' hears Burgess in full Dylan carnation, but this lame song goes nowhere and is not worthy of the typically experimental album. 'Senses' again slowly builds from harmonica and bass, before exploding into a moody, sixties blues mellotron-filled rocker.

The next two tracks are two of the highlights on this landmark album. Firstly the emotional 'My Beautiful Friend', using backward guitars, violins, Beatlesque harmonies and a post-BritPop tune to full effect. Next comes 'I Don't Care Where You Live' - the song of the album, expressing sensitivity not heard in a Charlatans Number before. A beautiful tune, classical piano, delicate harmonies, sympethetic guitars and clever time-change drumming makes this one of the songs of the year.

'The Blind Stagger' includes a John Squire-like guitar riff but the Dylanesque melody does not do enough to warrant inclusion. The dark 'Good Witch, Bad Witch 2' shows the bands willingness to experiment with backward keyboard, vocal effects, double-bass and eerie xylophone passages, before turning into a twisted look at the seedier side of life.

The album ends with the epic 'Watching You', with mid-sixties harmonies adding to the clever chord shift and necessary backward guitar loops. A fine conclusion.

The Charlatans end the decade on a high and have grown as a band despite numerous personal set-backs. Though some may prefer the straight forward melodic pop-rock of 'Tellin' Stories' (see my review), this album should give the band the acknowledgement that they have warranted after 10 years at the top of British music.