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Dec 10, 2024 Web Exclusive By Austin Trunick

Up to Our Hips shifted away from the breezier dance pop heard on their prior two albums, as The Charlatans dialed up the psychedelic elements which had served as the shiny glosscoat of the Madchester sound. This was no longer a band anyone could dismiss as part of The Stone Roses’ periphery—not when they’re suddenly rocking like they’re headlining Glastonbury in 1971.

There is newfound power behind Jon Brookes’ drumwork, Martin Blunt’s bass lines drive more of the songs, and Tim Burgess’ lead vocals feel looser and freer, but it’s Rob Collins’ swirling Hammond organ contributions that most made The Charlatans’ Hips-era recordings more closely recall earlier British rockers like Procol Harum or Deep Purple than contemporaries Inspiral Carpets or Happy Mondays. (The troubled Collins was jailed for part of the recording sessions, but Hips still provides a nice showcase for his insane talent—he’d pass away before the band could finish their fifth album.)

The transformation of their sound worked for many reasons, not just because it distanced them from a scene that would soon be eclipsed by Britpop, but it freed the band to explore their individual strengths. Some Friendly and Between 10th and 11th are near-classics in their own right, but they are very different from what The Charlatans would become, and what has made them one of the era’s longest-enduring acts. Up to Our Hips was when the band finally came into its own.

Beggars Arkive have commemorated the 30th anniversary of The Charlatans’ rebirth with a re-release that includes a second disc full of B-sides, outtakes, demos, live cuts, and alternate mixes. These range from a raw, early take on hit single “Can’t Get Out of Bed” to outtake “Full of Culture,” an acid jam in the hard-and-heavy vein of instrumental album cut “Feel Flows.” Unlike many deluxe reissues, the bonus tracks here are more than fluff; with further polish, there are several that might have found a deserving home on what is arguably The Charlatans’ best album. (www.thecharlatans.net)

Author rating: 9/10