Between 10th and 11th (Expanded Edition)

正真正銘の名盤と称される、ザ・シャーラタンズ 92年発表の2作目が貴重なライヴ音源を追加した2枚組エクスパンデッド・エディションで再発!

90年代初頭のマッドチェスター・シーンから登場したUKロック・バンド、ザ・シャーラタンズによる92年リリースの2ndアルバム『Between 10th and 11th』が〈Beggars Arkive〉からリイシュー!デビュー作である『Some Friendly』時のギタリスト、ジョン・ベイカーから新たにマーク・コリンズへメンバーチェンジを果たした本作は、プロデューサーにフラッドことマーク・エリスを起用しギターサウンドがよりフィーチャーされ、UKトップ20のヒット曲でUSでも最大のヒット曲となったシングル「Weirdo」や、「Tremolo Song」、「I Don't Want To See The Sights」といった人気曲が収録されている。
2枚組クリア・ヴァイナルと2枚組CDでのリリースとなる今回のリイシューはオリジナル・アルバムに加えて、ファンからも人気の高い1991年にシカゴのThe Metroで行われたライブ音源が新たにリマスターされ追加収録されている。このライヴ音源は91年当時『Isolation 21.2.91』という名のライヴ・アルバムとして、アメリカとカナダでブートレグCDとしてリリースされ、その後ファンクラブ限定で販売されていた超貴重な音源で正式リリースは今回が初めてとなる。

A few songs aside, the Charlatans generally regard this release as their least successful album, considering it was recorded at a personal and professional crossroads (Baker's departure, Rob Collins' conviction, and so forth). Criticism within and without settled on Flood's production style as well, his crisp, technically sharp abilities seem to go against the band's natural flow. In hindsight, though, Between is much stronger than its reputation, with many fans proclaiming it their favorite. It's partly due to Burgess' more up-front vocals -- his singing is still some of the calmest one will ever hear at the front of such a band, but his performance maintains Some Friendly's loose flow while sounding more compelling. Similarly, Blunt's bass sounds stronger and Rob Collins' keyboards stand out more, either shading or leading the songs perfectly. "Weirdo," the album's lead single and strongest point, has a brilliant lead organ break from Collins and series of great funk stabs that became his strongest performance ever. Equally fine is the electric piano start to "Tremolo Song," leading to a deep Blunt bass and sassy flow of a song. Brookes and Mark Collins also fill out their parts equally well, with Flood's production strengthening and creating excellent arrangements for everyone as a whole. His numerous touches are really something, from the sudden shift to buried/flanged production on "Ignition" to "Subtitle"'s atmospheric mixing and burbling bass. Other highlights include the string-laden charge of "Can't Even Be Bothered" and the concluding "No One (Not Even the Rain)." ~ Ned Raggett