The Charlatans demonstrated signs of a revival on
Up to Our Hips, yet that record in no way suggested the full-fledged return to form of
The Charlatans, the group's most ambitious, focused, and successful album. The group hasn't changed its sonic approach, yet its music has deepened, incorporating heavy dance elements without losing its core sound. Occasionally, the album relies too heavily on trippy dance instrumentals, but those are funkier and wilder than ever before, and they fit neatly next to the group's
Stonesy pop, which is consistently catchy this time around.
The Charlatans illustrates how a working rock & roll band can balance traditional rock and modern post-acid house music, and the results are frequently glorious. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine