Some eighties' bands reform and record, and you wonder why they bothered.
Brit band
Charlie are the latest ageing outfit to complete the journey on the long road back from semi legendary obscurity.
There's a bit of poetic license going on of course, as '
Kitchens Of Distinction' is almost entirely the work of Mainman Terry Thomas, writer, guitarist, vocalist, producer, with a little help here and there from erstwhile bandmate, Julian Colbeck, but let me tell you, this is unarguably one of the best comebacks in the world of melodic rock that you're likely to hear.
Since
Charlie's last album,
'Mirage' in 1985, Thomas has been making a living and a reputation as a producer, counting Richard Marx, Tesla,
Giant and
Foreigner among the big names who've used his services.
His most recent piece of work, Tesla's
'Forevermore' is an immensely powerful testimony to the man's skill and vision in the studio.
Charlie's sound was heavily influenced by North American AOR, underlaid with British bite. The US influence has all but disappeared; this is the new, improved, British variant of the melodic rock genre. On
'Kitchens...', Thomas's darkly humorous lyrics, laced with cynicism and sarcasm, are refreshing and provocative, an auditory treat. Not so much songs, as morality tales, targeting cheap celebrity, soporific TV soaps, reality shows and rampant consumerism with unerring accuracy.
Song titles like
'Popstar', '
Shit TV' and '
Cars' are all something of a dead giveaway.
Musically, it's still
Charlie, but it carries more weight now.
None of it flab, all of it lean, well defined muscle, powerful, hardhitting, but agile and nimble when it needs to be.
Thomas's mixing and matching in the studio is outstanding. He's no slave to fashion, past or present. The production on the riffy
'Blue Sky Bullshit' maybe steely, hard edged; the sound may be current, relevant, but the harmonies go way back to Steely Dan and Crosby, Stills and Nash.
The rippling, jazz-blues guitar intro to '
West Coast Thing' underlines Thomas's overlooked talent as an axeman, as does the suitably sinister, uncompromising axe solo that brings
'Alcohol' to an appropriately ragged edged end.
Ironically, the intimately personal,
'Don't Let Go' is the most affecting song here. A poignant, lingeringly romantic song of regret, beefed up by tough guitars and a huge percussive thump.
Opener,
'Get a Life' is the album's most immediate song. It's loud, it's brash, but its exuberant rush of edgy guitar rock and sweetened, melodicentric harmonies set out the band's stall with a flourish.
That said, breakneck closer
'It's Not Enough', knee deep in giant guitars and slick, industrial strength riffs is maybe the album's outstanding track. Among so much great material, it's a tough call.
Word has it that Thomas is currently remastering the band's old albums with a view to reissue this year. Roll on.
Written by
Brian Sunday, August 30, 2009
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