C is for Neko Case and The Charlatans UK

By Gabriel

Neko Case

Dear Neko,

Hey, you don't know me but I'm a big fan of your music. Um, and we're both from Virginia and you're really pretty. Sorry, that just came out. (Don't worry, my wife likes you, too!) Anyway, being that you're from Virginia and there aren't many good musicians from here, I've declared you as my sweet Virginian songbird. Admittedly, I didn't know anything about you until you became a part of The New Pornographers. You added a new dimension to their pop music, which became all the more surprising once I found out what your solo music was like. Sometimes I don't really understand the things you write about, but part of me gets it because we're both from Virginia and you also live in Washington, and I also lived in the Pacific Northwest. It's kinda awesome out there, huh? Well, I've heard people compare you to Patsy Cline, but she's old and you're the new hot shit. You have such a huge voice that is also soft and sensual. Plus, you play the guitar and ladies that play the guitar are totally hot. So, I hope to continue listening to your songs about love, murder, tornadoes, sparrows and all things nature.

Your best Virginian fan,
Gabriel

The Charlatans UK

Note: I really wanted to write about Elvis Costello because he's the godfather of indie music and "What's So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding" is nothing but TRUTH. Alas, Elvis didn't have as much impact on me. Here's hoping someone else knows a bit more about him.

veryone goes through musical phases that are fairly matched up with current trends or types of music. I believe it's generally true that there was a second British Invasion in the late 90's, although some believe that the Invasion began with the Beatles and never really ended. I see the former as true because, well, the main British bands–The Beatles, Rolling Stones, and The Who—all broke up. The members of the second Invasion lacked the quality of the previous generation, even to the extent that Oasis tried to be The Beatles to no avail. But, when The Stone Roses or Oasis marked the beginning of that new obsession for most, The Charlatans UK were the ones that got me hooked.

My college roommate at the time, Midloo, knew far more about music in general than I did and exposed me to the hidden intricacies of our European counterparts with some success. Oasis seemed too much like popular music to me, Blur was too experimental, Pulp was too chique, The Verve were plagiarists and I simply didn't understand Radiohead. It was around that time that the video for "Forever" was released and played non-stop on campus monitors. One thing I learned and have noticed since is that the Brits understand the bass far more than us. "Forever" is a 7-minute groove about, you guessed it, love. This showed up as the first song on many a mixed CD and stuck with me throughout the next few years. One of my distinct and fondest memories is playing this song in my car. When I worked in a coffee shop in my hometown, I'd drive to work at 5:30 a.m. in the winter–still dark as night—and this song would last the entire trip.

The Charlatans UK's Us and Us Only was my gateway to Brit-pop. After this, I gushed over Blur, Radiohead, and Oasis, as well as every other European band that was being sucked into the fad vacuum. (See South, Badly Drawn Boy, The Doves, Travis, etc.) Later, their music became more electronic (another unfortunate trend) and almost danceable. Wonderland isn't nearly as solid as Us and Us Only but the same aesthetic shines through. Perhaps since we are currently in an Indie movement, The Charlatans UK will not create in you an infatuation with Brit-pop. From a person who was unable to discern between the bands on the movement's coattails and the ones with staying power, save yourself some money and buy a few early discs from The Charlatans UK.