The Charlatans - 'Forever: The Singles' (Island) Released 06/11/06

Often, a band’s longevity can work against it. Such is the case with Charlatans.

Nothing to do with the quality of the band’s music, simply that it is very easy to keep hunting for the ‘next big thing in music’ and ignore those who’ve been around for a bit. While numerous hot new acts trundle into view the Charlatans carry on in the background, releasing album after album. To put it into perspective, the Charlatans were starting out when rave was being endured for the first time. Their early years also saw them encounter nearly every crisis you could think, culminating in organist Rob Collins’ death in 1996. Despite problem after problem, crisis after crisis, they’ve soldiered on.

So listening to 'Forever' brings the pleasant surprise of realising just how many good songs they’ve produced over the years. They may have never produced a grand masterpiece of an album but they’ve certainly released some cracking tunes.

'Forever' does pretty much what you’d expect. A straightforward run through of most of the band’s singles, going back to the swirling organ heavy sound of 1990’s  ‘Indian Rope’ and taking it right up to this year’s ‘Blackened Blue Eyes’ with a new, if rather unnecessary  remix of the never released ‘You‘re So Pretty, We‘re So Pretty’ to top it off.

The highlights occur in the middle period with the full on swagger that is ‘How High’, the hard-hitting thump of ‘One To Another’, the extended haunting build of  ‘Forever’ and the falsetto n soul bounce of ‘Love Is The Key’. That’s in addition to the fundamental indie club track, ‘The Only One I Know’, which, after all these years remains a flawless slice of jangly pop.

Sadly, there’s filler here too, proving that they’ve released some fairly leaden material in their time too. If ‘Impossible’ were a person it would probably own a pipe, slippers and a hat with TWEE written in large letters on it. It isn’t helped by its non existent pace either. It has to be said some of the band’s more recent offerings do not stand up compared to their earlier work. ‘Up At The Lake’ tries be up-tempo but instead ends up plain and forgettable while ‘Blackened Blue Eyes’ is so nondescript it’s a wonder its title on the album sleeve isn’t in invisible ink.

However the album is still a worthy reminder of the Charlatans’ history and why they’re still worth caring about. This album isn’t only an ideal jumping on point for a new fan, it is also a potent reminder of why they have managed to survive for so long and proof that their contribution to music should not be taken for granted.