Tim Burgess - Typical Music

„Different Days“, das letzte Album von The Charlatans, liegt bereits fünf Jahre zurück. Tim Burgess war seitdem musikalisch nicht untätig und veröffentlichte seine Soloalben Nummer vier („As I Was Now“, 2018) und fünf („I Love The New Sky“, 2020). Während der Pandemie veranstaltete er die berühmt gewordenen Tims Twitter Listening Parties und schrieb Song um Song um Song… 

„Typical Music“ bietet 22 Lieder, die eben gar nicht so typisch sind. Natürlich hätten einige Songs, wie der Opener „Here Comes The Weekend“ auch auf einem zukünftigen Album von The Charlatans landen können, aber darauf folgt quietschiger Synth-Pop („Curiosity“), tanzbarer Funk („Revenge Through Art“), schimmernder Psychedelic-Pop („Kinetic Connection“), trippiger Space-Soul („Take Me With You“) oder eine siebenminütige Sci-Fi-Song/Experiment-Karambolage („L.O.S.T Lost / Will You Take A Look At My Hands Please“). Besonders der Doppelschlag „The Center Of Me (Is A Symphony Of You)“ und „When I See You“ (irgendwie Super Furry Animals treffen auf The Beach Boys) sticht (für mich) positiv heraus. Die Möglichkeiten eines Doppel-Albums loten Tim Burgess und seine beiden Mitstreiter (Thighpaulsandra und Daniel O’Sullivan) in fast 89 Minuten ziemlich aus. 

Für das Album kehrte Burgess nach Jahrzehnten wieder in die walisischen Rockfield Studios zurück, an die er nicht nur gute Erinnerungen hatte: einerseits entstanden dort Highlights der Charlatans-Discography („Tellin’ Stories“), andererseits verunglückte dort ihr Keyboarder Rob Collins bei einem Autounfall tödlich.

„Typical Music“ ist als CD, Kassette und Doppel-LP (transparent red & blue Vinyl) erschienen.

 

Arriving with an instant feel-good riff wrapped in empirical electronic soundbites, album opener ‘Here Comes the Weekend’ sets the tone for what’s come. ‘Kinetic Connection’ hears melancholic piano compliment a collection of digital hums, while ‘A Bloody Nose’ is an upbeat ode to his indie-pop roots, yet still locates a new era of Tim Burgess. He seems to explore his craft, experimenting with electronic instruments throughout each track, yet stays close to home.

(Clash Music)

 

By exchanging the Charlatans’ comfort zone of eerie yet dancey grandeur for something more slippery and scrappy (he has described these songs as sci-fi surf punk, yet also said that he planned to record them with an orchestra), this is an album that perfectly reflects Burgess’s guileless, up-for-anything, good-egg nature.

The title track is a gem: three sketches of ideas collapsed into each other, similar to pocket-psych epic Lost, while In May is more straightforwardly pretty. There’s a tendency to indulge weightless whimsy, which does occasionally pall across 22 tracks, but he just about gets away with it. “I hope you don’t find me too boring,” Burgess enquires solicitously on the open-hearted When I See You, and it’s a pleasure to hear his hopes fulfilled.

(The Guardian)

 

With its ’60s plastic carnival organ and insistent acoustic guitar strums, ‘Here Comes The Weekend’ contains more fun and goofiness than any too-self-conscious artist would ever inject into their music. But Burgess is completely at ease with himself, and he lets it all hand out throughout the mammoth runtime of Typical Music.

What’s astounding is that the double LP doesn’t feel indulgent. Just because Burgess keeps throwing new music for the same runtime as most feature-length films doesn’t mean he’s just serving his own interests. These are all songs that hand together and need to stay together, from the tumbling rhythms of ‘Take Me With You’ to the insistent drive of ‘Tenderhooks’ to the gentle sway of ‘In May’. (…)

Ultimately, the scope of Burgess’ ambition keeps Typical Music from being a great record. It’s the same conundrum that follows a kid who wants to eat ice cream all day: eventually, you’ll get sick of ice cream. But it’s still ice cream, and Typical Music is still a wonderfully engaging experience, expansive attitudes and all.

(Far Out Magazine)