Amazon.co.uk Review
Anyone fearing that Tim Burgess releasing a solo album might spell the end of
the Charlatans can rest easy.
I Believe isn't that kind of solo album. Rather than a bid for freedom, it's a side project in the old fashioned sense, written as much for his own amusement as commercial gain. Essentially, he's scratching an itch, namely his affection for America's west coast. A long-time LA resident, he's finally succumbed to Californian sunshine and his romantic road-movie fantasies. "I Believe in the Spirit"--part
Exile on Main Street era Rolling Stones, part Lenny Kravitz circa
Let Love Rule--is made for barrelling down an eight-lane freeway in a vintage convertible with the top down. "We All Need Love" and the shimmering acoustics of "Be My Baby" brim with cowboy pathos. "Held in Straps" is a Tex-Mex border skirmish with a ghoulish rock chug. With the breezily throwaway "Say Yes"--practically the Four Tops' "Loco in Acapulco"--followed by the wistful mariachi waltz "Love to Spend the Night with You", it's definitely not the Charlatans territory. However, unlike most hobby projects,
I Believe isn't just for the dedicated fan. Loaded with charm and endearing melodies, it's a curiously lovable album.
--Dan Gennoe
CD Description
Debut solo album from The Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess. 'I Believe' features production work from Mike Patterson andLinus Of Hollywood, who between them have worked with the likes of P. Diddy, Lil' Kim, Smashing Pumpkins and Beck. An album full of sixties-inspired melodies and instrumentation which gravitates towards the classic songwriting styles of the Beach Boys and the Turtles. Includes the lead single 'I Believe In The Spirit'.