The Charlatans UK have nothing to say, and they're saying it – via a sound packed with psychedelic intricacies and subliminal pop hooks. Anyone looking for a narrative or point of view will be baffled by the lyrics. Like most bands from the Manchester scene, the Charlatans view the singer's voice as merely another instrument in the mix; the lyrics exist mainly to give the singer something to do.

Between 10th and 11th, the Charlatans' sophomore effort, expands on the promise of their 1990 debut, Some Friendly. While Some Friendly contained hooks that immediately demanded your attention (generously supplied by Rob Collins's trademark Deep Purple Hammond organ and now-departed John Baker's echoey wah-wah guitar), Between 10th and 11th works on a subtler level. The mix is more densely layered. Baker's replacement, Mark Collins (no relation to Rob), plays along similar lines, emphasizing chiming guitar strokes (often buried in the background) and a well-placed sense of drone, as Rob Collins's organ becomes less central, more a part of the overall effect.

Repeated listens are required to discern the music's charm. Once you're properly acclimated, however, the fun begins. Taken together, the Creedencestyle, tremoloed guitar of "Can't Even Be Bothered," singer Tim Burgess's repetition of the phrase "Leave me alone/I can't take forever I know" ("Ignition") and the intoxicating hum of guitar and organ throughout "I Don't Want to See the Sights" deliver a musically powerful if verbally inconsequential punch. But the Charlatans prove that talkin' loud and sayin' nothin' can be a statement unto itself. (RS 634/635)

ROB O'CONNOR