NINETIES Indie and Brit Pop darlings The Charlatans emerge from a difficult period to produce a compelling set of pop songs and keep the torch alight for their former Black Country drummer, Jon Brookes, who sadly passed away in 2013. Fittingly, included on the deluxe version of the album dedicated to Brookes is a song written by himself ' Walk With Me' charting his battle with brain cancer.

Surprising then this collection's general feel has an uplifting, positive vibe with the band trying on disco rhythms for style and mixing it up with their familiar guitar sound.. imagine The Bee Gees meet The Faces and you won't be far off their new sound, 'Emilie' being a fine example of this.

Big Jim Paterson of Dexy's Midnight Runners fame appears on trombone on ' Let the Good Times be Never Ending' , his performance being described as 'Understated but amazingly powerful' by lead singer Tim Burgess.

Although the band have stepped away from their guitar based influences for much of the album, the trademark Hammond Organ is still very much in evidence on 'Talking in Tones', 'Come Home Baby' and 'As Long as You Stick by Me' , three radio friendly highlights.

Drumming duties are split three ways with Stephen Morris from New Order, Gabriel Gurnsey from Factory Floor and Pete Salisbury from The Verve all contributing to the albums danceable qualities. The typical Charlatan anthems of yesteryear are not as present on Modern Nature but it is more consistent than much of their previous work and a new mature sound has been achieved without them having to rely on sing along choruses.

The Charlatans are not so much growing up but growing older and wiser.

By Mick Marson