Charango [Enhanced, Import]

The "Women Lose Weight" song is, for me, not offensive (hello, parody, people: let's try to recognize humor -- and I say that being a fat chick myself). Actually, story-wise, it's kind of humorous -- in a very black way, of course. I just don't really like rap unless it's in the style of "Bug Powder Dust" by Bomb The Bass/Justin Warfield.

So if I were ripping the songs to MP3, I'd leave off Women Lose Weight. But everything else I'd rip to MP3 -- even Sao Paulo, a mix of dreamy samba and their usual chilled trip-hop. Especially Slow Down, Aqualung, What Do New York Couples Fight About, Way Beyond, Public Displays of Affection. They're on my MP3 player already, and I made a copy to play on my car CD player... etc. I especially look forward to cruising around in the summer with the windows open, playing Charango. That's how this album makes you feel.

The best songs on Charango -- "Slow Down" - "Aqualung" - "What Do New York Couples Fight About" - "Public Displays Of Affection" have The Signature Morcheeba Sound -- these ALL have that trip-dub, minor-key sound first introduced with "Trigger Hippie" and "Tape Loop" (from Who Can You Trust?).

"Sao Paulo" practically makes you feel the sultry Brazilan heat yet has the trippy undertow you know, expect and love. "Way Beyond" is sung/played in major key, and a light-hearted vein -- and the change from a minor to a major key makes it all the more devastatingly satirical. If I didn't know they were British, I'd think Morcheeba was describing the typical American urban yuppie-(...)-metrosexuals one can find in big-city singles bars/clubs, who drive SUVs they can't afford, and, in general, spend money they don't have on stuff they don't need to impress people they don't like.

I could live without "Women Lose Weight" but that's mainly because I don't like rap at all, unless it's very old (Grandmaster Flash) or Missy Elliot.

Since I got the first Morcheeba CD "Who Can You Trust?", I've heard and read their trippy sound variously described as "trip-hop", "electronica", "the Bristol sound", "groove", etc. All not very helpful descriptions.

What it should REALLY be called "Amsterdam coffeeshop soundtrack music" -- because that's what it IS. Charango (and Big Calm and Who Can You Trust? -- as well as CDs by other artists like Portishead, Euphoria, and Air) is the sound of sitting in an Amsterdam coffeeshop, high on the best house Shiva, sipping a cappucino, dreamily staring out the window at the passing Amsterdammers, choosing to take a few steps back from the world to chill.

If you've been there and done that, you know what I mean. If you haven't, and you can't get to an Amsterdam coffeeshop, just listen to Charango. By itself, in a non-altered state of consciousness, you'll get there in spirit anyway. It's that mellow and that good.