Kitchens of Distinction

Terry Thomas has launched an assault on societies idiocies in the best way he can, through his music. In many ways, he has summed it all up in the title track, perhaps one of the best songs of 2009 and ending with one of the best guitar solos of the 21st century. The extra edge and extra tasty guitar work has made this an exceptional album. But it still sounds like Charlie even though Terry played nearly all of the instruments and sang all of the vocals. For me, this is his best album and I hope he plans to keep on making albums in the same vane. Everyone I play it for likes it and most were unfamiliar with Charlie (most are too young). Alcohol has a garage feel to it and the pop sound is still there in most of the cuts. But he has managed to place a lot of good guitar in nearly all of the songs which brings it back to the 1970's a bit. If you were a Charlie fan you will like this album as they have been dredged out of the past. If you are new to Charlie you will find an interesting style of music that combines a pop feel with very edgy digs at society and the popular.

This cd has very good music on it except the recordings on some of the songs are not very clear, they have a lot of distortion

This album is absolutely great from end to end. Although, Track 3 is my personal favorite, the entire record is strong. If you have ever enjoyed Terry Thomas' Charlie before, you must have this one. It is his best work. Certainly the best I have ever heard since I first discovered them in college in 1977. This album has some very hard rocking tunes mixed with more contemplative material and it is all seamlessly constructed into a rock masterpiece. Great writing, playing, singing and production. Nuff said!

Terry Thomas was going to do a solo album in 2009, but decided to call it Charlie, when he brought back some old band mates. In this their first album in 23 years, Charlie's "Kitchens Of Distinction", contains some hard edged material in "Get A Life", the angry "Alcohol". great guitar here, "S*** TV", "Never Be The Same", the smokin' "It's Not Enough" and the hard hitting "Blue Sky Bull S***", with some gentle passages. They also have the beautiful title track, the catchy "Popstar", which Terry wants to know is Robbie Williams gay?, the jazzy feel of "Cars", (reminiscent of their 70's work) and the smooth rocker "West Coast Thing", with some great lyrics in this song. This is the best Charlie collection ever in my personal opinion.

I've been a Charlie Fan for almost 35 years. It's unfortunate Terry Thomas waited almost 25 years to put out another album. Yes, I said album. But for those of a certain age you will be pleased. The hook-filled melodies, the biting, cynical lyrics are all in place on this 2009 release. Even though the band line-up has changed more than the Charlie's Angels line-up, this has always been Thomas's band. This album is also one of the hardest rocking albums released under the Charlie banner, borderline metal on a few cuts. Well done Terry! Now if you would only launch a tour!

This Charlie release sounds somewhat different than others I've heard, stylistically. Ignore the product description that says "Kitchens of Distinction harks back to the AOR sound of the bands heyday and most successful period", because it does not. As several reviewers I think already noted or made reference to, it has a much harder edge to it - as in Charlie (or Terry Thomas) does 'head bang'in, guitar crunch'in, hard rock'. If you purchase this expecting the usual more melodic AOR sounds similar to the early days when they got some airplay on what used to be known as FM AOR radio stations, you'll likely be somewhat disappointed. It still sounds like Charlie with Thomas' distinctive lead and harmony vocals, and social commentary song lyrics, etc, but again with a much harder edge. I think there is at least one song that is maybe not so revved up, but that is about it. Several have commented on the 'not so good' sound quality of the CD. I have to agree and mainly from the standpoint that you cannot hear or make out some of the vocals because they are buried in the mix or essentially drowned out (may also be due to inconsistent or variable 'volume' levels). The copy I have is on Voiceprint Records. If you are a Charlie fan from the early days, I would suggest or recommend their most recent release, 'Elysium', from I believe 2015, over 'Kitchens of Distinction'. Elysium is a lot more similar sounding, stylistically, to their early releases, again when they were getting some radio airplay.

I've been a Charlie fan from back in the day. This is clearly the same Charlie but at the same time very modern. Even though a few years old now, it could (and should) get some radio play on alternative stations. Lyrics are a bit mad, but rightly so. Gotta love "Alcohol" and "Cars" has an incredible hook. I'm also so very thankful to hear that distinctive Charlie harmony. When's the next album?

Well worth the wait since their last release. This maybe my new favorite of theirs. Very clever and often funny lyrics mixed in with some of Terry's best guitar work to date... Must have for any fan and best place to start for new listeners to this incredible band.

super merci

Eine CD einer Band, die ich in den 70er Jahren sehr gut fand aber Anfang der 80er aus den Augen verlor. In dieser Zeit änderte sich mein Musikgeschmack mehr in Richtung Heavy- und Progressivrock. Nach meinen Recherchen hat sich die Band nach ihrer 1986 erschienenen LP getrennt und erst zu dieser CD neu formiert und nach einem weiteren Output ("Elysium") erneut getrennt. Schade drum, denn beide CDs sind heaviger und strukturierter als in ihrer Frühzeit. Sie entsprechen dem Zeitgeist. Die Kompositionen sind eingängig und harmonisch; die Gitarrenarbeit von Terry Thomas immer noch eine Klasse für sich. Erstaunlich ist ebenso die Tatsache das eine britische Band so gut den amerikanischen "Westcoast" Sound beherrscht und in einigen Kompositionen darbietet. Eine Empfehlung für Fans gutgemachter zeitloser und nicht angestaubter Rockmusik. Nur schade, daß ich über 40 Jahre brauchte um diese längst verblichen geglaubte Band wieder zu entdecken...

Again what a topper...class album a total must have well done terry and the crew

CHARLIE , GROUPE ANGLAIS DU MILIEU DES SEVENTIES ; APRES UN EXCELLENT PREMIER ALBUM '' FANTASY GIRLS '' LE GROUPE SORTA PLUSIEURS ALBUMS SANS JAMAIS RENCONTRER LE SUCCES ... LEUR MUSIQUE , PLUS AMERICAINE QUE ANGLAISE , N'AVAIT ANCUN IMPACT SUR LA JEUNESSE ANGLAISE DE L'EPOQUE ... LES POCHETTES DE DISQUES AGUICHANTES , DES MANNEQUINS , TOUJOURS DANS DES POSITIONS SUGESTIVES , NE CHANGEAIENT RIEN A LA CHOSE ... LE GROUPE ( ENFIN , SURTOUT LE LEADER , TERRY THOMAS ,GUITARISTE , CHANTEUR ET COMPOSITEUR , INSISTA , SANS RESULTATS ... APRES UN LONG SILENCE , ARRIVE L'ALBUM EN QUESTION ,'' KITCHENS OF DISTINCTION '' EN 2009 . LA CLAQUE ! UN DISQUE PHENOMENAL ! ENTRE ROCK-FM DE TRES GRANDE CLASSE ET RHYTHM & BLUES ... UN MUST POUR LES FANS DE ROCK MELODIQUE ! RAREMENT ENTENDU CA !!! MAGNIFIQUE !

wie die Band nach über 30 Jahren an ihre beste Phase Ende der 70er Jahre anknüpft. Nicht unbedingt sehr modern, aber richtig gute Musik. Der alte Stil ist erkennbar, aber deutlich aufgefrischt, etwas kantigere Harmonien, schöne Gitarre, guter Gesang - was will man mehr?!