The jazz-inflected, London-based group Charlie was as well known for the sexy babes on their album covers as they were for their close, smooth harmonies and slick, catchy singles like "Turning" and "Watching TV." The band's core lineup consisted of vocalist/guitarist Terry Thomas (who had also been in a band with Free and Bad Company's Simon Kirke), bassist/vocalist John Anderson (formerly of Axe), and drummer Steve Gadd, and a wide array of supporting players, including keyboardist Julian Colbeck, guitarist Martin Smith, auxiliary drummer Shep Lonsdale, and former Argent members Bob Henrit and John Verity. Their radio-friendly sound debuted in 1976 with "Fantasy Girls" and the group managed a steady stream of moderate FM hits in the U.S. The guitars are compressed and the arrangements are quite similar to their contemporaries, specifically that of Boston (especially on "Miss Deluxe"), but the quality on this ten-song session is erratic at best and shows a group just starting to get its footing and identity together. To Charlie's credit, they take bits and pieces of their contemporaries and take only what really works, but when listened to as a whole, "Fantasy Girls" can be inconsistent but wonderful for those looking for no-frills rock & roll.
Track List
01. Fantasy Girls (4:38)
02. Miss Deluxe (4:01)
03. TV Dreams (3:07)
04. Prisoners (6:00)
05. First Class Traveller (2:53)
06. Greatcoat Guru (5:12)
07. Please Let Me Know (4:04)
08. Don't Let Me Down (2:27)
09. It's Your Life (5:32)
10. Summer Romances (5:04)
Released: 1976
Label: Columbia
Genre: Rock
Lenght: 42:58
Producer: Mike Stone
Engineer: Mike Stone
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