Some Friendly
Some Friendly | ||||
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Studio album by The Charlatans | ||||
Released | 8 October 1990 | |||
Recorded | 1990 at The Windings in Wrexham, Wales | |||
Genre | Alternative rock, Madchester | |||
Length | 47:54 | |||
Label | Dead Dead Good Records, Situation Two, Beggars Banquet Records | |||
Producer | Chris Nagle | |||
The Charlatans chronology | ||||
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Singles from Some Friendly | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [1] |
Robert Christgau | C[2] |
Entertainment Weekly | B+[3] |
MusicHound | 4/5[4] |
Select | [5] |
Some Friendly is the debut album by the British alternative rock band The Charlatans, released in 1990 (see 1990 in music).
Recorded at The Windings near Wrexham, Wales in 1990, the sessions proved somewhat fraught - the band fell out with the owners of the studio; "it was one of those studio bust-ups ... Rob and Martin were up to their old tricks, smashing stuff up and that" said singer Tim Burgess later.
However, lack of songs proved to be the major problem. Having been together for less than a year, the band hadn't had the opportunity to stockpile songs. The album suffered as a result, featuring a few tracks that "had to go on there just to make up the numbers" (Burgess again).
The band also felt that some songs (especially "White Shirt" and "Polar Bear") were overproduced, with the bass being lost in the mix and that the whole album sounded rather 'thin'.
Both "The Only One I Know" and "Then" provided the Charlatans with hit singles, peaking at #9 and #12 respectively in the pop charts. In the UK the record went straight in at #1 in the album charts.
Track listing
1990 Original edition
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "You're Not Very Well" | Baker, Blunt, Brookes, Burgess, R. Collins | 3:31 |
2. | "White Shirt" | Blunt, Burgess, Collins | 3:25 |
3. | "The Only One I Know" (Not included on original LP versions) | Baker, Blunt, Brookes, Burgess, R. Collins | 3:58 |
4. | "Opportunity" | Blunt, Brookes, Burgess | 6:41 |
5. | "Then" | Blunt, Brookes, Burgess, Collins | 4:11 |
6. | "109 Pt.2" | Blunt, Brookes, Burgess, Collins | 3:18 |
7. | "Polar Bear" | Baker, Blunt, Brookes, Burgess, Collins | 4:56 |
8. | "Believe You Me" | Blunt, Brookes, Burgess, Collins | 3:41 |
9. | "Flower" | Baker, Blunt, Burgess, Collins | 5:27 |
10. | "Sonic" | Brookes, Burgess, Collins | 3:32 |
11. | "Sproston Green" | Baker, Blunt, Burgess, Collins | 5:08 |
The original vinyl release of Some Friendly did not include "The Only One I Know", as it was the band's wish to take only one single from each album.
2010 Deluxe edition
A 2CD Remastered Deluxe Edition of the album was released on 17 May 2010. The tracklisting for this release included a remastered version of the original album as well as a disc of outtakes, radio sessions and B-sides.
All songs written and composed by Baker, Blunt, Brookes, Burgess, Collins; except where noted.
CD one | |||
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No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
1. | "You're Not Very Well" | 3:31 | |
2. | "White Shirt" | Blunt, Burgess, Collins | 3:25 |
3. | "Opportunity" | Blunt, Brookes, Burgess | 6:41 |
4. | "Then" | Blunt, Brookes, Burgess, Collins | 4:11 |
5. | "109 Pt.2" | Blunt, Brookes, Burgess, Collins | 3:18 |
6. | "Polar Bear" | 4:56 | |
7. | "Believe You Me" | Blunt, Brookes, Burgess, Collins | 3:41 |
8. | "Flower" | Baker, Blunt, Burgess, Collins | 5:27 |
9. | "Sonic" | Brookes, Burgess, Collins | 3:32 |
10. | "Sproston Green" | Baker, Blunt, Burgess, Collins | 5:08 |
CD two | |||
---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
1. | "The Only One I Know" | ||
2. | "Imperial 109" | ||
3. | "Everything Changed" | ||
4. | "Then (Peel Session)" | Blunt, Brookes, Burgess, R. Collins | |
5. | "Always In Mind (Peel Session)" | ||
6. | "You Can Talk To Me (Peel Session)" | ||
7. | "Polar Bear (Peel Session)" | ||
8. | "Some Friendly (Mark Goodier Session)" | ||
9. | "Indian Rope (Mark Goodier Session)" | ||
10. | "The Only One I Know (Mark Goodier Session)" | ||
11. | "White Shirt (Mark Goodier Session)" | Blunt, Burgess, R. Collins | |
12. | "Then (Alternate Take)" | Blunt, Brookes, Burgess, R. Collins | |
13. | "Taurus Moaner" | ||
14. | "Polar Bear (12" Mix)" | ||
15. | "Over Rising" | ||
16. | "Way Up There" | ||
17. | "Happen to Die" | ||
18. | "Opportunity Three" | Blunt, Brookes, Burgess |
Tracks 1-3 on the bonus disc were originally released on the single The Only One I Know; Tracks 11-12 appeared on the single Then; Tracks 15, 16, 18 and a shorter version of Track 17 appeared on the EP Over Rising. "Opportunity Three" is a remix of "Opportunity" from the original album. "Some Friendly" is an early version of "You're Not Very Well".
CD two - Digital download | |||
---|---|---|---|
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
1. | "The Only One I Know" | ||
2. | "Imperial 109" | ||
3. | "Everything Changed" | ||
4. | "Then (Alternate Take)" | Blunt, Brookes, Burgess, R. Collins | |
5. | "Taurus Moaner" | ||
6. | "Polar Bear (12" Mix)" | ||
7. | "Over Rising" | ||
8. | "Way Up There" | ||
9. | "Happen to Die" | ||
10. | "Opportunity Three" | Blunt, Brookes, Burgess | |
11. | "The Only One I Know (12" mix)" | ||
12. | "Then (7" mix)" | Blunt, Brookes, Burgess, R. Collins | |
13. | "Taurus Moaner (Instrumental)" | ||
14. | "Sproston Green (Instrumental)" | Baker, Blunt, Burgess, R. Collins |
For contractual reasons, the digital release of this reissue omits the BBC session recordings: however, it adds four additional versions which were omitted from the CD at the band's request:[6]
Personnel
- Tim Burgess – vocals, harmonica
- John Baker – guitars
- Rob Collins – Mellotron, organ, piano, backing vocals
- Martin Blunt – bass
- Jon Brookes – drums
Charts
Album
Year | Chart | Peak Position |
---|---|---|
1990 | The Billboard 200 (U.S.) | 73 [7] |
UK Album Charts | 1 [8] |
Single
Year | Single | Chart | Peak Position |
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1990 | "The Only One I Know" | UK Singles Chart | 9 [8] |
"Then" | Billboard Modern Rock Tracks | 4 [7] | |
UK Singles Chart | 12 [8] | ||
"The Only One I Know" | Billboard Modern Rock Tracks | 5 [7] | |
1991 | "Sproston Green" | Billboard Modern Rock Tracks | 25 [7] |
"White Shirt" | Billboard Modern Rock Tracks | 18 [7] | |
"The Only One I Know" | Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | 37 [7] |
Certifications
Organization | Level | Date |
---|---|---|
BPI – UK | Gold | 11 October 1990 BPI[9] |
Notes
- ↑ AllMusic review
- ↑ Robert Christgau review
- ↑ Entertainment Weekly review
- ↑ Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel (eds) (1999). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press. p. 222. ISBN 1-57859-061-2.
- ↑ Harrison, Andrew (November 1990). "The Only One They Know". Select. p. 90.
- ↑ http://archive.beggars.com/articles/84/the-charlatans-some-friendly-to-be-re-issued#comment
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "allmusic". Retrieved 2008-05-22.
- 1 2 3 "UK Top 40 Hit Database". Retrieved 2008-05-22.
- ↑ "BPI Certified Awards". Retrieved 2008-05-22.
- Willis, D. The Charlatans : the Authorised history, Virgin Books, 1999. ISBN 0-7535-0194-5
http://www.reaxmusic.com/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=75260
External links
- Some Friendly at Discogs (list of releases)
- Official website
Preceded by In Concert by The Three Tenors |
UK number one album 20 October 1990 – 26 October 1990 |
Succeeded by The Rhythm of the Saints by Paul Simon |
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