Some Friendly
Some Friendly | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | ||||
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 8 October 1990 | |||
Recorded | 1990 | |||
Studio | The Windings in Wrexham, Wales | |||
Genre | Alternative rock, Madchester, Britpop | |||
Length | 47:54 | |||
Label | Dead Dead Good, Situation Two, Beggars Banquet | |||
Producer | Chris Nagle | |||
The Charlatans chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Some Friendly | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | B+[3] |
MusicHound Rock | 4/5[4] |
Record Collector | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Select | 2/5[6] |
The Village Voice | C[7] |
Some Friendly is the debut album by British alternative rock band The Charlatans, released in 1990.
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
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 two-disc Remastered Deluxe Edition of the album was released on 17 May 2010. The track listing for this release included a remastered version of the original album as well as a disc of outtakes, radio sessions and B-sides.
All tracks are written by Baker, Blunt, Brookes, Burgess, Collins; except where noted
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 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "The Only One I Know" | ||
2. | "Imperial 109" | ||
3. | "Everything Changed" | ||
4. | "Then (Peel Session 20 March 1990)" | Blunt, Brookes, Burgess, R. Collins | |
5. | "Always In Mind (Peel Session 20 March 1990)" | ||
6. | "You Can Talk To Me (Peel Session 20 March 1990)" | ||
7. | "Polar Bear (Peel Session 20 March 1990)" | ||
8. | "Some Friendly (Mark Goodier Session 19 May 1990)" | ||
9. | "Indian Rope (Mark Goodier Session 19 May 1990)" | ||
10. | "The Only One I Know (Mark Goodier Session 19 May 1990)" | ||
11. | "White Shirt (Mark Goodier Session 19 May 1990)" | 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 |
Note
- 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".
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 |
Note
- 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:[8]
Personnel
- Tim Burgess – vocals, harmonica
- John Baker – guitars
- Rob Collins – Mellotron, organ, piano, backing vocals
- Martin Blunt – bass
- Jon Brookes – drums
Charts
Album
Chart (1990–91) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums Chart[9] | 79 |
UK Albums Chart[10] | 1 |
US Billboard 200[11] | 73 |
Single
Year | Single | Chart | Peak position |
---|---|---|---|
1990 | "The Only One I Know" | UK Singles Chart[10] | 9 |
"Then" | Billboard Modern Rock Tracks[11] | 4 | |
UK Singles Chart[10] | 12 | ||
"The Only One I Know" | Billboard Modern Rock Tracks[11] | 5 | |
1991 | "Sproston Green" | Billboard Modern Rock Tracks[11] | 25 |
"White Shirt" | Billboard Modern Rock Tracks[11] | 18 | |
"The Only One I Know" | Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks[11] | 37 |
Certifications
Organization | Level | Date |
---|---|---|
BPI – UK | Gold | 11 October 1990[12] | BPI
Notes
- ^ Raggett, Ned. "Some Friendly – The Charlatans". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
- ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-85712-595-8.
- ^ Gardner, Elysa (26 October 1990). "Some Friendly". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
- ^ 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.
{{cite book}}
:|first2=
has generic name (help) - ^ Shirley, Ian (July 2010). "The Charlatans – Some Friendly". Record Collector (377). Retrieved 6 March 2017.
- ^ Harrison, Andrew (November 1990). "The Only One They Know". Select (5): 90. Retrieved 10 January 2017.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (3 December 1991). "Turkey Shoot". The Village Voice. Retrieved 28 March 2016.
- ^ http://archive.beggars.com/articles/84/the-charlatans-some-friendly-to-be-re-issued#comment
- ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
- ^ a b c "UK Top 40 Hit Database". Retrieved 22 May 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f "allmusic". Retrieved 22 May 2008.
- ^ "BPI Certified Awards". Retrieved 22 May 2008.
- 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