Friends and Lovers (album)
Friends and Lovers | ||||
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Studio album by Bernard Butler | ||||
Released | 25 October 1999 | |||
Recorded | RAK studios | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 50:13 | |||
Label | Creation | |||
Producer | Bernard Butler | |||
Bernard Butler chronology | ||||
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Singles from Friends and Lovers | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
Dayton Daily News | B-[2] |
The Guardian | |
NME | 6/10[4] |
The Phoenix | |
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | |
PopMatters | 6/10[7] |
Q | |
Sunday Herald | 3/5[9] |
Friends and Lovers is the second and to date, most recent album from English singer-songwriter Bernard Butler released in 1999.
Background
The album is a lot different from his debut, displaying a more upbeat and pop-rock sound. Butler trimmed away the soft rock elements from People Move On, which used a lot of string instrumentation. Instead, Friends and Lovers sees Butler bring the guitar to the forefront of the musical output. Butler has described the record as: "More direct, more concise, no strings."[10] The album was recorded in London and Chipping Norton, and mixed in New York by Andy Wallace.[11]
David Simutis of Phoenix New Times concurred that the record is an upbeat affair. He wrote that "the main emotion captured on Friends & Lovers is happiness. From the up-tempo power chords, organ and handclaps of "I'd Do It Again If I Could," to the bouncing beat and guitar textures of "What Happened to Me," it's a powerful record of hope."[12]
Singles released from the album were "Friends and Lovers" and "You Must Go On". "You Must Go On" charted at no 44.[13] "I'd Do It Again If I Could" was released as a single in the U.S. on Columbia Records in February 2000.[14]
Reception
Critical
Some critics saw it as a step forward from his debut. Sarah Zupko of PopMatters wrote: "Friends and Lovers is more anthemic and self-assured than People Move On, as though Butler has been steadily gaining confidence in himself as a frontman."[7] Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic felt that Butler has greater focus on this record, however felt that the music needed "a larger-than-life personality, a vocalist on the level of Brett Anderson."[1]
Jay Hedblade of the Chicago Tribune had a more mixed sentiment, saying: "Bernard Butler offers more textured, palatable rock cast in a classic mode. Like his debut, People Move On, Butler demonstrates he's adept at building gorgeous mile-high melodies that hit all the right buttons, yet as agreeable as it is, there's still a nagging feeling that something's missing." Although he did say the album had "brilliant moments", he concluded by saying: "elsewhere Butler spends too much time waxing poetic without the verbal dexterity to hold up the grand nature of the tunes."[15]
Commercial
The album was not a commercial success, this was mainly due to the breakup of Creation Records shortly before Butler was due to embark on a UK tour. As a result, the tour was cancelled and he was unable to fully complete his promotional duties for the album.[16] The album charted at number 43 on the UK Albums Chart.[13]
Track listing
All songs written by Bernard Butler.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Friends and Lovers" | 4:13 |
2. | "I'd Do It Again If I Could" | 3:26 |
3. | "Cocoon" | 4:17 |
4. | "Smile" | 4:02 |
5. | "You Must Go On" | 3:25 |
6. | "No Easy Way Out" | 4:26 |
7. | "Everyone I Know Is Falling Apart" | 4:18 |
8. | "What Happened To Me" | 3:18 |
9. | "Let's Go Away" | 4:03 |
10. | "Precious" | 3:54 |
11. | "Has Your Mind Got Away?" | 8:12 |
12. | "You'll Feel It When You're Mine" | 2:31 |
13. | "70 Miles" (bonus track on Japanese editions) | 4:23 |
References
- 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Friends and Lovers review". AllMusic.
- ↑ Underwood, Bob (18 February 2000). "Recordings in Brief". Dayton Daily News. Cox Enterprises. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
- ↑ Sweeting, Adam (22 October 1999). "CD Releases". The Guardian. p. B17.
- ↑ Segal, Victoria (19 October 1999). "Friends And Lovers - He might have the last laugh, after all..." NME. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
- ↑ Laban, Linda (3 February 2000). "Off The Record - Friends And Lovers". The Phoenix. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
- ↑ Masley, Ed (11 February 2000). "Pop Music". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 118. Retrieved 5 February 2017 – via Google News Archive.
- 1 2 Zupko, Sarah. "Bernard Butler: Friends and Lovers". Popmatters.
- ↑ Maconie, Stuart (December 1999). "He's found his niche and he's sticking to it". Q (159). Retrieved 10 October 2018 – via Rock's Backpages.
- ↑ Virtue, Graeme (24 October 1999). "Friends And Lovers - Bernard Butler (Creation)". Sunday Herald – via HighBeam. (Subscription required (help)).
- ↑ "THE BUTLER DID IT (NEARLY)". NME. 18 January 1999. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
- ↑ "The Butler Done It". NME. 6 June 1999. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
- ↑ Simutis, David (3 February 2000). "Coming Up". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved 12 July 2017.
- 1 2 "Artist Chart History: Bernard Butler". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
- ↑ Taylor, Chuck (19 February 2000). "Reviews & Previews: Rock Tracks" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
- ↑ Hedblabe, Jay (5 March 2000). "Bernard Butler Friends & Lovers (Columbia)". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2013.
- ↑ "Butler to abandon stage for baize?". NME. 22 March 2000. Retrieved 19 December 2016.
External links
- Friends and Lovers at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)