F.L.M. (album)


F.L.M. is the first and only studio album by British pop duo Mel and Kim. The album peaked at #3 on the UK Albums Chart in 1987. The album contained the UK top 10 singles "Showing Out", "Respectable", and "F.L.M.", and was certified platinum, remaining on the charts for 25 weeks. The album also peaked at #16 in Germany, #4 in Switzerland, #12 in the Netherlands, #20 in Sweden, #7 in Norway, #2 in Australia, and #2 in New Zealand.
In the UK, the vinyl LP was issued with either a full colour or monochrome sleeve. US, Canadian, and Japanese copies had a different sleeve design and track running order to other international releases. In addition, "Feel a Whole Lot Better" was re-titled "Whatever It Is" for these territories.
The album was predominantly written and produced by Stock Aitken Waterman, and contained a mixture of house-infused productions and downtempo, soulful songs. One track, "I'm the One Who Really Loves You", was originally recorded in 1986 by Austin Howard. This song was considered for release as the fourth single, however, it was only released in South Africa and North America where it was issued with remixes by Clivillés & Cole.
Two other F.L.M. songs would go on to be recorded by other Stock Aitken Waterman-produced artists; "More Than Words Can Say", which was only released as a single in Scandinavia, was also recorded by Carol Hitchcock and Hazell Dean, while Sinitta and Pepsi and Shirlie both recorded reworked versions of album closer, "Who's Gonna Catch You".
An expanded 2-CD deluxe edition of the album was released in 2010. This release included the duo's 1988 single "That's the Way It Is", and its B-side, "You Changed My Life", which were not included on the original release of the album, as well as 7" mixes and extended versions of singles and album tracks.

Track listing

Side One
  1. "F.L.M." 3:55
  2. "Showing Out " 5:11
  3. "Respectable" 5:41
  4. "Feel a Whole Lot Better" aka "Whatever It Is" 4:24
Side Two
  1. "I'm the One Who Really Loves You" 3:40
  2. "More Than Words Can Say" 4:08
  3. "System" 4:08
  4. "From a Whisper to a Scream" 3:24
  5. "Who's Gonna Catch You" 3:34
CD bonus tracks
  1. "Showing Out" 4:36
  2. "Respectable" 6:11
All songs written by Stock Aitken Waterman except:
"Who's Gonna Catch You" written by Matt Aitken / Mike Stock / Pete Waterman / Stevie Wonder / Yvonne Wright
"From A Whisper to a Scream" lyrics by A & A

2010 reissue

The album was reissued as a double CD in the United Kingdom through Cherry Red Records on 18 October 2010. Notably, the first three tracks are the 7" mixes, not the album versions contained on the original release.

Track listing

Disc one
  1. "F.L.M." 3:33
  2. "Showing Out" 3:35
  3. "Respectable" 3:22
  4. "Feel a Whole Lot Better" 4:27
  5. "I'm the One Who Really Loves You" 3:41
  6. "More Than Words Can Say" 4:09
  7. "System" 4:09
  8. "From a Whisper to a Scream" 3:25
  9. "Who's Gonna Catch You?" 3:35
  10. "That's the Way It Is" 3:27
  11. "You Changed My Life" 3:27
  12. "Showing Out " 7:15
  13. "Respectable" 6:14
  14. "F.L.M." 7:50
  15. "That's the Way It Is" 6:49
  16. "System" 3:58
  17. "More Than Words Can Say" 6:50
Disc two
  1. "Respectable" 8:09
  2. "F.L.M." 8:13
  3. "I'm the One Who Really Loves You" 6:43
  4. "That's the Way It Is" 7:38
  5. "System" 7:22
  6. "Feel a Whole Lot Better" 7:38
  7. "Showing Out " 6:26
  8. "That's the Way It Is" 6:42
  9. "Respectable" 6:17
  10. "F.L.M." 6:20
  11. "System" 5:45