Some People (Belouis Some album)


Some People is the debut studio album from British musician Belouis Some, released in 1985.

Background

Neville Keighley began performing as Belouis Some in 1983. He would sign with Parlophone Records that year and began recording his studio album soon after. Recording of Some People began at Good Earth, Maison Rouge and Air Studios in London, with Ian Little and Pete Schwier at the producers' helm. In late 1984, recording continued at New York with producers Steve Thompson and Michael Barbiero. Some People was released in 1985. It did not chart.
Preceding the album, the first single "Target Practice" was released in June 1984, but failed to chart. In March 1985, "Imagination" was released, and saw some chart success across various countries, including reaching #50 in the UK and #88 in America. The album's third single, "Some People", followed in June, and reached #33 in the UK and #67 in America. Both "Imagination" and "Some People" were also successful on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart, reaching #4 and #8 respectively. In January 1986, "Imagination" was re-issued, reaching #17 in the UK; however, a March re-issue of "Some People" failed to re-chart. In July, the final single, "Jerusalem", was released, reaching #98 in the UK. A re-issue of "Target Practice" would also reach #16 in South Africa in May 1986.
A music video for "Imagination", directed by Storm Thorgerson, was met with some controversy as it featured full frontal nudity. The music video for "Some People" was filmed in Aldeburgh, Suffolk.

Release

The album was released by Parlophone/EMI on vinyl in various countries, including the UK, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Greece, Japan, Argentina and South Africa. In the US and Canada, it was released by Capitol Records. Jugoton/Parlophone released the album in Yugoslavia. Although the album wasn't commercially released on CD, a UK promo version appeared on the format, which was made in Japan and released by EMI.
Later in 2009, Cherry Pop would remaster and reissue the album on CD. For the release, Cherry Pop mastered the album from vinyl, leading to complaints over the sound quality. A second edition of the CD was released by the label in 2010.

Critical reception

Upon release, Lisa Clark of Smash Hits commented: "Belouis Some is actually Neville Keighley, but for the purposes of this debut album, it's also a bunch of "respected" musicians and four producers! Although basically a pop record, the funky production slants the songs quite differently – sometimes like the mega-brilliant "Imagination" with its sneery vocals, and sometimes like the haunting, David Bowie-inspired "Jerusalem". An excellently put together pop/funk collaboration." Nick Adams of Number One stated: "Belouis Some has already released a couple of strong singles and the rest of his songs are equally dramatic – big, thumping melody links punched out on synths with saxes and backing vocalists making sure you don't forget the tune. Belouis' phrasing often lapses into Bowie's London camp, and too many of the songs are striving to be 'Let's Dance Part 2'. Nevertheless, a promising debut."
Brian Chin of Billboard wrote: "Some People is a really up-to-date pop production, with one attractive and danceable cut after another. It happens to include many of the people involved in David Bowie's "Let's Dance" tour and album, and the production handling of the vocalist is almost identical; best cuts are the pop title cut, and the rockier "Target Practice," along with the surfacing "Imagination"." Helen Metella of the Edmonton Journal described the album as "thoroughly accessible, staunchly commercial pop, often vocally reminiscent of Bowie". She praised the "ambitious but simply stated lyrics" and Some's ability to "emote convincingly", but noted he was "not an especially strong singer". Metella concluded: "This debut an awesome masterpiece but it's a respectable effort from someone who should be reckoned with."

Track listing

All tracks written and composed by Belouis Some.

Charts

Singles

Imagination
Chart Peak
position
Belgian Singles Chart 40
Canadian Adult Contemporary Chart25
German Singles Chart48
Italian Singles Chart7
South African Singles Chart13
Swiss Singles Chart30
UK Singles Chart50
U.S. Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs Chart4
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Chart88

Chart Peak
position
New Zealand Singles Chart38
Irish Singles Chart16
UK Singles Chart17

Some People
Chart Peak
position
Italian Singles Chart34
South African Singles Chart9
UK Singles Chart33
U.S. Billboard Dance/Club Play Songs Chart8
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Chart67

Chart Peak
position
Irish Singles Chart21

Target Practice
Chart Peak
position
South African Singles Chart16

Jerusalem
Chart Peak
position
UK Singles Chart98

Personnel