Tellin' Stories is the fifth album by the British alternative rock band The Charlatans, released on 21 April 1997. It includes the final contributions of founder-member and keyboard player Rob Collins who died in a car accident midway through recording. The album was their most commercially successful, having three top ten singles, which remain their career's highest charting.
Production
The album was recorded and mixed at Monnow Valley Studio in Monmouth. "North Country Boy", "One to Another", "How High" and "Only Teethin'" were partly recorded at Rockfield Studios. All of the tracks were produced by the band and Dave Charles, except "Area 51" by the band, Charles and Ric Peet, and "Rob's Theme" by the band and Peet. Charles also engineered the sessions with assistant Phil Ault. Martin Duffy of Primal Scream contributed keyboards, while Charles provided percussion. Loops on "With No Shoes" were supplied by Tom Rowlands, Richard March and Mark Collins. Rowlands would also supply loops for "Tellin' Stories" and "One to Another" – the former also featuring a string loop by Martin Reilly.[1]
Legacy
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B[3] |
| The Guardian |  [4] |
| NME | 8/10[5] |
| Q | [6] |
| Rolling Stone | [7] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [8] |
In 2017, Pitchfork ranked the record at number 29 in its list, "The 50 Best Britpop Albums."[9] The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[10]
Chart performance
Tellin' Stories charted at number 1 in Scotland[11] and the UK,[12] number 35 in Sweden[13] and number 37 in Norway.[14] It was certified silver and then gold in the month of its release, before subsequently reaching platinum status in January 1998.[15] "One to Another" charted at number 1 in Scotland,[16] number 3 in the UK,[12] number 25 in Ireland[17] and number 59 in Sweden.[18] "North Country Boy" charted at number 1 in Scotland[19] and number 4 in the UK.[12] "How High" charted at number 3 in Scotland[20] and number 6 in the UK.[12] "Tellin' Stories" charted at number 9 in Scotland[21] and number 16 in the UK.[12]
Track listing
All tracks written by Blunt, Brookes, Burgess, M. Collins and R. Collins.[1]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "With No Shoes" | 4:42 |
| 2. | "North Country Boy" | 4:04 |
| 3. | "Tellin' Stories" | 5:13 |
| 4. | "One to Another" | 4:29 |
| 5. | "You're a Big Girl Now" | 2:49 |
| 6. | "How Can You Leave Us" | 3:45 |
| 7. | "Area 51" | 3:36 |
| 8. | "How High" | 3:05 |
| 9. | "Only Teethin'" | 5:19 |
| 10. | "Get on It" | 5:56 |
| 11. | "Rob's Theme" | 3:54 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Two of Us" | 4:07 |
| 2. | "Reputation" | 4:00 |
| 3. | "Don't Need a Gun" | 5:09 |
| 4. | "Down with the Mook" | 2:57 |
| 5. | "Title Fight" | 5:15 |
| 6. | "Keep It to Yourself" | 2:16 |
| 7. | "Rainbow Chasing" ("Don't Need a Gun" - Initial First Take) | 3:43 |
| 8. | "Clean Up Kid" | 4:50 |
| 9. | "Thank You" (Live At The Phoenix Festival 18 July 1997) | 4:46 |
Personnel
Personnel per booklet.[1]
References
- ^ a b c Tellin' Stories (Booklet). The Charlatans. Beggars Banquet Records. 1997. BBQ CD 190.
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Tellin' Stories – The Charlatans". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
- ^ Lanham, Tom (18 July 1997). "Tellin' Stories". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
- ^ Sullivan, Caroline (18 April 1997). "The Charlatans: Tellin' Stories (Beggar's Banquet)". The Guardian.
- ^ Morton, Roger (19 April 1997). "The Charlatans – Tellin' Stories". NME. Archived from the original on 4 June 2000. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- ^ "The Charlatans: Tellin' Stories". Q (128): 118. May 1997.
- ^ Cohen, Jason (7 July 1997). "Charlatans U.K.: Tellin' Stories". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 17 January 2008. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
- ^ Stewart, Allison (2004). "Charlatans U.K.". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 153–54. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- ^ "The 50 Best Britpop Albums". Pitchfork. 29 March 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
- ^ Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (2014). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN 0-7893-2074-6.
- ^ "Tellin' Stories". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
- ^ a b c d e "Charlatans | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
- ^ "Swedish Albums". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
- ^ "Norwegian Albums". norwegiancharts.com. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
- ^ "Charlatans, Tellin' Stories, Album". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
- ^ "One to Another". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
- ^ "Irish Singles". irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
- ^ "Swedish Singles". swedishcharts.com. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
- ^ "North Country Boy". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
- ^ "How High". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
- ^ "Tellin' Stories". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
External links
- Tellin' Stories (expanded edition) at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)