Alexander O'Neal (album)

Last updated

Alexander O'Neal
Alexander o'neal 1985 album.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 8, 1985
RecordedFebruary 1984 – January 1985
Studio
Genre
Length42:39
Label
Producer
Alexander O'Neal chronology
Alexander O'Neal
(1985)
Hearsay
(1987)
Singles from Alexander O'Neal
  1. "Innocent"
    Released: January 8, 1985
  2. "A Broken Heart Can Mend"
    Released: May 1985 [1]
  3. "If You Were Here Tonight"
    Released: June 4, 1985
  4. "What's Missing"
    Released: March 4, 1986
  5. "You Were Meant to Be My Lady (Not My Girl)"
    Released: July 1, 1986
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [2]
Robert Christgau B [3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [4]

Alexander O'Neal is the debut solo studio album by American recording artist Alexander O'Neal. It was originally released in 1985 by Tabu and Epic. The songs were recorded during 1984 to 1985 in sessions that took place at Creation Audio in Minnesota, and Larrabee Sound in Los Angeles, California, assisted by R&B songwriting and record production team Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

Contents

After release, the album was received favourably by the majority of music critics. One of O'Neal's most commercially successful solo albums, in the United States it went on to peak at number 92 on the Billboard 200 [5] and number 21 on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. [5] The album launched four charting singles in the United Kingdom. "If You Were Here Tonight" peaked at number 13 on the UK Singles Chart; "A Broken Heart Can Mend" peaked at number 53; "What's Missing" at number 90; "You Were Meant to Be My Lady (Not My Girl)" at number 98. [6] In the UK, the album sold more than 100,000 copies and was certified gold by the BPI. [7]

The album was re-released on 8 April 2013 on Tabu's new Re-born imprint featuring rare bonus content. The reissue is a 2-CD set with the original album digitally remastered from the original 1/2" mix tapes; the bonus content consists of associated 7", and 12" mixes.

Critical reception

Alexander O'Neal was well received by most critics. In his consumer guide for The Village Voice , Robert Christgau gave the album a B and commented that "From the Timexes who gave the world the new improved S.O.S. Band, a new improved black matinee idol. They start one side with a can't-miss post-vulnerable ballad, the other with a can't-miss dance song deceptively entitled "Innocent". He then added: "The rest they leave to craft. Is this any way to serve a new improved matinee idol? Probably." [3]

Today, the album is still viewed in a positive light by critics some three decades later. Alex Henderson of AllMusic gave the album four and a half out of five stars and wrote that "Creatively and commercially, the soul man hit the ground running with this impressive debut album", adding that "Excellent from start to finish, Alexander O'Neal is the singer's most essential album." [2]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by James Harris and Terry Lewis, except where noted.

Side one

  1. "A Broken Heart Can Mend" – 3:45
  2. "If You Were Here Tonight" (Monte Moir) – 6:11
  3. "Do You Wanna Like I Do" (Monte Moir) – 4:50
  4. "Look at Us Now" (Monte Moir) – 5:07

Side two

  1. Medley: "Innocent"/"Alex 9000"/"Innocent II" – 10:32
  2. "What's Missing" – 5:43
  3. "You Were Meant to Be My Lady (Not My Girl)" – 6:31

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes. [8]

Additional personnel
Technical

Charts

Peak positions

Original release
ChartPeak
position
Total
weeks
Dutch Albums Chart [9] 721
UK Albums Chart [1] 1918
US Billboard Chart [5] 9218
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums [5] 2171

Sales and certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [10] Gold100,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

LabelCat. No.FormatDate
TabuFZ 39331 US CD, vinyl1985
TabuTBU 26485 UK CD, vinyl1985
Tabu, The Right Stuff72435-42424-2-7, CDVUS 230 EU CD2002
SolidCDSOL-5201 JP CD24 July 2013
TabuTABU2001 UK CD8 April 2013

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References

  1. 1 2 "UK Charts > Alexander O'Neal". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on June 28, 2012. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
  2. 1 2 Henderson, Alex. "Alexander O'Neal – Alexander O'Neal". AllMusic . Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  3. 1 2 Christgau, Robert. "Alexander O'Neal - Alexander O'Neal". Robert Christgau . Retrieved August 22, 2014.
  4. The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 520.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "US Charts > Alexander O'Neal". Billboard . Archived from the original on June 3, 2020.
  6. Roberts, David (2002). Guinness World Records British Hit Singles (15th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Ltd. ISBN   0-85112-187-X., p.360
  7. "UK Certified Awards Search > Alexander O'Neal". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on May 1, 2013. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
  8. Alexander O'Neal liner notes. Tabu Records. 1985.
  9. "NL Charts > Alexander O'Neal". MegaCharts . Retrieved May 26, 2012.
  10. "British album certifications – Alexander O'Neal – Alexander O'Neal". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved April 16, 2015.