Portrait (The Nolans album)
Encyclopedia
Portrait is a 1982 album by pop group, The Nolans
. It featured the UK top 20 singles "Chemistry" and "Don't Love Me Too Hard" and reached No.7 in the album charts. It was released earlier as Don't Love Me Too Hard in Japan with a slightly different track-listing, where it became one of the first 50 albums to be released on Compact disc
.
.
The album, like its predecessor, was produced by Ben Findon and Nicky Graham
separately. Both producers were now giving the songs a heavy disco sound such as "Don't Let it Go By" (by Findon) and "Chemistry" (by Graham). For this album, a third producer was added, Robin Smith, who was Coleen's boyfriend at the time. Two of the songs were co-written by member and lead-singer Bernie Nolan ("Are You Thinking of Me" and "Every Little Thing"), while closing track "Amy" was written for (former member) Anne's daughter, to whom the album was also dedicated. The album was a hit also in their biggest market, Japan, where it had been released as Don't Love Me Too Hard some months prior to the UK. A fourth single was released there also; "How Do I Survive". (which had been a big hit for Amy Holland
in 1980 from her self-titled debut album.) The album was significant in that it became one of the first 50 pop albums ever to be released on Compact disc
, when it was released on the format in Japan in October 1982.
Side Two
Producers:
|-
! Release date
! colspan="135"| Single title
! UK Chart position
|-
| July 1981
| colspan="135"| "Chemistry"
| 15
|-
| February 1982
| colspan="135"| "Don't Love Me Too Hard"
| 14
|-
| May 1982
| colspan="135"| "Crashing Down"
| -
|-
! Release date
! colspan="135"| Album title
! UK Chart position
|-
| March 1982
| colspan="135"| Portrait
| 7
|}
The Nolans
The Nolans are an Anglo-Irish all-female band consisting of a group of sisters. The group, best known for their song "I'm In the Mood for Dancing", gained prominence as guest performers on numerous television shows in the United Kingdom...
. It featured the UK top 20 singles "Chemistry" and "Don't Love Me Too Hard" and reached No.7 in the album charts. It was released earlier as Don't Love Me Too Hard in Japan with a slightly different track-listing, where it became one of the first 50 albums to be released on Compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
.
Background
The release of the album followed a run of success for The Nolans which included three UK top 20 albums and seven top 20 singles. Portrait was released in March 1982 and featured the hits "Chemistry" and "Don't Love Me Too Hard". The album itself was a success also by reaching No.7 in the album charts. This however signalled the end of their peak, as a third single, "Crashing Down" proved to be aptly titled. The song not only became their first to fail to enter the top 20 this decade, but failed to make the charts at all. Somewhat curiously (and uniquely) it featured on the 'Bubbling Under' section of the chart for five consecutive weeks, without ever entering the top 75. Portrait finished as one of the top 100 selling albums of 1982 in the UK and was certified gold by the BPIBritish Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
.
The album, like its predecessor, was produced by Ben Findon and Nicky Graham
Nicky Graham
Nicky Graham is a musician, songwriter and music producer from the UK.He played keyboards for David Bowie throughout most of 1972 including on the Spiders from Mars tour, August and September 1972. He was A & R Manager at CBS Records UK during the 1980s when he signed The Clash...
separately. Both producers were now giving the songs a heavy disco sound such as "Don't Let it Go By" (by Findon) and "Chemistry" (by Graham). For this album, a third producer was added, Robin Smith, who was Coleen's boyfriend at the time. Two of the songs were co-written by member and lead-singer Bernie Nolan ("Are You Thinking of Me" and "Every Little Thing"), while closing track "Amy" was written for (former member) Anne's daughter, to whom the album was also dedicated. The album was a hit also in their biggest market, Japan, where it had been released as Don't Love Me Too Hard some months prior to the UK. A fourth single was released there also; "How Do I Survive". (which had been a big hit for Amy Holland
Amy Holland
Amy Holland is a pop rock singer. She is of Dutch descent and changed her name from Boersma to Holland , because she thought it would make a better stage name. Her mother was country star Esmereldy and her father was opera singer Harry Boersma...
in 1980 from her self-titled debut album.) The album was significant in that it became one of the first 50 pop albums ever to be released on Compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
, when it was released on the format in Japan in October 1982.
Track listing
Side One- "Don't Love Me Too Hard" (Ben Findon / Mike Myers / Robert Puzey) (3.43)
- "Chemistry" (Nicky Graham / Robin Smith) (3.32)
- "Don't Let It Go By" (Findon / Myers) (2.58)
- "I'm Never Gonna Let You Break My Heart Again" (K.Gold / M.Denne) (3.58)
- "A Simple Case of Loving You" (Barry BlueBarry BlueBarry Blue is a singer / producer / songwriter from the United Kingdom. He is best known for his hit songs, "Dancin' " , which he co-wrote with Lynsey de Paul, and "Do You Wanna Dance" .At 14 he signed to record producer Norrie Paramor whose erstwhile assistant was one Tim Rice - the producer of...
/ Graham / Smith) (3.46) - "Crashing Down" (Findon / Myers / Puzey) (3.24)
- "Are You Thinking of Me" (Smith / Bernie Nolan) (4.19)
Side Two
- "How Do I Survive" (Paul Bliss) (4.00)
- "If It Takes Me All Night" (Mick Leeson / Bliss) (3.15)
- "Every Home Should Have One" (Dominic Buggatti / Frank MuskerFrank MuskerFrank Musker is a songwriter and composer. Especially in the 80s and 90s he worked with artists like Sheena Easton, The Babys, Robert Miles, Jennifer Rush, Bucks Fizz , Air Supply, Zucchero and Brian May...
) (3.38) - "Every Little Thing" (B.Nolan / Smith) (4.33)
- "Take It Through the Night" (Smith) (4.09)
- "God Knows" (Allee WillisAllee WillisAllee Willis is an American songwriter, artist, set designer, multimedia artist, writer, collector and director.-Overview:...
/ Franne Golde / Peter NoonePeter NoonePeter Noone is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist and actor, best known as "Herman" of the successful 1960s rock group Herman's Hermits.-Early life:...
) (3.39) - "Amy" (Smith / Graham) (1.49)
Producers:
- Nicky Graham: Side One tracks 2,4,7, Side Two tracks 1,2,3,5,6
- Ben Findon: Side One tracks 1,3,6
- Nicky Graham and Robin Smith: Side One track 5, Side Two track 4
- Robin Smith: Side Two track 7
Chart performance
{| class="wikitable"|-
! Release date
! colspan="135"| Single title
! UK Chart position
|-
| July 1981
| colspan="135"| "Chemistry"
| 15
|-
| February 1982
| colspan="135"| "Don't Love Me Too Hard"
| 14
|-
| May 1982
| colspan="135"| "Crashing Down"
| -
|-
! Release date
! colspan="135"| Album title
! UK Chart position
|-
| March 1982
| colspan="135"| Portrait
| 7
|}