Being Somebody

The band returned to the studio shortly after the release of their debut effort, Thinking It Over, and began by recording a collaboration with producer Richard X – a mash-up of classic tracks "Being Boiled" and "Ain't Nobody", entitled "Being Nobody". As well as being released to promote the band's new album, it also served as the lead single from Richard X Presents His X-Factor Vol. 1. For their second studio effort, the band teamed up with producers Lucas Secon and Mike Peden, as well as allowing band member Tony Lundon to produce three tracks, one of which he solely wrote. "Being Nobody" was released as the album's lead single on 24 March 2003. "Jumpin", a track produced and co-written by Secon, was released as the album's second single over six months later, on 12 October 2003.

The album was released in Japan a week later on 18 October. The Japanese edition of the album features an alternative, white picture cover, and includes three additional tracks – "Just a Little", as the track remained previously unreleased in Japan, brand new Japanese exclusive track "Willing to Try" and the music video for "Jumpin'". "Everybody Cries" was released as the album's third single on 12 January 2004. In the midst of Being Somebody{{'}}s promotion, the band released a cover of "Fresh" in collaboration with Kool & The Gang, which released the song originally. The song was recorded for their compilation album, The Hits: Reloaded. It was later released as a single on 14 April 2004, exclusively in France, Germany and Spain. "I'll Be Remembering" was planned as the equivalent single release to Fresh in the United Kingdom, however, by this time, the band's record contract with V2 Records had been terminated, and the single's release was cancelled, leaving "Fresh" as an internationally exclusive single.

The Japanese version of Being Somebody also uses an alternative version of the track "Whatcha Doin' Tonight", which also carries a slightly different title, "(Tell Me) What You're Doing Tonight". This version was originally recorded during the recording sessions for Thinking It Over. Four songs that failed to make the final cut of Being Somebody, "Bump & Grind", "Get Away", "Press Rewind" and "Wilder", were leaked to YouTube in April 2010. These tracks were also reportedly being considered for inclusion on the band's third V2 project, before they were dropped from the label. Several additional tracks from the album sessions were also released as B-sides: "Enemy", "Sunshine", "It Helps" and "Shake It".

{{Album ratings

|rev1 = AllMusic

|rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=mw0000474461|pure_url=yes}} AllMusic review]

|rev2 = BBC Music

|rev2score = (mixed){{cite web|first=Denise|last=Boyd |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/53vr/|title= Liberty X Being Somebody Review |website=BBC Music|accessdate=26 August 2020}}

|rev3 = The Guardian

|rev3score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|first=Dave |last=Simpson |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2003/oct/31/popandrock.shopping3|title=Liberty X: Being Somebody |website=The Guardian|accessdate=26 August 2020|date=31 October 2003}}

|rev4 = musicOMH

|rev4Score = (positive){{Cite web |first=Simon |last=Evans|url=https://www.musicomh.com/reviews/albums/liberty-x-being-somebody|title=Liberty X – Being Somebody|website=musicOMH|accessdate=26 August 2020|date=3 November 2003}}

}}

Simon Evans, writing for musicOMH, felt that Being Somebody "proves there's still plenty of gas in the tank" for the band. He noted that while it kicks "off with a rather cheesy and unnecessary intro, the album moves straight into high gear with the monster hit singles, "Jumpin'" and "Being Nobody", and rarely lets the pace flag throughout the remaining 13 tracks," resulting "in some of the most memorable pop tunes you are ever likely to hear." Dave Simpson from The Guardian remarked that the album displays "increasingly slick R&B." He added that "it's no coincidence that Being Somebody{{'}}s big hitters are penned by the seasoned pros and the endless tales of lurve provide few glimpses into the ordinary people at the heart of the phenomenon. Still, the girls' vocal performances are integral, and the band's Tony Lundon is playing an increasingly major writing role: his untypical "Watcha Doin' Tonite" hardly pines for lives they've now clearly left behind."

Allmusic editor Jon O'Brien found that "while half of the album is bursting with ideas, the other half seems stuck in a rut as several samey, watered-down R&B tracks start to merge into one another and the likes of "Jumpin'", a live favorite on their 2003 tour, gets lost amidst "everything but the kitchen sink" over-production. Being Somebody will certainly establish their credentials as songwriters, having penned ten of the tracks here, but they certainly need reining in a little for album number three if they're going to fulfill their early potential." Similarly, Denise Boyd from BBC Music wrote that Being Somebody "feels something of a mish-mash. Liberty X are still not clear on what direction they are heading and this uncertainty weakens the album. The quintets strength lies in their R&B influenced up-tempo tracks and soulful ballads. This is the area they should concentrate on [...] With this, Liberty X has broken the mould of the manufactured pop group. They have answered their critics and have shown once and for all that they truly deserve the title Popstars."

{{Track listing

| headline = Standard edition

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = Intro (Being Somebody)

| writer1 = {{hlist|Tony Lundon|Jessica Taylor|Lucas Secon|Maryanne Morgan}}

| extra1 = Secon

| length1 = 0:20

| title2 = Jumpin{{'-}}

| writer2 = {{hlist|Mike Peden|Lucie Silvas|Charlie Russell}}

| extra2 = Peden

| length2 = 3:39

| title3 = Being Nobody

| note3 = Richard X vs. Liberty X

| writer3 = {{hlist|Phil Oakey|Ian Marsh|Martyn Ware|David Wolinski}}

| extra3 = Richard X

| length3 = 3:40

| title4 = Everybody Cries

| writer4 = {{hlist|Hannah Robinson|Pascal Gabriel}}

| extra4 = Marius De Vries

| length4 = 4:57

| title5 = Watcha Doin' Tonight

| writer5 = {{hlist|Taylor|Lundon|Secon|Morgan}}

| extra5 = Secon

| length5 = 3:18

| title6 = The Poet

| writer6 = {{hlist|Steve Kipner|David Frank|Pam Sheyne}}

| extra6 = {{hlist|Kipner|Frank}}

| length6 = 3:45

| title7 = I'll Be Remembering

| writer7 = {{hlist|Taylor|Lundon|Secon|Morgan}}

| extra7 = Secon

| length7 = 4:15

| title8 = The Last Goodbye

| writer8 = {{hlist|Lundon|Kevin Simm|Taylor|Kelli Young|Michelle Heaton|Mark Hill}}

| extra8 = Hill

| length8 = 4:07

| title9 = Let Go

| writer9 = {{hlist|Simm|Lundon|Young|Michael "Fingaz" Migisha|Chris Porter|Abdul "Skillz" Bello|Stuart Reid}}

| extra9 = {{hlist|Mugisha|Bello|Porter|Reid}}

| length9 = 3:13

| title10 = Forever

| writer10 = {{hlist|Lundon|Simm|Taylor|Young|Heaton|Niraj Chag}}

| extra10 = Chag

| length10 = 4:42

| title11 = Close Your Eyes

| writer11 = {{hlist|Simm|Lundon|Grant Black|Ronnie Wilson|Wayne Hernandez}}

| extra11 = {{hlist|Black|Wilson|Hernandez{{ref|A|[A]}}}}

| length11 = 3:10

| title12 = I Just Wanna

| writer12 = {{hlist|Simm|Lundon|Michael Harwood|Nick Keynes|Jon O'Mahony|Silvas}}

| extra12 = Goldust

| length12 = 3:55

| title13 = Impossible

| writer13 = {{hlist|Simm|Lundon|Taylor|Young|Heaton|Shep Soloman|David Shorten}}

| extra13 = {{hlist|Soloman|Magnus Fiennes}}

| length13 = 3:55

| title14 = Take Me Home

| writer14 = {{hlist|Simm|Lundon|Harwood|Keynes|O'Mahony|Silvas}}

| extra14 = Goldust

| length14 = 4:16

| title15 = Story of My Life

| writer15 = {{hlist|Simm|Lundon|Young|Reza Safinia|Connor Reeves}}

| extra15 = Safinia

| length15 = 3:36

| title16 = Maybe

| writer16 = Lundon

| extra16 = Lundon

| length16 = 4:23

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = European edition bonus track

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title17 = Where Do We Go From Here?

| writer17 = {{hlist|Heaton|Taylor|Alex McLeod|Bandawe|Sintim}}

| extra17 = McLeod

| length17 = 4:22

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Japanese edition bonus tracks

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title17 = Where Do We Go From Here?

| note17 = hidden track

| writer17 = {{hlist|Heaton|Taylor|Alex McLeod|Bandawe|Sintim}}

| extra17 = McLeod

| length17 = 4:22

| title18 = Just a Little

| writer18 = {{hlist|Michelle Escoffery|George Hammond Hagan|John Hammond Hagan}}

| extra18 = The BigPockets

| length18 = 3:58

| title19 = Willing to Try

| writer19 = {{hlist|Young|Jemma Anderson|Terry Winstanley}}

| extra19 = Lundon

| length19 = 4:12

| title20 = Jumpin{{'-}}

| note20 = video

| length20 = 4:18

}}

;Notes

• ^{{{note|A|[A]}}} denotes co-producer

{{Certification Table Top}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|type=album|artist=Liberty X|title=Being Somebody|award=Gold|accessdate=25 July 2012|relyear=2003|id=11584-650-2}}

{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}

{{reflist}}

{{Liberty X}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Liberty X albums

Category:2003 albums

Category:V2 Records albums

Category:Albums produced by Richard X

Category:Albums produced by Mike Peden