was one of my favorite albums of the eighties.
Even with all the dated sounds and pseudo-instruments, I still love the seamy dramas played out in these songs.
Marc Almond knows how to vocalize a story in an understated, embarrssingly convincing way (the confessions are not always savory).
It's sort of a theme album; the underbelly of the city and the hidden side of affairs seem to be predominant themes. Kink. Porn. Co-dependency and various addictions, including love addiction.
But it's often a funny, sarcastic take on these themes.
It does indeed have the attitude of cabaret.
The title is dead on.
The album did very well back in the day when people actually bought albums (on vinyl at that) largely because of the mega-success of the band's Tainted Love. That single had held the record for the longest time spent on the Billboard Singles Chart; it had moved up and down over eighty some weeks in a rather unpredictable fashion. I'm not sure if that record still stands.
Marc Almond is adored in France for his interpretations of Jacques Brel.
He was in some sort of horrible accident that laid him up for years and involved, I believe, countless surgeries.
But there are videos of him performing after recovery, so his legion fans have reason to be hopeful that more and new work will be forthcoming.
"Hush, that's not me.
"I'm in there under A and I'm rated under B. You've got photographs to prove it and I swear to God it's not me...
Strange Attractor covers "Youth" from the same album. See if you can spot Dead Philip Whalen playing in this band.
Here's a great gay duet. Marc and Jimmy Sommerville live. I didn't watch this the whole way through, so I don't know how great or ungreat this performance is. The recorded version is dishy, I know. It's funy watching Mr. Hipsway Jimmy (why the gym teacher flattop? why the strange get-up?) play a gay choo-choo. Marc seems to prefer to simply smolder in glitter and guyliner.
This is not from the album mentioned above.
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4 comments:
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I love how, in the Bedsitter video, Marc's clothes match his wallpaper. You can always tell an art major. His album "Fantastic Star" is brilliant, with the songs "Shining Brightly" and "Brilliant Creatures" being especially exquisite.
Hahahaha!
I think that's where many of the extras that populate the video came from too, uni friends.
I'll have to find a download of that, Craig.
I have some stray songs which come from I don't know where. Maybe some of those are from that.
I love "Waifs and Strays." I think that's the title..."And so you say they're leaving, while they sleep away the day..."
And so THEY say.. Imeant..
it's either "they say...they sleep"
or "you say...you sleep"
I forget...
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