7th April 2010
VARIETÉ – Marc Almond
Release date: 7th June 2010
Cherry Red Records
Catalogue number – CD: SFE004
(deluxe limited edition with bonus acoustic CD)
CD: SFE005 (standard edition)
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nos·tal·gia [no-stal-juh, -jee-uh, nuh-] – noun
1. a yearning for order with contempt for the present and fear of the future; a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, to one's home or homeland: a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time:
Critically acclaimed and popularly adored, one of Britain’s most musically eclectic singer/songwriters, Marc Almond, releases his new album Varieté on 7th June through Cherry Red Records. Varieté is Marc’s first complete album of self-written songs since Open All Night, over a decade ago. The first 3000 copies of the album will be in a limited edition digipack with an exclusive bonus acoustic CD featuring additional unreleased tracks.
In this, Marc’s 30th year as a recording artist, Varieté, revisits the eras of Marc’s personal and musical life providing an eloquent and sometimes nostalgic, insight into what defines him as a performer.
Almond says “The album deals with the themes of the changing times, a yearning for simplicity, regret at loss, growing older, loneliness through the eyes of a performer, madness, letting go, acceptance, as well as our obsession with nostalgia. For me the past and a sense of history is what gives us soul and humanity, gives us value. I wanted to celebrate nostalgia.
He goes on to elaborate “This is a personal record of my own life and the decades I’ve grown through: born in the 1950's, a child of the 60's, a troubled teen of the 70's, a star of the 80's, a drug casualty of the 90's, an actual road casualty in the new millennium, and from it a rehabilitated and re-invented person, with a new sense of self.”
Marc has always excelled at mixing musical genres and writing vividly poignant lyrics, as well as collaborating with musicians of note. Varieté is produced and arranged by Marc himself, with the exception of 3 tracks (The Trials of Eyeliner, Bread and Circus and Soho So Long) which are produced and co-arranged by Tris Penna, who produced much of Marc’s 2007 album Stardom Road.
Marc is joined on Varieté by long-term musical collaborators:- Neal Whitmore – Guitars, ukulele, piano, harmonica, Omnichord; Martin Watkins - Piano, keyboards, Omnichord; Dave Ruffy – Drums & percussion and Carl Holt – Bass. The album also features a selection of diverse musical guests and collaborators.
Track List
| 1 |
(Intro) – Almond/Cashmore |
9 |
Sandboy – Almond/Watkins |
| 2 |
Bread & Circus – Almond/Fedorov |
10 |
It’s All Going On – Almond/Faber |
| 3 |
Nijinsky Heart – Almond/Faber |
11 |
Variety – Almond/Faber |
| 4 |
The Exhibitionist – Almond/Watkins |
12 |
Cabaret Clown – Almond |
| 5 |
The Trials of Eyeliner – Almond/Cashmore |
13 |
My Madness and I – Almond/Whitmore |
| 6 |
Lavender- Almond/Watkins |
14 |
But Not Today – Almond/Whitmore |
| 7 |
Soho So Long – Almond/Fedorov/Whitmore |
15 |
Swan Song – Almond/Whitmore |
| 8 |
Unloveable - Almond/Faber |
16 |
Sin Song – Almond/Cashmore |
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Marc Almond first found fame as one half of Soft Cell in the 1980’s, when their seminal cover of Tainted Love, reached No. 1 in 1981. A long and distinguished solo career followed, with Marc selling over 30 million records. He has achieved significant critical acclaim as a recording artist and performer during his 30 year career, encompassing genres as diverse as chanson, torch song, caberet and Russian folk.
‘All I need is a glittery curtain
To sing a cheap but potent song
On a small wooden stage
At the back of a bar
That’s where I belong.’
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