As a youngster growing up
in Southport, Merseyside, Marc Almond was immersed in the magical world of the
3-minute single. Tuning in to Radio Caroline, Radio Luxembourg and a weekly fix
of Top Of The Pops acted as catalysts for the aspiring singer's dreams and
ambitions. The 45-rpm single was king, and Marc Almond worshiped at its throne.
Marc had always aspired to become a great singles artist; he wanted to follow
in the footsteps of two of his heroes, David Bowie and Scott Walker in turning
the single into an art form. He achieved exactly that when Tainted Love
rocketed to the top of the UK chart in September 1981 (and became the biggest
selling single of the year), commencing a singles chart love affair that has
played a huge part in Marc's 40 + year career and has seen him shift in excess
of 30 million sales.
Now that impressive singles career is celebrated on April 14th with the UMe release of Hits And Pieces - The Best Of Marc Almond And Soft Cell, which comes available as a 2 CD disc or single CD digital download and traces Almond's singles career from Soft Cell through to his solo work and collaborations. Almond has always excelled at recording superb singles - he has secured a body of work that encompasses truly outstanding originals, covers and duets. Highlights of Hits And Pieces include "Tainted Love," "What!," "Say Hello Wave Goodbye," the Number One reaching Gene Pitney duet "Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart," his interpretation of Scott Walker's cover of Jacques Brel's "Jacky" with its epic kitchen sink production from Trevor Horn, a cover of Donna Summer's "I Feel Love" with Bronski Beat, Melancholy Rose and Ruby Red from the Mother Fist album, a Tony Visconti produced nugget "The Dancing Marquis," last year’s superb "The Velvet Trail," the glam stomper "Variete'" and another unforgettable cover in the form of "The Days Of Pearly Spencer."
To complete the package is the newest track on this compilation: the previously unreleased "A Kind Of Love," three effortlessly breezy minutes that hint at Almond's past - the "light summery psychedelic sounds" on that mid-60s transistor radio, the Northern soul scene that inspired Soft Cell to cover "Tainted Love" and "What!" - without really sounding much like anything Marc Almond has recorded before. A Kind Of Love was co-written and produced by Chris Braide, a man with excellent pop credentials having worked with Beyonce, Sia, Lana Del Rey and Trevor Horn. A Kind Of Love is Marc Almond the singles artist showing once again how to turn 3 and a half minutes into aural gold.
Now that impressive singles career is celebrated on April 14th with the UMe release of Hits And Pieces - The Best Of Marc Almond And Soft Cell, which comes available as a 2 CD disc or single CD digital download and traces Almond's singles career from Soft Cell through to his solo work and collaborations. Almond has always excelled at recording superb singles - he has secured a body of work that encompasses truly outstanding originals, covers and duets. Highlights of Hits And Pieces include "Tainted Love," "What!," "Say Hello Wave Goodbye," the Number One reaching Gene Pitney duet "Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart," his interpretation of Scott Walker's cover of Jacques Brel's "Jacky" with its epic kitchen sink production from Trevor Horn, a cover of Donna Summer's "I Feel Love" with Bronski Beat, Melancholy Rose and Ruby Red from the Mother Fist album, a Tony Visconti produced nugget "The Dancing Marquis," last year’s superb "The Velvet Trail," the glam stomper "Variete'" and another unforgettable cover in the form of "The Days Of Pearly Spencer."
To complete the package is the newest track on this compilation: the previously unreleased "A Kind Of Love," three effortlessly breezy minutes that hint at Almond's past - the "light summery psychedelic sounds" on that mid-60s transistor radio, the Northern soul scene that inspired Soft Cell to cover "Tainted Love" and "What!" - without really sounding much like anything Marc Almond has recorded before. A Kind Of Love was co-written and produced by Chris Braide, a man with excellent pop credentials having worked with Beyonce, Sia, Lana Del Rey and Trevor Horn. A Kind Of Love is Marc Almond the singles artist showing once again how to turn 3 and a half minutes into aural gold.
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