Untitled

This is an album I had bought on vinyl when it was first released, had always wanted on CD, but had never got around to buying any of the various CD re-issues which have emerged over the decades between then and now. I finally took the plunge and bought this re-issue after it appeared in my Amazon recommendations.

It was Almond's first "solo" venture after the huge success Soft Cell had been enjoying over the past year or two, and while it obviously features Almond's instantly recognisable voice to the fore, the material is sufficiently different to Soft Cell's material to justify the project. The album features a number of originals from Almond and his collaborators, including the first three tracks which together comprised the rather excellent side 1 of the original vinyl issue.

However, it is the choice of the four cover versions, and the execution of these covers, which give the album its high points, and which showcase Almond's talent to maximum effect. Scott Walker's "Big Louise", from the "Scott 3" LP, kicks off this sequence, and Almond gives it everything - a breathtaking performance, close to the magic of Walker himself. He follows that up with a somewhat melodramatic version of Lou Reed's "Caroline Says", more accessible than Reed, but every bit as menacing. That is followed by Annie Hogan's moving piano instrumental "Margaret", before Almond goes completely over the top with an impassioned, and lengthy interpretation of Brel's "If You Go Away", another song made famous by Scott Walker. There ended the second side of the original album.

The remaining tracks always seemed to be a bit of a "bonus" on the original LP - a second disc containing only three tracks, one side to be played at 33, and one at 45. The first side contains a light whimsical reading of Syd Barrett's "Terrapin", and a lengthy, eleven and a half minute track "Twilights and Lowlifes", which is really the only track on the album which could easily have been Soft Cell. It's very good, but possibly goes on a little too long, as it does become a little self-indulgent.

At this point the original LP and this CD release follow different paths. On the original LP, the second side of the second disc had another eleven minute version of "Twilights and Lowlifes", which I remember as being a little poppier and more accessible. However, for some reason, that has been replaced here, and on some other re-issues with a rather inferior track "Sleaze", which is undoubtedly the low point of this collection. There was plenty room on the CD - I don't understand why both versions of "Twilights" couldn't have been given, along with "Sleaze" as a bonus track, if at all.

All in all, a great album, but loses one star for the senseless replacement of the final track.

In 1982, Marc Almond went into creative overdrive and in his spare time away from Soft Cell made two albums as Marc & The Mambas. This reissue of the first album contains the Mambas debut single, Sleaze (complete with video)- which makes this worthy of purchase being unavailable and hard to find since the 1980's (Sleaze's b-side Fun City can be found on the Soft Cell 12" singles boxset released in 2001).

The remainder of the album is 1982's Untitled, originally issued as one LP and one 12" single. The opening title track is the greatest song here, Almond co-writes with The The's Matt Johnson and creates a track somewhere between early The The (Another Boy Drowning, Cold Spell Ahead, Mental Healing Process) and Roy Orbison's Only the Lonely. A great song...Next up is Empty Eyes, co-written with Annie Hogan- this does go on a bit- which is a weakness of much of the material here (Twilights & Lowlifes/Street Walking Soundtrack); this could be put down to the chemicals taken at the time (see Almond's book Tainted Life)...Johnson co-writes Angels, which details superstar breakdown/meltdown Almond experienced when the Cell went huge in the States. Quite painful listening, a more dense Suicide...A cover of Lou Reed's Caroline Says II (from Berlin) is next, brave but not as great as the original. Annie Hogan contributes a pleasant enough piano instrumental (Margaret) , before Marc steps into Shirley Bassey and Scott Walker's shoes with a cover of Brel's If You Go Away. A great version, though the Scott one is untouchable and Almond did it better on Jacques and Twelve Years of Tears (the voice had improved). A fun cover of Syd Barrett's Terrapin (from The Madcap Laughs) is next, prior to Twilights & Lowlifes- which feels like the follow-up to songs like Seedy Films & Fun City (Cindy Ecstasy pops up also).

Untitled has some moments of genius, though it does feel like extraneous project- unlike the dark follow-up Torment & Toreros.

Hi! This cd is sooooo fab, I still remember were I was the first time I heard it. The titled track is soooooo fab, the chours soooo glorious, sooooo good! If wants to boarden ones mind pls liten to
this cd±! Other than that what can one say!