Tuesday, July 4, 2023

Marc Almond - Trials Of Eyeliner, The Anthology 1979-2016 [2016] (10 x CDs)

MARC ALMOND

Marc Almond - Trials Of Eyeliner, The Anthology 1979-2016 [2016] (10 x CDs)

Marc Almond is one of the most versatile and adventurous artists in pop music, with a career that spans four decades and countless genres. From his synth-pop beginnings with Soft Cell, to his solo ventures into cabaret, chanson, folk, industrial, and more, Almond has always followed his own vision and explored his passions with flair and emotion. Trials Of Eyeliner is a 10-disc box set that showcases the breadth and depth of his musical output, featuring 192 songs handpicked by Almond himself. It includes his hits, rarities, collaborations, demos, and unreleased tracks, covering every phase and facet of his artistic journey.

The box set is divided into three sections: History, Singles, and Gems. The first four discs, entitled History, contain 72 selections from Almond’s various projects and albums, such as Soft Cell, Marc & the Mambas, Marc Almond & the Willing Sinners, etc. These discs highlight Almond’s eclectic influences and styles, from the dark and sleazy synth-pop of Sex Dwarf and Meet Murder My Angel, to the theatrical and poetic balladry of Mother Fist and The Stars We Are, to the exotic and experimental sounds of Pearly Night and Threat Of Love. The second set contains Almond’s singles in chronological order, including all the classic Soft Cell hits (Tainted Love, Say Hello Wave Goodbye, Torch, etc.), as well as his solo successes (Something’s Gotten Hold Of My Heart, Jacky, The Days Of Pearly Spencer, etc.). These discs showcase Almond’s pop sensibility and his ability to reinvent himself and adapt to changing trends. The final three CDs fill out a fascinating portrait of Almond and are loaded with treasures from his private collection. They contain one-offs, unreleased demos, compilation cuts, collaborations, flexi-disc releases, unissued performances, and more. These discs reveal Almond’s creative process and his collaborations with diverse artists, such as Coil, Nico, Johann Johannsson, Siouxsie Sioux, Gene Pitney, P.J. Proby, Jools Holland, and many more.

Some of the highlights of the box set are:

  • The Girl With The Patent Leather Face, a rare Soft Cell B-side from 1980.
  • Your Kisses Burn, a duet with Nico from 1988’s The Stars We Are album.
  • Something’s Gotten Hold Of My Heart, a cover of Gene Pitney’s song that became Almond’s first solo number one in 1989.
  • Pearly Night, a song by Russian singer Vadim Kozin that Almond recorded with the Orchestra Rossyia for his 2009 album Orpheus In Exile.
  • Dark Age Of Love, a collaboration with experimental group Coil from 2009.
  • The Exhibitionist, one of two tracks with Icelandic composer Johann Johannsson from 2014

The box set is a comprehensive and fascinating overview of Almond’s diverse and prolific musical output, spanning four decades and various genres and styles. It showcases his distinctive voice, his passion for storytelling, and his pop iconoclasm. 

Trials Of Eyeliner is a comprehensive and captivating overview of Almond’s prolific and diverse musical career. It is a testament to his compulsive creativity and his pop iconoclasm. It is also a celebration of his distinctive voice, his passion for storytelling, and his erotic and emotional expression. It is a must-have for any fan of Almond or anyone interested in exploring the rich and varied landscape of pop music. (B)

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Track lists

CD01

01 Soft Cell - The Girl With The Patent Leather Face 4:57

02 Marc And The Mambas - Fun City (2016 Edit) 4:22

03 Marc And The Mambas - Sleaze (Readers Wifes Club Edit) 4:38

04 Soft Cell - Sex Dwarf 5:11

05 Soft Cell - Youth 3:13

06 Soft Cell - Insecure Me (2002 Edit) 3:10

07 Marc Almond - Loving You Hating Me (2016 Edit) 3:02

08 Marc Almond - Heat (2016 Edit) 5:26

09 Marc Almond - Meet Murder My Angel (2016 Edit) 3:30

10 Soft Cell - Surrender To A Stranger 3:36

11 Marc And The Mambas - Untitled 4:54

12 Marc And The Mambas - Big Louise 5:03

13 Marc And The Mambas - Torment 4:21

14 Marc And The Mambas - Catch A Fallen Star 5:11

15 Marc And The Mambas - A Million Manias 5:51

16 Marc Almond - Love Amongst The Ruined 6:36

17 Marc Almond And The Willing Sinners - Joey Demento 5:50


CD02

01 Marc Almond And The Willing Sinners - Gutter Hearts 4:22

02 Marc Almond - Crime Sublime 3:12

03 Marc Almond - Always (Edit) 5:30

04 Marc Almond - I Who Never 4:31

05 Marc Almond - Body Unknown 4:44

06 Marc Almond - Saint Judy 5:53

07 Marc Almond And The Willing Sinners - The Hustler 3:16

08 Marc Almond And The Willing Sinners - There Is A Bed 4:50

09 Marc Almond - Mother Fist 4:29

10 Marc Almond - The Devil (Okay) 3:01

11 Marc Almond - Lost Paradise 3:22

12 Marc Almond - The Stars We Are 3:42

13 Marc Almond - These My Dreams Are Yours 5:28

14 Marc Almond - Your Kisses Burn (Feat. Nico) 4:41

15 Marc Almond - Toreador In The Rain 2:51

16 Marc Almond - The Sea Still Sings 3:48

17 Marc Almond - Meet Me In My Dream 4:23

18 Marc Almond - Champagne 5:43


CD03

01 Marc Almond - Vision (Live At The Royal Albert Hall / 1992) 2:52

02 Marc Almond - Night And No Morning 5:16

03 Marc Almond - Deadly Serenade 3:31

04 Marc Almond - The Edge Of Heartbreak 4:49

05 Marc Almond - Come In Sweet Assassin 4:59

06 Marc Almond - Lonely Go Go Dancer (Open All Night European Version) 3:55

07 Marc Almond - Midnight Soul 3:47

08 Marc Almond - My Love (Dave Ball Remix) 3:40

09 Marc Almond - Threat Of Love (Feat. Siouxsie Sioux) [Neal X Remix] 5:04

10 Marc Almond - One Big Soul 4:32

11 Soft Cell - Darker Times 4:25

12 Marc Almond - God Shaped Hole 5:02

13 Marc Almond - Under Your Wing 5:25

14 Marc Almond - Tantalise Me 4:07

15 Marc Almond - Lights 4:15

16 Marc Almond - Redeem Me (Beauty Will Redeem The World) 4:32

17 Marc Almond - The London Boys 3:27

18 Marc Almond - Stardom Road 4:54


CD04

01 Marc Almond - Sleeping Beauty 3:44

02 Marc Almond - The Storks 3:44

03 Marc Almond & Aquarium - Gosudaryunia 3:00

04 Marc Almond - Pearly Night (Feat. Orchestra Rossiya) 2:47

05 Marc Almond - Friendship 2:34

06 Marc Almond & Michael Cashmore - The Man Condemned To Death 5:35

07 Marc Almond & Michael Cashmore - Feasting With Panthers 6:02

08 Marc Almond - Variety 3:31

09 Marc Almond - Lavender 5:24

10 Marc Almond - Trials Of Eyeliner 5:44

11 Marc Almond - Farewell 3:00

12 John Harle & Marc Almond - Ratcliffe Highway 4:14

13 Marc Almond, Jeremy Reed & Othon - The Green Fairy 3:46

14 Marc Almond & Carl Barat - Love Is Not On Trial 4:00

15 Marc Almond - The Dancing Marquis 3:46

16 Marc Almond - Tasmanian Tiger 4:22

17 Marc Almond - Death Of A Dandy (Feat. Danielz) 4:50

18 Marc Almond - Zipped Black Leather Jacket 3:58

19 Marc Almond - Life In My Own Way 4:09


CD05

01 Soft Cell - Memorabilia (Single Version) 4:48

02 Soft Cell - Tainted Love 2:42

03 Soft Cell - Bedsitter 3:29

04 Soft Cell - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye (7" Single Version) 5:26

05 Soft Cell - Torch (7" Single Version) 4:08

06 Soft Cell - What? 2:49

07 Soft Cell - Where The Heart Is (2016 Edit) 4:19

08 Soft Cell - Numbers (2002 Edit Version) 3:32

09 Soft Cell - Soul Inside 4:28

10 Soft Cell - Down In The Subway 2:49

11 Marc And The Mambas - Black Heart 4:24

12 Marc Almond - The Boy Who Came Back (7" Version) 5:05

13 Marc Almond - You Have 5:38

14 Marc Almond - Tenderness Is A Weakness (Edit) 4:52

15 Bronski Beat & Marc Almond - I Feel Love 4:04

16 Marc Almond - Stories Of Johnny 3:44

17 Marc Almond - The House Is Haunted By The Echo Of Your Last Goodbye 2:18

18 Marc Almond - Love Letter 4:14

19 Marc Almond - Ruby Red (Edit) 3:42

20 Marc Almond - Melancholy Rose (Edit) 3:10


CD06

01 Marc Almond - A Woman's Story 3:38

02 Marc Almond - Tears Run Rings 4:12

03 Marc Almond & Gene Pitney - Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart 4:37

04 Marc Almond - Bitter Sweet 3:16

05 Marc Almond - Only The Moment 4:33

06 Marc Almond - A Lover Spurned 5:31

07 Marc Almond - The Desperate Hours 4:26

08 Marc Almond - Waifs And Strays 4:06

09 Marc Almond - What Makes A Man (Live At The Royal Albert Hall, UK / 1993) 5:27

10 Marc Almond - Jacky 4:49

11 Marc Almond - My Hand Over My Heart 5:04

12 Marc Almond - The Days Of Pearly Spencer 4:22

13 Marc Almond - The Idol (Pt. 1) 3:41

14 Marc Almond & Buster Poindexter - Adored And Explored (7" Edit) 3:51

15 Marc Almond - Out There (Edit) 4:29

16 Marc Almond - Brilliant Creatures 5:28

17 Marc Almond - Child Star 4:03


CD07

01 Marc Almond, My Life Story Orchestra & P.J. Proby - Yesterday Has Gone 4:20

02 Marc Almond - Black Kiss 3:36

03 Marc Almond - Tragedy (Take A Look And See) 4:18

04 Marc Almond & Mekon - Please Stay 3:22

05 Marc Almond - Glorious (Radio Edit) 3:59

06 Marc Almond - Gone But Not Forgotten 4:26

07 Rosenstolz & Marc Almond - Total Eclipse (Radio Version) 3:31

08 Soft Cell - Monoculture 3:53

09 Soft Cell - The Night 4:16

10 Marc Almond & Sarah Cracknell - I Close My Eyes And Count To Ten 4:06

11 Starcluster & Marc Almond - Smoke And Mirrors 5:38

12 System F & Marc Almond - Soul On Soul (Radio Edit) 3:40

13 King Roc - Prime Evil (Feat. Marc Almond) [Boris Dlugosch Mix / Edit] 3:11

14 T-Total - Baby’s On Fire (Feat. Marc Almond) 3:40

15 Mark Schneider & Marc Almond - Perfect Honey (Temptation) 3:33

16 Marc Almond - Nijinsky Heart 3:56

17 Marc Almond - Burn Bright 3:25

18 Marc Almond - Scar 3:42

19 Marc Almond - Bad To Me 4:20

20 Marc Almond - Demon Lover 3:26


CD08

01 Marc Almond - Oily Black Limousine 4:16

02 Marc Almond - Indigo Blue 4:20

03 Burmoe Brothers - Skin (Feat. Marc Almond) 3:04

04 Marc Almond - Dark Age Of Love (Demo) 3:25

05 Marc Almond - Amnesia Nights (Demo) 4:22

06 Marc Almond & Mekon - Theatre Of Dreams 3:40

07 Mekon - Demented, Deluded, Delirious (Feat. Marc Almond) [Mekon Remix] 3:56

08 Mekon - Out Of My Soul (Feat. Marc Almond) [Remix / Edit] 3:23

09 Marc Almond, Andrei Samsonov & Laska Omnia - Passion And Pain 4:12

10 Marc Almond, Andrei Samsonov & Laska Omnia - The Guilt Of My Secret 4:23

11 Marc Almond - Three Monkey Tango 3:03

12 Marc Almond - The Exhibitionist (First Demo) 5:05

13 Punx Soundcheck - Vanity, Poverty, Revenge (Feat. Marc Almond) 3:14

14 Marc Almond - Fur (Johann Johannsson Mix) 3:00

15 Marc Almond - Dead Eyed Child (Remix) 3:37

16 Marc Almond - Black Satin (Remix) 3:58

17 Marc Almond - Sequins And Stars (From "Mojo") 3:36

18 Othon - Last Night I Paid To Close My Eyes (Feat. Marc Almond) 1:54

19 Marc Almond - Beautiful Losers 4:36

20 Marc Almond - City Of Nights 5:57


CD09

01 Marc Almond - Tale Of A Tart (Hell) 4:46

02 Marc Almond - Urban Velvet (1997 Demo) 4:22

03 Marc Almond - The Beautiful Light Of Madness (Demo) 5:49

04 Marc Almond - Suburban Opera (1997 Demo) 4:26

05 Marc Almond - Life’s A Lonely Drag (But I’m Alive) [Demo] 5:06

06 Marc Almond - Bluegate Fields (Demo) 3:31

07 Marc Almond - Someone Like Me (Demo) 3:40

08 Marc Almond - I’m Your Karma (Demo) 4:10

09 Marc Almond - Kill Me Or Make Me Beautiful (Feat. Armen Ra) 4:04

10 Marc Almond - When Bad People Kiss 3:30

11 Marc Almond - The Tango Song (Feat. Othon) 2:58

12 Marc Almond & Rossiya Orchestra - The Sun Will Arise 3:14

13 Marc Almond & Rossiya Orchestra - Tenderness 3:24

14 Marc Almond, Antony Hegarty & Rossiya Orchestra - River Of Sorrow 4:48

15 John Harle & Marc Almond - Angel Eyes 3:25

16 Marc Almond - Keep Back Your Tears 3:00

17 X-TG - The Falconer (Feat. Marc Almond) 5:17

18 Marc Almond & The Gaslight Troubadours - Eros And Eye 3:39

19 Marc Almond & Brian Reitzell - Snake Charmer 3:32


CD10

01 Marc Almond & Jools Holland And His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra - Cry 2:38

02 Marc Almond & Jools Holland And His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra - On My Soul (I Swear) 3:52

03 Marc Almond - Idiot Dancing 4:32

04 Marc Almond - Dark Is My World (Without Love) 3:38

05 Marc Almond - Kiss The Ghost Goodbye 3:17

06 Marc Almond - I Am No One (Demo) 2:34

07 Marc Almond & Neal X - Criminal Lover 2:49

08 Marc Almond - The Crimson Diva 0:35

09 Marc Almond - Rhythm And Blues 3:10

10 Marc Almond - Suicide Saloon 6:11

11 Marc Almond - For Only You 4:08

12 Marc Almond - Brewer Street Blues 3:01

13 Marc Almond - Miss Urania 3:18

14 Marc Almond - The Perfumed Garden Of Gulliver Smith (Afghan Candles Version) 1:56

15 Marc Almond - Eyes (Demo) 3:28

16 Marc Almond - Be Still (Feat. Baby Dee) [Demo] 3:14

17 Marc Almond - Late Night 4:01

18 Marc Almond - Hurt Me (Edit) 5:51

19 Marc Almond - When I Was A Young Man (Live) 4:40

20 Marc Almond, T.Rextasy, Tony Visconti & The Dirty Pretty Strings - Teenage Dream (Live) 4:58

21 Marc Almond - I Created Me 5:58

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7 comments:

  1. Marvelous post BB - thank you. His versions of Jacky and Days Of Pearly Spencer got me hooked - bought the 2 'Virgin's Tale' CDs and I became a follower...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi LeKermitage,
      Glad to hear that you like it.
      Cheers.

      Delete
  2. UK Limited Edition came with:
    "If You Go Away" (Extended Play) [CD EP]

    Cheers
    Stephen

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hello and thanks for another great compilation!!!! PS. Don't You have Shorty Ranger – From Bullock Teams To Diesels or some compilation of Shorty Ranger?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're welcome, Art of living.
      Sorry don't have the great Shorty Ranger.
      Cheers.

      Delete
  4. WOw! Nice to have all of these in one place. And even a couple I didn't have yet. Great collection!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks pol.
      It's a thing of beauty. Glad you like it.
      Cheers.

      Delete