Fantastic Star

Last updated

Fantastic Star
Fantastic Star Marc Almond.jpeg
Studio album by
Marc Almond
Released19 February 1996 (1996-02-19)
Recorded1993–1996
StudioRed Bus Studios, London; The Stereo Society, New York; Skyline, New York; GCHQ, London.
Genre Rock
Length76:53
Label Mercury, Some Bizzare
Producer Mike Thorne, Martyn Ware, Mike Hedges
Marc Almond chronology
Absinthe
(1993)		Fantastic Star
(1996)		 Open All Night
(1999)
Singles from Fantastic Star
  1. "Adored and Explored"
    Released: May 1995
  2. "The Idol"
    Released: July 1995
  3. "Child Star"
    Released: December 1995
  4. "Brilliant Creatures" / "Out There"
    Released: February 1996

Fantastic Star is the ninth studio album by the British singer/songwriter Marc Almond. It was released in 1996 and reached number fifty-four on the UK Albums Chart. [1] It includes the singles "Adored and Explored", "The Idol", "Child Star" and the double A-side "Brilliant Creatures" / "Out There". The album was Almond's last on a major record label until 2007's Stardom Road .

Contents

Accompanied by studio musicians and collaborators - specifically guitarist Neal X and John Coxon - Almond recorded the songs for the album over several years. This was due to his changing record labels and professional and personal difficulties. It was recorded at Red Bus Studios, London, The Stereo Society, New York, Skyline, New York, and GCHQ, London. Receiving mixed to positive reviews, the album was originally released as a CD and cassette in February 1996. The album was not reissued until 2023. The artwork was designed by 950 Fahrenheit with a cover photograph by Mike Owen.

Background

Originally the album was intended to be released by WEA UK (who had released Almond's Tenement Symphony album in 1991) and be produced by Soft Cell's former producer Mike Thorne under the working title Urban Velvet reflecting the Glam meets Electronica fusion. [2] However, Almond's manager Stevo Pearce had the project moved to Phonogram Records who decided to bring new producers and remixers to the project and even added new songs to the original track list. Beatmasters, Martyn Ware and others reworked or created new songs to varying degrees of satisfaction or displeasure for Almond, and this would be the last album he released via a major label for over a decade. Almond had addiction problems during the recording of this album, which he documents in his 1999 autobiography Tainted Life.

Release

The first single from the album, "Adored and Explored" (remixed by the Beatmasters), reached No. 25 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1995. [1] Despite a radio jingle version for the then top rated Chris Evans Radio 1 Breakfast Show, second single "The Idol" just missed the UK top 40, stalling at No. 44 in July 1995. [1] December 1995 saw the third single release, "Child Star", which just missed the top 40, stalling at No. 41. [1] Just before the album was released in February 1996, a further double A-side single "Brilliant Creatures"/"Out There" was released reaching No. 76. [3]

The Artist's Cut re-release

The album was re-issued in the UK for Record Store Day on 22 April 2023. This was the first time the album had been available on vinyl and was released over two LPs. This was subtitled 'the Artist's Cut' as Almond had re-evaluated all of the tracks himself, including those that didn’t make the album at the time but later appeared as B-sides of singles. Two songs that featured on the original CD release were removed: "The Idol Part 2 All Gods Fall" and "Shining Brightly", which Almond felt 'never really belonged' on the album. They were replaced by "The User", "Christmas in Vegas" and "My Guardian Angel". Almond also chose the new artwork, selecting his favourite shot from 1995 sessions by fashion photographer Zanna. The release was newly mastered for 180 gm vinyl at Abbey Road Studios and came with two fully printed inner bags with lyrics and a new design by Philip Marshall. [4]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [6]

Fantastic Star received good to mixed reviews from the majority of critics.[ citation needed ] The album was released to disappointing sales reaching UK No. 54. [1]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Marc Almond and Neal Whitmore; except where indicated

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Caged" 5:38
2."Out There"Almond5:37
3."We Need Jealousy"Almond, Steve Nieve 4:07
4."The Idol (Parts 1 & 2 All Gods Fall)" 9:03
5."Baby Night Eyes"Almond, Steve Nieve3:39
6."Adored and Explored"Almond, John Coxon 3:53
7."Child Star" 4:04
8."Looking for Love (In All the Wrong Places)"Almond5:43
9."Addicted"Almond, John Coxon4:07
10."The Edge of Heartbreak"Almond, John Coxon4:49
11."Love to Die For"Almond4:02
12."Betrayed"Almond, John Coxon3:20
13."On the Prowl" 3:53
14."Come in Sweet Assassin"Almond4:59
15."Brilliant Creatures" 5:28
16."Shining Brightly"Almond, Jane Rollink, Kevin White4:31

Personnel

Chart performance

Chart (1996)Peak
position
UK Albums (OCC) [7] 54

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bronski Beat</span> British synthpop band

Bronski Beat were a British synth-pop band formed in 1983 in London, England. The initial lineup, which recorded the majority of their hits, consisted of Jimmy Somerville (vocals), Steve Bronski and Larry Steinbachek. Simon Davolls contributed backing vocals to many songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heaven 17</span> English new wave and synth-pop band

Heaven 17 are an English synth-pop band formed in Sheffield in 1980. The band were a trio for most of their career, composed of former Human League members Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh (keyboards) with vocalist Glenn Gregory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Human League</span> English synth-pop band

The Human League is an English synth-pop band formed in Sheffield in 1977. Initially an experimental electronic outfit, the group signed to Virgin Records in 1979 and later attained widespread commercial success with their third album Dare in 1981 after restructuring their lineup. The album contained four hit singles, including the UK/US number one hit "Don't You Want Me". The band received the Brit Award for Best British Breakthrough Act in 1982. Further hits followed throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, including "Mirror Man", "(Keep Feeling) Fascination", "The Lebanon", "Human" and "Tell Me When".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marc Almond</span> English singer (born 1957)

Peter Mark "Marc" Almond is an English singer best known from the synth-pop/new wave duo Soft Cell and for his distinctive soulful voice and androgynous image. He has also had a diverse career as a solo artist. His collaborations include a duet with Gene Pitney on the 1989 UK number one single "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart". Almond's career spanning over four decades has enjoyed critical and commercial acclaim, and he has sold over 30 million records worldwide. He spent a month in a coma after a near-fatal motorcycle accident in 2004 and later became a patron of the brain trauma charity Headway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let's Stay Together (Al Green song)</span>

"Let's Stay Together" is a song by American singer Al Green from his 1972 album of the same name. It was produced and recorded by Willie Mitchell, and mixed by Mitchell and Terry Manning. Released as a single in 1971, "Let's Stay Together" reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and remained on the chart for 16 weeks and also topped Billboard's R&B chart for nine weeks. Billboard ranked it as the number 11 song of 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Want You (Marvin Gaye song)</span> 1976 single from the eponymous album

"I Want You" is a song written by Leon Ware and Arthur "T-Boy" Ross and performed by American singer and songwriter Marvin Gaye. It was released as a single in 1976 on his fourteenth studio album of the same name (1976) on his Tamla label. The song introduced a change in musical styles for Gaye, who before then had been recording songs with a funk edge. "I Want You", among other similar songs, gave him a disco audience. Ware, who produced the song alongside Gaye, also was attributed with the single's success.

The Beatmasters are an English electronic music group who gained success in the UK in the late 1980s with four top 20 hit singles. They then went on to produce and remix records for many other artists. The group's string of chart hit singles include "Burn It Up", "Hey DJ! ", "Who's in the House" and "Rok da House". The latter, having been recorded in 1986, is one of the earliest examples of hip house and most likely the first song of the genre. Hip house is a subgenre of house music which features rap vocals performed over a house rhythm track.

"Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" is a song written by Roger Greenaway and Roger Cook.

<i>Tenement Symphony</i> (Marc Almond album) 1991 studio album by Marc Almond

Tenement Symphony is the seventh studio album by English singer-songwriter Marc Almond. It was released in October 1991 and reached number 39 on the UK Albums Chart. Tenement Symphony includes three UK top 40 hit singles; "Jacky", "My Hand Over My Heart" and "The Days of Pearly Spencer".

<i>Heartbreaker</i> (Dionne Warwick album) 1982 studio album by Dionne Warwick

Heartbreaker is a studio album by American singer Dionne Warwick. It was released by Arista Records on September 28, 1982, in the United States. Her fourth album with the label, it was largely written by the Bee Gees, and produced by band member Barry Gibb along with Karl Richardson and Albhy Galuten; Gibb and Galuten also served as musicians on the album. Warwick recorded the songs on Heartbreaker during the spring of 1982.

<i>Enchanted</i> (Marc Almond album) 1990 studio album by Marc Almond

Enchanted is the sixth studio album by the British singer/songwriter Marc Almond. It was released on 7 August 1990 and reached number 52 on the UK Albums Chart and number 81 on the Dutch albums chart. Enchanted includes the singles "A Lover Spurned", "The Desperate Hours" and "Waifs and Strays".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Foolish Thing to Do</span> 1986 single by Heaven 17

"The Foolish Thing to Do" is a song by the British synthpop band Heaven 17 and featuring American singer Jimmy Ruffin. It was released in 1986 as a non-album single. The song was written by Glenn Gregory, Ian Craig Marsh, Martyn Ware and Nick Plytas, and produced by Marsh and Ware.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Days of Pearly Spencer</span> 1967 single by David McWilliams

"Days of Pearly Spencer" is a 1967 song written and originally performed by Northern Irish singer-songwriter David McWilliams, and included on his second album David McWilliams Vol. 2. Although it charted in several countries in continental Europe and in Australia, the original version was not a chart success in either the United Kingdom or Ireland. The song was rerecorded by McWilliams with a new arrangement in his album Working for the Government (1987). In 1992, a cover version by English pop singer Marc Almond reached number four on the UK Singles Chart and number eight in Ireland.

<i>Vermin in Ermine</i> 1984 studio album by Marc Almond and The Willing Sinners

Vermin in Ermine is the début solo studio album by the British singer/songwriter Marc Almond. It was released in October 1984 and reached number 36 on the UK Albums Chart. Vermin in Ermine includes the singles "The Boy Who Came Back", "You Have" and "Tenderness is a Weakness".

<i>Stories of Johnny</i> 1985 studio album by Marc Almond and The Willing Sinners

Stories of Johnny is the second studio album by the British singer/songwriter Marc Almond. It was released in September 1985 and reached number 22 on the UK Albums Chart. Stories of Johnny includes the singles "Stories of Johnny", "Love Letter" and "The House is Haunted".

<i>Mother Fist and Her Five Daughters</i> 1987 studio album by Marc Almond and The Willing Sinners

Mother Fist and Her Five Daughters is the third studio album by the British singer/songwriter Marc Almond. It was released in April 1987 and reached number 41 on the UK Albums Chart. Mother Fist and Her Five Daughters includes the singles "Ruby Red", "Melancholy Rose", and "Mother Fist". The album title is taken from Nocturnal Turnings or How Siamese Twins Have Sex, a short story by the American author Truman Capote. Almond dedicates the album in the liner notes to Capote.

<i>Open All Night</i> (Marc Almond album) 1999 studio album by Marc Almond

Open All Night is the tenth solo studio album by the British singer-songwriter Marc Almond. It was released by Blue Star Music in March 1999.

<i>Stardom Road</i> 2007 studio album by Marc Almond

Stardom Road is the thirteenth solo studio album by the British singer/songwriter Marc Almond. It was released by Sanctuary Records on 4 June 2007.

<i>The Velvet Trail</i> 2015 studio album by Marc Almond

The Velvet Trail is the twentieth solo studio album by the British singer/songwriter Marc Almond. It was released by Strike Force Entertainment / Cherry Red Records on 9 March 2015.

<i>Untitled</i> (Marc and the Mambas album) 1982 studio album by Marc and the Mambas

Untitled is the first studio album by the British singer/songwriter Marc Almond's band Marc and the Mambas. It was released by Some Bizzare in September 1982.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Official Charts Company – Marc Almond". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 20 August 2008.
  2. ↑ "The making of Fantastic Star". Archived from the original on 30 March 2009. Retrieved 15 October 2009.
  3. ↑ "UK Chartlog – 1994–2010 A – Azzido Da Bass". zobbel.de. Retrieved 24 September 2011.
  4. ↑ "Fantastic Star". Record Store Day. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
  5. ↑ AllMusic review
  6. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. ISBN   9780857125958 . Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  7. ↑ "Marc Almond | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.