Enchanted (Marc Almond album)

Enchanted
Studio album by Marc Almond
Released June 1990
Recorded Marcus, Beethoven Street, Sarm West, Advision, Mayfair Studios, London.
Label Parlophone, Some Bizzare, Capitol Records
Producer Bob Kraushaar, Gary Maughan, Stephen Hague
Marc Almond chronology
Jacques
(1989)		 Enchanted
(1990)		 Memorabilia – The Singles
(1991)
Singles from Enchanted
  1. "A Lover Spurned" b/w "Exotica Rose[1]"
    Released: February 1990 (1990-02)
  2. "The Desperate Hours" b/w "The Gambler[2]"
    Released: May 1990 (1990-05)
  3. "Waifs and Strays" b/w "City of Nights"[3] / "Old Jack's Charm[4]"
    Released: November 1990 (1990-11)

Enchanted is the sixth studio album by the British singer/songwriter Marc Almond. It was released in 1990 and reached number fifty-two on the UK Albums Chart[5] and number eighty-one on the Dutch albums chart[6]. Enchanted includes the singles "A Lover Spurned", "The Desperate Hours" and "Waifs and Strays" (released in a single version, mixed by The Grid).

The songs for the album were recorded at Marcus, Beethoven Street, Sarm West, Advision, and Mayfair Studios, London. Almond was accompanied by former La Magia and Willing Sinners member Billy McGee, and also by studio musicians. Almond worked with three producers[7], Bob Kraushaar and Gary Maughan oversaw half of the tracks each, while Stephen Hague produced the lead single "A Lover Spurned".

Almond has described the recording process of this album as one of "conflict" between himself and Kraushaar.[8] Writing in his autobiography Tainted Life, Almond describes how in the recording he wanted "spontaneity and surprise, passion and grit" and that he "wanted to be the conductor, waving my baton as musicians came in and out, brandishing strange instruments that created exotic sounds", whereas Kraushaar "was a technophile, and would have happily replaced everyone with the passionless dependability of his computer if he could."[8] However, Almond concedes that "A year later I played the album and loved it. Bob Kraushaar had produced a highly polished, wonderful-sounding album, which at the time I just couldn't hear."[8]

Receiving mixed reviews the album was originally released as an LP, CD and Cassette in 1990. The album was reissued on CD in 2002 having been remastered. The artwork was designed by Green Ink with a cover photograph of Almond and Zuleika by Pierre et Gilles. Almond has stated that it is his favourite album cover.[8]

Contents

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [9]

Enchanted received mixed reviews from the majority of critics.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Marc Almond, except as indicated. 

Side one
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "Madame De La Luna"   Marc Almond, Billy McGee 4:47
2. "Waifs and Strays"     5:09
3. "The Desperate Hours"     4:27
4. "Toreador in the Rain"     2:52
5. "Widow Weeds"   Marc Almond, Billy McGee 5:39
Side two
No. Title Writer(s) Length
6. "A Lover Spurned"     5:37
7. "Deaths Diary"     4:00
8. "The Sea Still Sings"     3:48
9. "Carnival of Life"     4:38
10. "Orpheus in Red Velvet"     5:07

Personnel

Players

Additional players

Technical

References

  1. ^ "A Lover Spurned" UK CD single
  2. ^ "The Desperate Hours" UK CD single
  3. ^ "Waifs and Strays" UK CD single
  4. ^ "Waifs and Strays" 7" vinyl singe
  5. ^ "Chart Stats - Marc Almond". chartstats.com. http://www.chartstats.com/artistinfo.php?id=4121. Retrieved 2008-08-20. 
  6. ^ "Discografie Marc Almond". 2003-2011 Hung Medien. http://hitparade.ch/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Marc+Almond. Retrieved 2011-09-24. 
  7. ^ "Enchanted" CD
  8. ^ a b c d Almond, M., Tainted Life, the autobiography, Sidgwick and Jackson, 1999, p336-8
  9. ^ Allmusic review

External links