2007 studio album by Marc Almond
| Stardom Road | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Marc Almond | ||||
| Released | 4 June 2007 | |||
| Recorded | Townhouse Studios, Olympic Studios, Angel Recording Studios, Strongroom Studios, M&I Recording Studios, Helicon Mountain Studios | |||
| Genre | Pop | |||
| Length | 54:15 | |||
| Label | Sanctuary | |||
| Producer | Tris Penna, Marius de Vries | |||
| Marc Almond chronology | ||||
| ||||
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.
Background
Stardom Road was Almond's first new album after his involvement in a near-fatal traffic accident in October 2004. It is an album composed mostly of cover versions, a fact borne out of necessity as Almond found himself unable to write following the accident. Almond told Time Out that the album is intended as "a trip down memory lane, a musical journey from the 1950s to where he finds himself today".
The album features collaborations with Sarah Cracknell, Anohni and Jools Holland, with some of the tracks also featuring members of Jools Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra.
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| Record Collector |  |
| The Guardian | |
The album was well received by critics overall. Thom Jurek in his AllMusic review calls Stardom Road Almond's "finest studio moment as a solo artist" and describes Almond's voice as having "never been less histrionic, yet more expressive". Record Collector critic Joel McIver calls Stardom Road "the campest album ever released" and summarises that it is "entertaining rather than cutting edge". The Manchester Evening News review notes the autobiographical concept and calls the album "a great comeback" that is "kitsch, camp, melodramatic, yet full of heartfelt emotion".
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Original Artist (and song) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Have Lived" | Charles Aznavour, Al Kasha, Joel Hirschhorn | Charles Aznavour | 3:45 |
| 2. | "I Close My Eyes and Count to Ten" (featuring Sarah Cracknell) | Clive Westlake | Dusty Springfield – "I Close My Eyes and Count to Ten" | 4:05 |
| 3. | "Bedsitter Images" | Al Stewart | Al Stewart | 3:57 |
| 4. | "The London Boys" | David Bowie | David Bowie – "The London Boys" | 3:28 |
| 5. | "Strangers in the Night" | Bert Kaempfert, Charles Singleton, Eddie Snyder | Frank Sinatra – "Strangers in the Night" | 4:39 |
| 6. | "The Ballad of the Sad Young Men" (featuring Anohni) | Fran Landesman, Tommy Wolf | Roberta Flack | 4:37 |
| 7. | "Stardom Road" | Terry Stamp, Jim Avery | Third World War | 4:56 |
| 8. | "Kitsch" | Paul Ryan | Barry Ryan | 5:30 |
| 9. | "Backstage (I'm Lonely)" (featuring Jools Holland & Kiki Dee) | Fred Anisfield, Willie Denson, Marc Almond | Gene Pitney | 3:39 |
| 10. | "Dream Lover" | Bobby Darin | Bobby Darin – "Dream Lover" | 3:24 |
| 11. | "Happy Heart" | James Last, Jackie Rae, Fred Weyrith | Andy Williams – "Happy Heart" | 3:54 |
| 12. | "Redeem Me (Beauty Will Redeem the World)" | Almond, Marius de Vries | (not a cover version) | 4:31 |
| 13. | "The Curtain Falls" (featuring Igor Outkine) | Sol Weinstein | Bobby Darin | 3:10 |
Personnel
- Marc Almond – vocals
- Trevor Barry – bass
- Chris Dagley – drums
- Robbie McIntosh – guitar, ukulele
- Mike Smith – piano, harpsichord, recorder
- Richard Henry – bass trombone
- Winston Rollins – trombone
- Dominic Glover – trumpet
- Chris Storr – trumpet
- David Powell – tuba
- John Anderson – oboe
- Marius de Vries – keyboards, programming
- Lenny Plaxico – bass
- Rob Burger – keyboards
- Hugh Webb – harp
- Andy Caine – backing vocals
- Andy Ross – backing vocals
- Anna Ross – backing vocals
- Jools Holland – piano
- Dave Swift – bass
- Gilson Lavis – drums
- Chris Holland – organ
- Neal Whitmore – guitar
- Igor Outkine – accordion
- Isobel Griffiths – string contractor
- Gavyn Wright – string leader
Chart performance
| Chart (2007) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums (OCC) | 53 |
References
- "Marc Almond on the mend". NME. 28 October 2004. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- ^ Caroline Sullivan (25 May 2007). "Marc Almond – Stardom Road". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- Paul Burston (29 May 2007). "Marc Almond: Interview". Time Out. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- ^ Thom Jurek. "Stardom Road". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- ^ McIver, Joel (July 2007). "Marc Almond – Stardom Road". Record Collector. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- "Marc Almond – Stardom Road". Manchester Evening News. 1 June 2007. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- "Marc Almond | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
| Marc Almond | |
|---|---|
| Studio albums |
|
| Flesh Volcano |
|
| Marc and the Mambas |
|
| Songs | |
| Related articles | |