Jacques

Marc Almond

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 5, 1996)
• Original Release Date: 1989
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Thirsty Ear
• ASIN: B0000057O6
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #478,391 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Devil (Okay)

2. If You Need

3. Lockman

4. We Must Look

5. Alone

6. I'm Coming

7. Litany for a Return

8. If You Go Away

9. Town Fell Asleep

10. Bulls

11. Never to Be Next

12. My Death

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

2008 reissue of this solo album from the Soft Cell vocalist, originally released in 1989. The Jacques album is Almond's tribute to the music of Jacques Brel. Marc Almond initially shot to fame in the early 1980s as one half of Synth duo Soft Cell, whose combination of drama and peep show sleaze set to an electronic beat gave them hits such as "Tainted Love", "Bedsitter", "Torch", "Say Hello Wave Goodbye", "Soul Inside", "What?" and the club hit "Memorabilia". Some Bizarre. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars j'arrive, March 30, 2000

By	"threshingfloor" (Seattle) - See all my reviews

Jacques is one of Marc Almond's more difficult albums. If youare not familiar with his torching abilities, nor his semi-gothicsounds from the mid to late 80's, this is probably not the best CD to introduce you it. For all others who have heard Torment and Toreros, from his Mamba days or Absinthe- the French album released around 1994, this CD is a gold mine of covers. Two tracks: If You Go Away, and The Bulls are remakes of earlier versions he sang on Marc and Mambas "Untitled" and Marc and Mambas "Torment and Toreros". My personal favorites on this CD are: The Devil (Okay), We Must Look, Litany for a Return, If You Go Away, and The Town Fell Asleep. These tracks are rich with ochestration and sombre vocals- Probably the most melodic tracks on the CD itself. Other tracks such as "The Lockman" is sung in a plaintive, aching a cappella and "Next" is sung with bitterness and contempt towards war, love, and disease. BYT- Gavin Friday also covers this Jacques Brel song on his first Solo LP "Each Man Kills the Thing He Loves". If you like Jacques, you might be interested in hunting that album out also, although I think it is out of print now. Anyway this album takes some getting used to but once given the chance you will find that Torching is not an only feminine quality. Marc does it with sincerity, and at all costs. END

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Marc Almond sings Jacques Brel's songs, May 6, 2000

By	Robert Storm (Finland) - See all my reviews

Marc Almond is one of my favorite singers but I'm not that crazy about his songwriting. That's why I think he's at his best when he sings songs written by other people. The songs on this album are translations of chansons by the Belgian songwriter Jacques Brel. A lot of other singers have recorded his songs in English too, such as Scott Walker who had them on many of his albums, Dusty Springfield who did a beautiful version of "If You Go Away" and of course Terry Jacks who had a huge hit with his wonderfully awful version of "Seasons in the Sun". But for me Almond is the greatest Brel singer. His strong and theatrical baritone fits perfectly Brel's dramatic songs and beautiful ballads. Almond also recorded an excellent disco version of Brel's song "Jacky" for his album Tenement Symphony. The single version of this song is on this extended release.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!, September 13, 2009

By	Philippe Landry (Louisiana) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Jacques (Audio CD)

Although Scott Walker preserved the cerebral power of Brel's music Marc Almond crystalizes the lurid atmosphere that is the back streets of Europe. Moreover, despite the fly-by-night production, Almond's voice, originality and talent still shine through which is what makes this record a must. His choice of material and the way in which he treats it with what little resources were at his disposal is a testament to his ability as a true artist and a master interpreter of traditional music.