Review: Marc Almond – The Velvet Trail

Five years ago, Marc Almond, the British singer and songwriter who rose to prominence as the vocalist in the synthpop duo Soft Cell during the 1980s, declared that his music writing days are over. After his solo album Varieté, he felt that the songwriting muse had left him. As you get older, he recounted in a recent interview, an artist tends to think that the last album you did will be your last. But songwriter and producer Chris Braide was sure that he, respecting Marc Almond’s thirty-five-year career which included embracing everything from pop music to opera and theater, could successfully tap into Almond’s creative side. Braide, who has worked with Lana Del Rey, David Guetta, Beyonce, and Britney Spears, urged the semi-retired veteran to make ‘the ultimate Marc Almond album’. The story goes that Almond and Braide exchanged a series of emails, the producer providing beautifully arranged tracks, and the singer – who claims to have sold over 30 million records during his career – finding that his inspiration for writing was reawakened. The result is the sixteen track album, The Velvet Trail, a return to his straight-ahead pop roots, and critics are saying that this is his best work to date, as a vocalist and songwriter.

Thankfully, Marc Almond was receptive to Chris Braide’s invitation to collaborate, especially since the producer had done background vocals for Soft Cell’s reunion album in 2002. The Velvet Trail is a perfect blend of moderate tempo pop songs and sentimentally deep torch songs. The album features three ‘acts’ marked by short orchestral instrumentation that break the album up nicely. Many of the songs have big choruses and heartfelt lyrics that are encompassed by sweet melodies. Some songs like “Pleasure’s Wherever You Are” are written with a carefree aura while others like “Scar” and “Earthly” are melancholic and gut-wrenching. “Life In My Own Way” is a waltzy ballad of perfect theatrical flair while “Minotaur” is a dark yet joyful declaration of love with great depth and moodiness.

The range with which Braide conceptualized works well with Marc Almond’s signature style. The work from this transatlantic collaboration not only yields songs for the ages, but also has a charitable element as well. After being critically injured in a motorcycle accident in 2004, Almond was fortunate enough to fully recover from his critical injuries. He realizes though, that often there is a long and winding road to recovery. Therefore he decided that the proceeds from ticket sales for his upcoming tour would go to Headway, a charity that improves patients’ lives after suffering brain injuries.

Written by Mai Perkins

Originally from Los Angeles, Mai Perkins is living a genuine bona fide love affair with NYC and the music that keeps its spirit moving. While spending the majority of the last decade in Brooklyn, many of her adventures around the globe are documented on her blog: Mai On The Move! www.MaiOnTheMove.com

Author’s rating for The Velvet Trail

Pop Magazine’s official rating for The Velvet Trail

Rating key
MASTERPIECE a must-have
SUPERB for heavy rotation
EXCELLENT a great achievement
VERY GOOD a respectable result
GOOD worth checking out
FAIR an average outcome
WEAK not convincing stuff
BAD an underwhelming effort
VERY BAD quite a waste
FAIL a total failure