Marc Almond is back with his latest solo album ‘I’m Not Anyone’, out July 12 on BMG.
Coinciding with his 45th year in music, the LP features covers spanning genres, from psychedelic and prog rock to folk, gospel and soul.
On the record, which arrives following his Top 10 comeback with Soft Cell’s ‘*Happiness Not Included’, Marc says: “I always approach curating an album of covers with a lot of joy as it means a year or so of listening to songs, old and new, making lists from which I add or subtract songs and in the process discover, or rediscover, some half-forgotten gems. Living now in Portugal, I´ve found the time to not only reflect on my life but to also rediscover my love for music and songs. A great song can never die and should always find a new life and audience.
“I finally reached a selection of songs that express where I am in my life today and how I feel about the world and my place in it. These aren’t particularly storytelling songs (though for me, lyrics always come first) but more than ever this time I’ve gone for how a song makes me feel and the emotional resonance it holds – reflective songs for an older artist, perhaps.
“I don’t change a song too much, take it too far away from why I like it. Too much emphasis is made on reinvention. I like to think that I’m bringing a song in a new light to my audience who might not have heard it before or haven’t considered it until they’ve heard me sing it. Then they may re-evaluate it.
“There is an underlying spiritual, esoteric feel to this album, a thread that goes through it – deeply elemental references, a nod to my interest in things Druid and Pagan and which reflects how many of us feel in this world which is going through changes, and not all good.
“I could go through the album song by song but that takes away the joy of how you may hear it, and to me what is important is the overall feel. Sometimes why I choose a song over another is not always even clear to me, it is just a feeling and something of the moment. A choice has to be settled on and the discipline of track limitation means sometimes I just have to go with what I feel on that day when I commit. I always hope the choices are right, but the album is what it finally is, and I live with it.”
Alongside the album announcement, the singer released his interpretation of Bob Lind’s esoteric 1965 folk classic Elusive Butterfly, which has been covered by everyone from Aretha Franklin to Cher and Dolly Parton.
Marc adds, “I can’t simply just sing any song; I have to feel that if I could I would have written it myself… It’s just that someone else said it first, and far better than me.”
‘I’m Not Anyone’ is available to pre-order now. Listen to Elusive Butterfly below.
Tracklist: Marc Almond – I’m Not Anyone
1. I’m The Light (originally by Blue Cheer)
2. Reflections Of My Life (Marmalade)
3. Gone With The Wind (Is My Love) (Rita & The Tiaras/Gloria Jones)
4. I Talk To The Wind (King Crimson)
5. Elusive Butterfly (Bob Lind)
6. I’m Not Anyone (Paul Anka / Sammy Davis Jr.)
7. Smokey Day (Colin Blunstone)
8. Trouble Of The World (Mahalia Jackson)
9. Look To Your Soul (Johnny Rivers)
10. Chain Lightning (Don McLean)
11. Lonely Looking Sky (Neil Diamond)
In support of the record, the Tainted Love hitmaker will embark on a UK headline tour throughout September 2024, which includes a London date at the Coliseum.
In the spirit of the new album, the concert tour will consist only of cover songs, and the UK shows will be followed by selected European dates.
He will also tour as special guest of Jools Holland from the end of October through to Christmas, including two London shows at the Royal Albert Hall on November 29 and 30.
Tickets go on sale March 26 and are available here. The full list of dates is below.
SEPTEMBER 2024
8 – Grand Theatre, Leeds
9 – Coliseum, London
11 – Dome, Brighton
14 – Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
15 – The Glasshouse International Centre for Music Sage 1, Gateshead
16 – Symphony Hall, Birmingham
18 – Beacon, Bristol
21 – Usher Hall, Edinburgh
22 – Floral Pavilion Theatre, New Brighton
