Tenement Symphony (Marc Almond album)

Working with former La Magia and Willing Sinners member Billy McGee, and his former Soft Cell bandmate David Ball as well as various studio musicians, Almond recorded the album at Maison Rouge, Sarm West Studios, Fishermans Room, Berlin, CTS Studios, Berwick St Studios, RAK and Pacific Studios.

The album is divided into two sections: 'Grit' and 'Glitter'. The first five songs constituted the 'Grit' and were produced by Almond, Billy McGee, Nigel Hine, and The Grid. The 'Glitter' side (the Tenement Symphony) was produced by Trevor Horn. The artwork was designed by Green Ink with a cover photograph by Klanger and Boink. The album cover mimics the style of German record label Deutsche Grammophon's classical records.

Almond wrote in his autobiography that the album's concept was largely down to Rob Dickins and that he did not feel the album truly reflected his artistic direction at that time, though he was pleased to have had the opportunity to work with Trevor Horn.

{{Album ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r438|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic review]

| rev2 = Encyclopedia of Popular Music

| rev2score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2011 |publisher=Omnibus Press |isbn=9780857125958 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_NNmFiUnSmUC&dq=cowboy&pg=RA3-PA2005-IA45 |access-date=1 May 2019 |language=en}}

| rev3 = NME

| rev3score = 6/10{{cite magazine |last=Page |first=Betty |date=19 October 1991 |title=Long Play |magazine=New Musical Express |page=36}}

}}

{{Track listing

| collapsed =

| headline = Side one

| all_writing = Marc Almond, except where indicated

| title1 = Meet Me in My Dream

| writer1 = {{hlist|Almond|David Ball}}

| length1 = 4:24

| title2 = Beautiful Brutal Thing

| writer2 =

| length2 = 5:02

| title3 = I've Never Seen Your Face

| writer3 = {{hlist|Almond|Ball}}

| length3 = 5:02

| title4 = Vaudeville and Burlesque

| writer4 =

| length4 = 6:52

| title5 = Champagne

| writer5 =

| length5 = 5:47

}}

{{track listing

| headline = Side two (Tenement Symphony)

| title6 = i. Prelude

| writer6 = Ball

| length6 = 0:23

| title7 = ii. Jacky

| writer7 = {{hlist|Jacques Brel|Gérard Jouannest}}

| length7 = 4:49

| title8 = iii. What Is Love?

| writer8 = {{hlist|Bruce Woolley|Trevor Horn}}

| length8 = 5:04

| title9 = iv. Trois Chansons de Bilitis – Extract

| writer9 = Claude Debussy

| length9 = 0:54

| title10 = v. The Days of Pearly Spencer

| writer10 = {{hlist|David McWilliams|Almond (additional lyrics)}}

| length10 = 4:22

| title11 = vi. My Hand Over My Heart

| writer11 = {{hlist|Almond|Ball}}

| length11 = 5:15

}}

{{Div col|colwidth=27em}}

• Marc Almond – vocals, keyboards, arranger
• David Ball – synthesizer, programming
• Anne Dudley – keyboards, arranger, orchestration
• J.J. Belle – guitar
• Sally Bradshaw – vocals
• Betsy Cook – vocals
• Mitch Dalton – guitar
• Andy Duncan – drums, percussion, percussion programming
• Trevor Horn – bass on "What Is Love?", organ
• Billy McGee – keyboards, arranger
• Julian Mendelsohn – mixing
• Richard Norris – percussion programming
• Nick Plytas – piano on "I've Never Seen Your Face"
• Lynda Richardson – choir master
• Richard Riley – guitar
• Philip Todd – soprano and tenor saxophone
• Tim Weidner – bass
• Bruce Woolley – keyboards, vocals
• Gavyn Wright – string conductor
• Nigel Hine – programming
• Julian Stringle – clarinet
• Steve Rapport – artwork
• Inga Humpe – programming, vocals
• Eric Caudieux – guitar, keyboards, programming
• Max Loderbauer – programming

{{Div col end}}

• {{Section link|The Big Store|Musical numbers}} – musical with song "Tenement Symphony" sung by Tony Martin

{{reflist}}

{{Marc Almond}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1991 albums

Category:Albums produced by Trevor Horn

Category:Marc Almond albums