MARC ALMOND – SHADOWS AND REFLECTIONS

Now in his 60th year, the former Soft Cell front man is still working and here’s his first proper album on a major label in 20 years. What’s he been doing all this time? Making arty excursions into all manner of decadence and disturbance basically. Oh, and he has been with his partner now for 20 years so that could explain why he’s been somewhat busy on the side, too. This mature, self-assured set sees Marc in fine form, less ’80s electro and more ’60s psychedelica. It suits him, though we hanker for his wacked-up nonsense like Soft Cell’s Sex Dwarf, or when he camped-up Donna Summer’s I Feel Love with Bronski Beat. Ah, yes, those were the days, eh, Tainted Love?