The Stars We Are

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

The Stars We Are
File:The stars we are.png
Studio album by Marc Almond
Released September 1988
Recorded 1988 at Matrix Studios, 35 Little Russell Street, London
Genre Art pop
Label Parlophone, Some Bizzare, Capitol Records
Producer Marc Almond, Annie Hogan, Bob Kraushaar, Billy McGee
Marc Almond chronology
Singles 1984–1987
(1987)Singles 1984–19871987		 The Stars We Are
(1988)		 Jacques
(1989)Jacques1989
Singles from The Stars We Are
  1. ""Tears Run Rings" b/w "Everything I Wanted Love To Be""
    Released: September 1988
  2. ""Bitter Sweet" b/w "King of the Fools""
    Released: November 1988
  3. ""Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart""
    Released: January 1989
  4. ""Only the Moment" b/w "Real Evil""
    Released: March 1989

The Stars We Are is the fourth studio album by the British singer/songwriter Marc Almond. It was released in September 1988, reaching number 41 on the UK Albums Chart,[1] and 144 on the US Billboard 200 Album Chart.[2] It is Almond's highest selling solo album in both countries and was certified Silver by the BPI. The Stars We Are includes the singles "Tears Run Rings", "Bitter Sweet", "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" and "Only the Moment".

With his assembled band La Magia (made up of former Willing Sinners members Annie Hogan, Billy McGee and Steve Humphreys) and accompanied by various studio musicians, Almond recorded the album at Matrix Studios in London. The artwork was designed by Huw Feather with a cover photograph by Andy Catlin.

Music and recording

The album includes a duet with the German singer Nico, titled "Your Kisses Burn", which was recorded shortly before her death. Almond also duets with Agnes Bernelle on the track "Kept Boy"[3] (a bonus track on the CD and cassette versions of the album) and also with US singer Gene Pitney as they perform Pitney's 1967 hit "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart". This version became a UK number one hit in early 1989 and was the UK's sixth best-selling single of that year, being certified Gold by the BPI.[4]

Original editions of the album did not feature Almond's duet with Gene Pitney on "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart", and simply contained Almond's original solo version of the track instead. The duet version was recorded after the album was released and, after the success of the single in 1989, the duet was appended to CD and cassette versions and appeared in-place of the original solo version on some LP versions.

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic 4.5/5 stars[5]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Marc Almond; except where indicated. 

Side one
No. Title Writer(s) Length
1. "The Stars We Are"   Marc Almond, Annie Hogan 3:44
2. "These My Dreams Are Yours"     5:28
3. "Bitter Sweet"   Almond, Hogan 3:21
4. "Only the Moment"   Almond, Hogan 4:41
5. "Your Kisses Burn" (Duet with Nico)   4:43
Side two
No. Title Writer(s) Length
6. "The Very Last Pearl"     4:45
7. "Tears Run Rings"     4:22
8. "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart"   Roger Greenaway, Roger Cook 4:40
9. "The Sensualist"   Almond, Hogan 5:28
10. "She Took my Soul in Istanbul"   Almond, Billy McGee 6:22
CD Bonus tracks
No. Title Writer(s) Length
11. "The Frost Comes Tomorrow" (B-side of "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" 12") Almond, Hogan 4:18
12. "Kept Boy" (With Special Guest Star Agnes Bernelle) Almond, McGee 6:14
13. "Something's Gotten Hold of My Heart" (With Special Guest Star Gene Pitney) Greenaway, Cook 4:40

Personnel

  • Marc Almond – vocals, arrangements
  • Nico – vocals on "Your Kisses Burn"
  • Victoria Wilson-James – vocals
  • Gini Ball – violin
  • Sue Dench – viola
  • Julia Girdwood – oboe, cor Anglais
  • Derek Hanigan – bass clarinet
  • Sally Herbert – violin
  • Annie Hogan – piano, marimba, vibraphone, arranger
  • Philippa Holland – violin
  • Steve Humphreys – drums, percussion, programming, timpani, sampling
  • Christine Jacson – cello
  • Bob Kraushaar – percussion
  • Billy McGee – bass, keyboards, doubek, arranger, conductor
  • Chris Pitsillides – viola
  • Jos Pook – viola
  • Audrey Riley – cello
  • Enrico Tomasso – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Chris Tombling – violin
  • Audrey Ahmed – vocals
  • Agnes Bernelle – vocals

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ "The Stars We Are" LP
  4. ↑ The Stars We Are CD Booklet
  5. ↑ Allmusic review
Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=The_Stars_We_Are&oldid=713695735"