Marc Almond

Continuing from where the first volume left off, In Session, Vol. 2 collects more of Marc Almond's various BBC efforts over the years, with a focus on his mid-'80s and mid-'90s work. The first seven tracks come from two 1985 sessions that mostly cover songs from his excellent Stories of Johnny album, finding Almond with his crackerjack backing band of the time, the Willing Sinners. Steering away from the two main singles on that album -- the title track and "Love Letter" -- results in an enjoyable reinterpretation of the many strong songs featured there. "Traumas Traumas Traumas" has a striking, stripped-down beginning before shifting into the main arrangement, while a delicate take on "Broken Hearted and Beautiful" is especially noteworthy. There's also a wonderful one-off with the "Heart Medley," a combination of Torment & Toreros' "Black Heart" and the rare B-side "Take My Heart" with the Ray Charles classic "Unchain My Heart," which gives Enrico Tomasso a chance to take a star turn on trumpet. The concluding five songs also come from the same time period, with a focus more on Vermin in Ermine -- standouts include a romp through "Gutter Hearts" and a wonderful, vampy take on Cole Porter's "Love for Sale," though frustratingly no broadcast or accompanying musician information is listed for the sessions. Smack in the middle come three tracks from an acoustic 1995 session, all previously released as B-sides. Two Fantastic Star songs are covered -- "We Need Jealousy" is fair enough, but "Adored and Explored" makes for a striking difference to the sleek techno original while retaining the breathless energy. There's also a song dating back to Soft Cell days -- the classic "Bedsitter," with Almond in excellent voice, slightly calmer in comparison to the original, while the combination of guitar and harmonica makes for an unexpected, sharp arrangement. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide