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Marianne FaithfullCountry of origin:England Type of music generally:Beautiful & fierce alternative pop/rock, sometimes with ambient, blues, and/or cabaret influences Status:Most recent release, She Walks in Beauty (with Warren Ellis, 2021) See also:Marianne Faithfull's site Comparisons:An original Covers/own material:Cowritten songs and covers General comments:Marianne Faithfull's voice may be considered weak by some and by others to show how much she's gone through over the years, but I find her delivery totally individual and powerful. She began as a waif-like folksinger in the '60s and re-emerged in the late '70s as a raspy-voiced powerhouse. Since then she has done Kurt Weill/Bertholdt Brecht type cabaret music, ambient sounds. Quite a range of material all of which she makes her own. (Neile) Recommended first album:Try any of the compilations (A Perfect Stranger is highly recommended) to begin. For individual albums I adore Broken English, and A Secret Life, her collaboration with Angelo Badalamenti is an ecto favourite. (Neile) Recordings include:
Broken EnglishRelease info:1979—Island—CIDM-9570 Availability:Wide Ecto priority:Highly recommended Group members:Marianne Faithfull Guest artists:Diane Birch, Frankie Collins, Jim Cuomo, Guy Humphries, Joe Mavety, Maurice Pert, Barry Reynolds, Terry Stannard, Darryl Way, Steve Winwood, Steve York, Isabella Dulaney Produced by:Mark Miller Mundy Comments:This is the first "alternative" album I ever heard and it blew me away. I still love it. "Broken English," "The Ballad of Lucy Jordan," "Working Class Hero," and of course "Why D'Ya Do It" are classics. This is a wonderful collection which stands the test of time. Raw, edgy, and full of life. There's nothing quite like it. (Neile) Dangerous AcquaintancesRelease info:1981—Island—IMCD 205 842 483-2 Availability:U.K. Ecto priority:Highly recommended Group members:Marianne Faithfull Guest artists:Jo Mavety, Barry Reynolds, Terry Stannard, Steve York, and Frankie Collins, Mel Collins, Julian Diggle, Martin Drover, Dennis Haines, Neil Hubbard, Jim Leverton, Clifton Morrison, Fuzzy Samuels, Dyane Spenner, Chris Stainton, Pickford Sykes, Peter Veitch, Steve Winwood Produced by:Mark Miller Mundy Comments:This is certainly one of the most radio-friendly of Marianne Faithfull's albums and is full of delightful, catchy songs that I'm sure would have wide appeal if this album were better-known. Classic Marianne Faithfull of this era, and highly recommended if you can find it. I think it's every bit as good as (and perhaps better overall than) A Child's Adventure. (Neile) A Child's AdventureRelease info:1983—Island—7 90066-2 Availability:A little difficult to find but not impossible; probably easier to find in the U.K. Ecto priority:Highly recommended Group members:Marianne Faithfull—vocals Guest artists:Terry Stannard—drums Produced by:Wally Badarou, Barry Reynolds & Harvey Goldberg Comments:An album full of delightful songs, like "The Blue Millionaire" and "Falling from Grace", and haunting songs like "Times Square" and "Ashes in My Hand". (Neile) Strange WeatherRelease info:1987—Island—422-842-593-2 Availability:Wide on release Ecto priority:Recommended for certain tastes (see comments) Comments:This is aptly described as "Marianne Faithfull takes up where Lotte Lenya and Marlene Dietrich leave off". Recommended if the idea of blue angel blues sound good to you. (Neile) Blazing Away (live)Release info:1990—Island—842794-2 Availability:Wide on release Ecto priority:High for anyone who likes Marianne Faithfull Group members:Marianne Faithfull—vocals Guest artists:Dougie Brown—drums Produced by:Hal Willner, except "Blazing Away", produced by Hal Hillner, Fernando Saunders Comments:All except "Blazing Away" recorded live November 25 and 26, 1989 at St. Anne's Cathedral in Brooklyn, NY. It's a collection of songs from the length of her career, including "As Tears Go By", "She Moved Through the Fair", "Broken English" and "Times Square". In the liner notes she calls it a portrait of her life at the time, and it does seem one. Recommended. (Neile) A Secret LifeRelease info:1994—Island—314-524 096-2 Availability:Wide on release Ecto priority:Recommended for fans of Marianne Faithfull or of ambient music Group members:Marianne Faithfull—vocals Guest artists:Angelo Badalamenti—keyboards, composition, orchestration, and conducting Produced by:Angelo Badalamenti Comments:I sure do like her. This one is basically her lyrics with music by Angelo Badalamenti—the guy who wrote the Twin Peaks and Julee Cruise music. I like this combination!! My only problem is that the cd seems a little short.... Anyway—check it out if you've liked Marianne in the past. I currently love a song called "The Wedding" which follows a relationship from beginnings to beyond death. She also included lyrics from Dante (yeah, that hell, heaven, purgatory guy) and Willie the Shake (the end bit from The Tempest). (brad@lightfallsdesign.com) 20th Century BluesRelease info:1997—BMG/RCA VICTOR Availability:Wide on release Ecto priority:Recommended only for fans of Kurt Weill-type songs Comments:A live album, recorded in Paris, with 'classics' by the likes of Brecht/Weil: "Alabama song", "Mack the Knife", also "Boulevard of broken dreams". Piano and double bass I think, and Marianne's broken voice which sounds really ugly to my ears on this album. It suits the songs but I don't like it. (Marion) A Perfect Stranger (compilation)Release info:1998 Availability:Wide Ecto priority:Highly recommended for an overview of her career Comments:I can't recommend the A Perfect Stranger compilation highly enough. One of the best career retrospectives I've heard (even though it doesn't showcase many of her early songs). This double CD compilation album of her hits during the Island years is an excellent compilation featuring some great songs. Much better than the previous singles album best of, though all those tracks are included here as well. (jjhanson@att.net) Vagabond WaysRelease info:2000—Instinct Records/It Records—INS515-2 Availability:Wide Ecto priority:Recommended for Marianne Faithfull fans Group members:Marianne Faithfull—vocals Guest artists:Barry Reynolds—guitars, slide guitar, tremolo guitar, bass, piano Produced by:Mark Howard Comments:I have to say I quite like it. She co-wrote a few of the songs with Daniel Lanois and one song features Emmylou Harris on backup vocals. Overall, it's no big departure for her—but the songs are great and very appropriate to her personality. Great, moody collection of material that is ideally suited for Marianne's world-weary voice. However, it just didn't do as much for me as some of her other releases. (jjhanson@att.net) Kissin' TimeRelease info:2002 Availability:Wide Ecto priority:Recommended Group members:Marianne Faithfull—vocals Guest artists:Beck—guitar, synthesizer, percussion, background vocals Produced by:Producers include Beck, Etienne Daho, Billy Corgan, Dave Stewart, Jarvis Cocker Comments:Marianne Faithfull came out with a much overlooked album of great pop songs, written alongside the likes of Dave Stewart and Billy Corgan—lots of great rock/pop/dance songs, though not as cohesive as some of her earlier releases. (jjhanson@att.net) Further info:I personally am very fond of her singing in "The Hawk (El Gavilan)", from the movie Trouble in Mind. This work was written by Kris Kristofferson, arranged by Mark Isham, and sung by Marianne Faithful; talk about a triple whammy! Marianne's singing is torchy-bluesy-ectoish, Mark Isham does his wonder thing on the trumpet, and The Raincity Industrial Art Ensemble rounds it all out with some good percussion and synth work. And the lyrics are very insightful as well. A good piece of music all in all, and one that has always meant a lot to me musically and poetically. (bill@wagill.com) Horses and High HeelsRelease info:2011 Availability:Wide Ecto priority:Highly recommended Comments:Stupid album cover but good album, recorded in New Orleans, that has that bluesy vibe very suited to Marianne's voice. (jjhanson@att.net) Give My Love to LondonRelease info:2014—Naïve/Easy Sound—ES012-2 Availability:Wide Ecto priority:Highly recommended Comments:Easily the best Marianne Faithfull record since Before the Poison, probably even since Strange Weather. Very versatile, shows off the talents of a multitude of songwriters. The only song I could do without is, interestingly enough, the Roger Waters penned "Sparrows Will Sing." Rating: 58/100. Best tracks: "Late Victorian Holocaust," "I Get Along Without You Very Well," "Mother Wolf," "True Lies." (raschee@gmail.com) Further info:I personally am very fond of her singing in "The Hawk (El Gavilan)", from the movie Trouble in Mind. This work was written by Kris Kristofferson, arranged by Mark Isham, and sung by Marianne Faithful; talk about a triple whammy! Marianne's singing is torchy-bluesy-ectoish, Mark Isham does his wonder thing on the trumpet, and The Raincity Industrial Art Ensemble rounds it all out with some good percussion and synth work. And the lyrics are very insightful as well. A good piece of music all in all, and one that has always meant a lot to me musically and poetically. (bill@wagill.com) |
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