rise up

A while back, we had a little chinwag with David McAlmont, one of the UK's finest vocalists. At the time, he was touring and preparing for a return with some newly recorded material. Now, he has confirmed his emergence for the studio with the "Smokehouse" EP.

However, there is a twist. Rather than a solo album, David has returned as one half of Fingersnap, his newly formed collaborative partnership with flame haired compadre and pianist extraordinaire, Guy Davies.

Of course, Mr. McAlmont is no stranger to this configuration as he started his career as part of Thieves with Saul Freeman, then reached the dizzying heights of the singles chart with Bernard Butler, has stepped in Shirley Bassey's diamante heels with David Arnold, and most recently stretched his considerable vocal talents on an album with Michael Nyman. Eclectic? Oui. Magnifique? Absolutment.

The first fruits of David's collaboration with Guy appeared as two new studio tracks on "Live From Leicester Square", a live album (natch!) featuring a number of songs from across David's nearly twenty year career. Two covers, "Isn't It A Pity", originally recorded by George Harrison, and the Tom Waits composition, "Grapefruit Moon" were featured as bonus tracks. Guy played piano on the entire project.

Lead song on the four track "Smokehouse" EP is "I Wanna Rise", which is home to a sparkling, soulful and uplifting chorus that wouldn't sound out of place on a Brand New Heavies album. That is not a bad thing at all by my standards as I am a massive BNH fan.

The track starts out with a sforzando string line built from of an amalgam of Motown classics. A hearty laugh from Mr. McAlmont reinforces his pleasure at being able to deliver another installment of quality songs. The first verse is little jarring upon first listen but starts to bleed into shape and find its roots by the time the Guy's piano appears just prior to the rise before the chorus. As I mentioned previously, it's a glorious payoff.

The boys even found time in their hectic schedule to lense a vid for the tune.



Ah, London is a fine locale for a music video. While Mr. McAlmont shimmies, shakes and shuffles, Mr. Davies seems a bit camera shy. Show us more of yer mug, Guy.

Second cut, "Some Kind Of Masterpiece", is a subdued affair with more Motown influences and David channelling a bit of Nina Simone. It is underpinned by Guy's left hand piano and tasteful rhodes. As with "I Wanna Rise", the string arrangement are lovingly draped across the track and give it a classic 70s soul vibe.

Next up is "Mister" which seems to detail a harrowing tale of spousal abuse dressed in an uptempo, 70s rock and soul hybrid with a handclappy rhythm at its core. The lyrics are visually arresting and David's powerful vocal performance slips in shades of Billy Preston and early Michael Jackson.

"The Bishop Of New Hampshire", the final track on the EP, is an elegiac, piano driven ballad which ends with a male vocal choir. It's another lyrically powerful song which seems to have benefited from David's work with Michael Nyman. The subject matter appears to have been ripped from the headlines of our ever present 24/7 news cycle.

All in all, the "Smokehouse" EP is a welcome addition to David's considerable catalog. Working tirelessly with Guy, both on the road and in the studio, has given birth and breath to a strong collaboration in the shape of Fingersnap. I am seriously looking forward to an entire album which will, hopefully, see the light of day in the very near future.

The "Smokehouse" EP will be available from all fine "shops" on November 14. If you wanna invest in a little communication with David, check out my recent interview by clicking here.

a little communication with David McAlmont

It has been a good year for David McAlmont, ladies and gents. One of the UK's premiere vocalists, David has seen fit to return to the live stage and is currently playing to enraptured audiences with his unique blend of rock, soul and standards.

Simultaneously with his current tour, David has taken the opportunity to release "Live From Leicester Square", his first live longplayer which captured his vibrant performances in front of a sold out audience.

For the uninitiated, David's voice blends the unbridled joy Stevie Wonder, the world weary ache of Nina Simone, the grand dame diva delivery of Shirley Bassey and the passionate arch of Billy McKenzie sprinkled with lovely Princely funkisms.

Not only has David written some fine gems like "Yes" and "Falling", two collabs with guitar legend Bernard Butler, but he wraps his velvet pipes around some truly inspired covers like "I'm A Better Man" and "Never, Never, Never". All of these and more McAlmont magic are lovingly delivered on "Live From Leicester Square". The two disc set features his entire show with the CD including two, brand new, studio recordings - "Isn't It A Pity" and "Grapefruit Moon". The companion DVD is the visual document of the show.

"Isn't It A Pity" was originally written and recorded by George Harrison, but made equally as famous by premiere soul singer, Nina Simone. It is her version that inspired David to record the song and imbue it with his heartfelt vocal style.

Here's a recent, stripped down performance of "Isn't It A Pity" David did for UK station, Smooth Radio, accompanied by the piano stylings of his current collaborator Guy Davies.



Tom Waits has inspired and been interpreted by everyone from Rod Stewart to Annie Lennox. Now, David lends his formidable vocal prowess and uncanny, interpretive, pop sensibilities to Tom's work. The anthemic and slightly boozy "Grapefruit Moon" was originally recorded in 1973 and featured on Tom's landmark album, "Closing Time".

And now, here's a little taster of what you will find on David McAlmont's latest collection.



Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Mr. McAlmont in between tour stops to discuss life, love and the pursuit of a sustainable career in the music "biz". He gave his time graciously and answered all manner of burning questions.


At the turn of the century, you recorded an album entitled "Be" for Hut. A couple of singles, "Working" and "Easy", were previewed and then the album never saw the light of day. Can you elaborate on the situation without causing any litigious activity? :) Will "Be" ever be released?

I don’t know if "Be" will see the light of day. I wanted to make a Myspace profile for it, but that site is a mess now so those plans stalled. I asked my manager to help me get dropped from Hut because of their bizarre attitude towards my work with the advent of Garage (the music) and Craig David. It got to a point where Garage was all the rage and a remix was commissioned on the song "Working". I was invited to re-sing the vocal by the remixer Sweet Pea. When I did, the record company thought I should do the same with most of the album. I was surprised when "Easy" became the single, but the reasons for releasing it were that it was the most Craig David-like thing I had recorded.

It has been stated that the first McAlmont & Butler singles were only ever supposed to be special events - little bursts of musical energy without the support of a tour or promotional activities. Someone once described them as brilliant flashes of light you had to catch before they diffused into the night sky. Were they only meant to be that way?

They weren't even supposed to be "they". They were supposed to be "Yes". Bernard had the glorious notion of making a one off musical statement, but a motley crew of record companies and managers prodded and jabbed us into doing more. The idea would have worked better in the download era.

How did it come to pass that you recorded the second M&B album? And why only one single, "Speed", on Rough Trade in 2006?

"Bring It Back" was a happy reunion. Bernard had gotten over the acrimony to the extent that he could hear my voice on some new music that he was writing. I was anxious to make amends and an opportunity arose. After "Bring It Back" was finished we started working on new material that got put on ice after a hideous experience at EMI, courtesy of one of the most odious characters I've ever had the misfortune to encounter. This experience was so demoralizing that Bernard and I went our separate ways for a bit; Bernard reteamed with Brett, and I made an album for my mom. "Speed" was something that we managed to salvage and release from that ignominious era.

How would you describe your clutch of shows in NYC last year? How did they come about? You mentioned they were your very first shows on American shores. Why such a long wait?

I was delighted to play in the states for the first time; that little cluster of shows felt timely and right; I was grateful and very happy. There used to be a lot of corporate nonsense: every time I went to one of those suspect, record company meet and greet events, the non-UK record companies would spout the same bull-crap, "We’re just waiting for the story." Consequently, I barely played out of the UK at all. The advent of social networking has changed everything: Facebook friends flew us to New York to perform a surprise birthday party; another Facebook friend got wind of it and said he’d arrange for us to play additional shows. That was all that was necessary. Amazingly, all of these US fans came to see it and me amazes me that getting me some American shows had been such a headache for "well-oiled" corporate machines.


In classic 70s and early 80s form, "Saturday" and "Look At Yourself" were stand alone singles in the 90s. Neither one was included on an album. Was there any conscious reason behind those decisions?

"Saturday" was a limited edition collectible that I created for the Pride festival of that year, but I absolutely adore that song. "Look At Yourself" was pre "A Little Communication". It was written early in the writing process and used as a water-tester. As I type this I am becoming aware of some real record company floundering. After its release we radically altered the musical direction and "Look At Yourself" became too noisy for the "A Little Communication" album.

Similarly, why was "The Coldest Day On Earth" not included on "The Glare", your collaboration with Michael Nyman?

Paul Morley invited us to contribute to his Guardian Blog in December of 2009, a month after "The Glare" was released. They asked us if we had a seasonal song and I thought that we could do something with Michael's "The Piano" theme as it was going to be a Guardian exclusive, but Michael's label fell in love with it and insisted that we record and release it.

Speaking of which, Mr. Nyman's audience seemed a bit puzzled by your collaboration while your fans rightly effused heaps of praise on it. Your thoughts?

There was a lot of bad will from Michael's fans. Some of them were downright offensive to me personally and surprisingly rude to Michael. I think they felt that I was the wrong kind of personality or voice. As fans of minimalism they perceived me as being too busy, too soulful, untrue to their vision of what Michael was, whereas my fans enjoy my collaborative spirit and enjoy the anticipation of who I will "collar" next. :)

You seem to enjoy recording covers. Your rendition of Joni Mitchell's "Conversation", from your first album, is outstanding. What is your criteria for recording a cover?

Thank you. If I respond to a song emotionally, which is to say if a song brings me close to tears, it's a no-brainer. I adore jazz standards and really can't get enough of them. Surprisingly I rarely touch the songs by artiste's that I hold most dear. I'm yet to cover Prince, Stevie or the Pet Shop Boys.

There seemed to be a few gaps between albums over the last decade or so. It appears you've come roaring back with Guy Davies as your musical compadre. What was the catalyst for your return? How did you and Guy strike up this current collaborative effort?

It's been a long friendship and we have a huge love and respect for each other. We're both looked upon as two talents with huge potential, and after my coming close to quitting and Guy's seemingly endless, mind-numbing stint in the private sector, we decided to commit to each other and "Do this thing!". It's the happiest chapter of my career. There have been gaps over the years and I have to file those under bad luck; I got frequently stonewalled by labels that didn't know what they wanted, although I did know.

The way you have taken social media and made it work in your favor is quite impressive. Hue And Cry, another favorite of mine, have approached their career in a similar fashion by engaging their dedicated fanbase. Was this intentional or did it happen organically (ie. by accident)? :) How do you find the experience of being laid bare to your audience, so to speak?

I've always been communicative. One of the early conflicts I had with "management" was the issue of me speaking to my audience. It was perceived by some as being "uncool" or "too cabaret". What pray is so wrong with cabaret? I had no idea what to expect when social networking was suggested, but you're right, I have really embraced it. I think the day I realized that I had an on-line audience was the day I grasped that I could create for and entertain that audience using social media, that it was just another set of raw materials. It's been life-changing.

You're about to undertake your first solo tour across the UK in quite some time. Why the lengthy break from the live experience?

Once again, bad luck: I'm not lazy, I'm incredibly creative, but my business acumen is bogus. That's why I need a compadre like Guy who addresses those gaps. It's quite different since we reconnected.

Prior to the current tour, you played a few, intimate salon dates. What was the thinking behind that? Will there be more salon appearances this year?

I saw Jane Siberry do a salon gig in Manchester and was blown away by the experience. I live for intimacy and interaction, so for me the home concert is incredibly powerful and moving and most of all true. I would love "salons" to be central to what Guy and I do, but I think that a lot of work has to be done to make them really take off.

Lastly, where do you find your fabulous, bejewelled baubles?

In London there is a lovely, eccentric ex-actor called Christopher St. James on Cecil Court off St Martin's Lane. His jewellery is incredibly beautiful and heart-stoppingly reasonable. Approach at your peril. He creates addicts.

With that, Mr. McAlmont was off in his tour van. Whooosh!

Please note that I will be tweeting, updating my blog and causing general mayhem at David's show at Dingwall's in London on March 27. Huzzah!

Merry Christmas, Mr. McAlmont

There has been a serious dearth of original Christmas songs making their way to market in the last few years. However, this year has seen numerous, high quality, festive offerings being released for the holidays, making it the jolliest season in recent memory.

Whether it's Hurts, Saint Etienne, Coldplay, Bananarama, Owl City and George Michael with newly penned tunes or Annie Lennox's beautiful longplayer of traditional carols, this Christmas is well packed with favorites for slinging garland around your tree.

With that said, David McAlmont, one of the world's finest vocalists, has contributed his entry to the ever expanding cadre of cracking Christmas songs.

"Merry Christmas Is You", a brand new song written with his current collaborator, master pianist Guy Davies, is tender and touchin. It is guaranteed to give you goosebumps and bring a tear to your eye. It's the ultimate, emotive double whammy. And David, as always, knocks it out of the park with his soaring, majestic voice.

In these glorious days of tweets and blogs, David has been one of the insightful few that has kicked down the fourth wall. He has allowed the world to have a glimpse into the inner workings of his creative process by giving his devoted followers a behind the scenes look at the making of "Merry Christmas Is You" across various social media platforms. The entire development unfolded right before the eyes of his dedicated fanbase.

David even lensed a video for his new Crimbo creation across the frozen tundra of Southwark Park in the very heart and hearth of London after last week's particularly heavy snowfall.

For those of you not familiar with David McAlmont, prepare yourself to be mesmerized by the beauty of his magnificent voice.



Egads! Apparently, pastels are back in fashion this winter. David would know. He has become one of the most fashionable popstars in Britain, following onward through an incredible lineage of suave and sophisticated singers. It's a rarefied group of smartly styled individuals which includes Bryan Ferry, David Bowie and Duran Duran. Make no mistake, David McAlmont is fashion forward and has seriously good taste in tailoring.

By the way, if you swing over to David's official website, you will receive "Merry Christmas Is You" as a free download simply by registering your name and information. We love it when pop glitterati give special audio baubles to their fans.

Recently, I had the tremendous pleasure of seeing David perform one of his very first shows on American soil. At the beginning of November, during a whirlwind trip to New York City, David enraptured a small group of attendees at Rockwood Music Hall, a new venue on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

He performed several songs from across his entire career including a few tracks he originally recorded as part of the duo, McAlmont And Butler. Two of the highlights were "Yes", a #8 hit in the UK back in 1995, and "Falling", which peaked at #23 in the UK singles chart in 2002.

Here's David's stripped down performance of "Falling" with nothing more than Guy Davies' rollicking piano accompaniment.



Sensational!

I first fell head over heels for David's voice in 1993 when I happened across the CD single of "Unworthy" by Thieves, his short lived, collaborative effort with Saul Freeman. Saul went on to produce a couple of albums as a member of trip hop collective, Mandalay.

Back then, during my tenure at EMI, I was in London for business and heard the song floating out of the sound system at HMV on Oxford Street. Immediately, I asked one of the sales staff about it and he directed me toward the bountiful singles section. "Unworthy" was mine for a snip!

I cherished "Unworthy" for a few years until I stumbled across David's self-titled, debut elpee at Rebel Rebel, my favorite record shop in NYC. Since then, I've collected everything David has graced with his vocal presence.



"Unworthy" is like a cross between Annie Lennox and "Heaven And Las Vegas" era Cocteau Twins. I simply cannot say enough amazing things about David. He's truly a gifted showman and singer. Do yourself a favor and get your hands on his back catalog. Oh, dear. That sounded a bit saucy!

Merry Christmas to you, kittens! Thanks for a splendid year.