Virgin's Tale Vol 2, A

Volume two of Virgin's collection of Marc Almond B-sides. This CD is better than the first volume, as most of the songs are written by Almond and demonstrate his diverse interests. "Broken Hearted and Beautiful" is quite simply one of the best songs he has ever written and/or recorded. The tune is a beautiful melancholy ballad, and the lyrics, with references to Wuthering Heights, produce goosebumps. It is hard to believe that such a masterpiece was buried on a B-side. The other tracks are also impressive, and there really is not a boring moment. Once again, Virgin could have added several tracks from various compilation albums/EPs and, sadly, the brilliant 12" re-recording and remix of "Ruby Red" are not here either. The song selections were out of Almond's control and clearly he would have made much better choices. Also, the liner notes are scant at best and the origins of the tracks are not present. Even with these faults, this CD should be in all fans' collections. ~ Aaron Badgley|