Pitchfork

In 1985, Marc Almond wrote songs for A Woman's Story, each of which was colorful and abstract. And continuing in the grand Almond-ine tradition, they're highly visual pieces. One of the best tracks, "The Plague," flows like a march into war. With many voices in unison, Almond creates the effect of a shared experience. The lyrics describe a dark plague striking and attacking life as we know it. Another high point on the record, "Little White Cloud That Cried" is a smooth and heavenly ballad. The lyrics are sweetly accented by angelic female voices and sweeping harp glissandos.

Thirsty Ear's new reissue of A Woman's Story includes the recordings which comprised another release from Marc Almond, Violent Silence. These five tracks were recorded in 1985 from a performance celebrating French surrealist erotic writer Georges Bataille. The recording is a rare glimpse into a live performance by Almond, and a nice freebie to complement this record's re-release.