Marianne Faithfull Secret Life CD

All music written by Angelo Badalamenti. All lyrics written or co-written by Marianne Faithfull except "Prologue" (Dante Alighieri), "Losing" (D. Forman/D. Levine), and "Epilogue" (William Shakespeare).

For her first studio album comprised of mostly original material in over a decade, Faithfull enlisted noted composer Angelo Badalamenti (who collaborated with David Lynch for the Twin Peaks TV soundtrack) to write music for her lyrics and produce. Faithfull is still in rippingly fine voice, and her words still penetrate. But while Badalamenti's densely orchestral arrangements can be effectively noirish, they can also create an inappropriately cold and detached ambience, despite standout tracks like "Flaming September" and "She." ~ Richie Unterberger

Mid-price Spectrum reissue of her 1995 album unavailable in the US.

Recorded at Excalibur Sound and National/Edison Recording Studio, New York.

Personnel: Marianne Faithfull (vocals); Vincent Bell (guitar, mandolin); Carmine d'Amico (guitar); Gene Orloff (violin); Sue Pray, Lamar Alsop, Julien Barber, Mary Helen Ewing, Ann Barak, Caroline Levine, Kenneth Fricker, Mitsue Takayama, Harry Zaratzian, Al Brown, Juliet Haffner, Richard Sortomme (viola); Mark Orrin Shuman, Beverly Lauridsen, Julie Green, Richard Locker, Clay Ruede, Frederick Zlotkin (cello); Albert Regni, Pamela Sklar, Lawrence Feldman (flute, alto flute); Andre Badalamenti (clarinet); Sherry Sylar, Shelley Woodworth (oboe, oboe d'amore); Robert Carlisle (French horn); Kinny Landrum, Angelo Badalamenti (keyboards); Samuel Merendino, Gordon Gottlieb (drums, percussion).

Audio Mixer: Gary Chester .

Recording information: Excalibur Sound, New York, NY; National-Edison Recording Studio, New York, NY.

Photographer: Wayne Maser.

Unknown Contributor Role: Shelley Woodworth.

Personnel includes: Marianne Faithfull (vocals); Carmine D'Amico (guitar); Vinnie Bell (guitar, mandolin); Gene Orloff (violin); Al Brown, Julien Barber, Lamar Alsop, Ann Barak, Mitsue Takayama, Kenneth Fricker, Juliet Haffner, Harry Zaratzian (viola); Frederick Zlotkin, Clay Ruede, Beverely Lauridsen, Julie Green (cello); Al Regni, Pamela Sklar, Lawrence Feldman (flute, alto flute); Shelley Woodworth, Sherry Sylar (oboe, oboe d'amore); Andre Badalamenti (clarinet); Robert Carlisle (French horn); Kinny Landrum, Angelo Badalamenti (keyboards); Rufus Reid, Mark Egan (bass); Sam Merendino, Gordon Gottlieb (drums, percussion).

Entertainment Weekly (3/24/95, p.64) - "...Whiskey-ravaged and bitter, Faithfull sounds like a distressed angel. But if she envisions herself as Marlene Dietrich, her collaborator, Angelo Badalamenti, sees Peggy Lee....LIFE makes you wonder what Faithfull could produce if she was orchestrated by Ennio Morricone..." - Rating: B