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Start Date: November 16, 2020
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SOFT CELL

Cruelty Without Beauty

2020 Expanded Edition

12" DELUXE WHITE VINYL 6 TRACK EP

UK POSTAGE IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICE, REST OF WORLD IS VIA EBAY'S GSP SERVICE.  IF YOU REQUIRE SIGNED FOR OR TRACKED DELIVERY, OR HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE LET US KNOW, WE ARE ALWAYS HAPPY TO HELP :-)

ALSO INCLUDES A SET OF 4 EXCLUSIVE POSTCARDS

Soft Cell’s 2002 reunion album ‘Cruelty Without Beauty’ is set for revaluation in new expanded and remastered 2CD and digital formats, as well as being released on vinyl for the very first time.

Long regarded by many fans as an overlooked masterpiece, the album features a lyrical outlook that was as true to Soft Cell’s maturity and perspective back in 2002 as it is relevant and accurate to the world situation in 2020.  Harshly honest, fatalistic and bleakly humorous, Cruelty Without Beauty also preserves the band’s highly distinctive and edgy sound, and stands alongside their greatest work.

The new 2020 version includes tracks originally destined for the album, but for various reasons not on the final cut.  It also includes brand new 2020 versions of six of the album highlights Monoculture, Together Alone, Darker Times, Last Chance, Le Grand Guignol and Caligula Syndrome, updated this year by Dave Ball.  Also included are a number of unreleased live versions of album tracks, plus rare and unreleased remixes.  The album has been compiled by the team behind the band’s acclaimed 2018 box set ‘Keychains & Snowstorms’.

Cruelty Without Beauty, Soft Cell’s fourth studio album, and the first since their original split in 1984, happened after Marc Almond and Dave Ball reunited in the studio after Dave’s ‘other’ band The Grid (with Richard Norris). They worked together on some tracks from Marc’s 1991 Tenement Symphony album, which eventually opened the door for some live Soft Cell dates and a reunion in 2001. As well as this album release in 2002, the band toured the album extensively in the UK, and across Europe and the US, including many festival appearances throughout 2002 and 2003.

The album includes the singles Monoculture and a cover of Frankie Valli & The Four Season’s classic The Night, which became the band’s first Top 40 hit since since 1984. 

Most recently in 2018, Soft Cell sold out London’s O2 Arena and were the subject of a career retrospective BBC documentary.  They have recently signed to BMG and are currently recording a brand-new album, set for release in 2021.  Before then, all of their classic Phonogram-era albums will be reissued in new expanded editions via Universal Music.

Marc Almond, August 2020

Cruelty Without Beauty is one of my two favourite Soft Cell albums - a shiny pop production with subversive dark chords and a hint of world weariness.  It felt right to do a pop record in the new millennium of shiny happy pop music - and this was Soft Cell's twisted and subversive take on that scene.

The songs still sound relevant and fresh - Darker Times, Grand Guignol, Monoculture, Together Alone - and a track that is not only my favourite on this album but one of my preferred Soft Cell songs period: Last Chance - the natural successor to Say Hello, Wave Goodbye. 

Dave Ball, August 2020

The title was something I remembered from my college days with Marc. There was a shop by Leeds train station called Cruelty Without Beauty that sold hideous clothes all made of non animal-based products. Marc quickly reversed it into a more apt name with his typical razor-sharp humour.

I always thought it a little strange this album was originally released on Cooking Vinyl Records, yet never was released on vinyl.

***

It's great, with well-judged strings and horns giving full rein to some marvellously acute lyrics.... A glorious return.    Q 

The finest tracks here update the duo's attitude as well as their sound, dissecting a new cultural and emotional climate with a bittersweet detachment.   Uncut

With songs full of piss and vinegar, Soft Cell's return is triumphant and toxic.   Launch.com

All pre-orders of the album will receive an exclusive 4 postcard set featuring artwork from this album.

CD TRACKLISTING

CD1

1.     Darker Times

2.     Monoculture

3.     Le Grand Guignol

4.     The Night

5.     Last Chance

6.     Together Alone

7.     Desperate

8.     Whatever It Takes

9.     All Out Of Love

10.  Sensation Nation

11.  Caligula Syndrome

12.  On An Up

13.  Divided Soul

14.  God-Shaped Hole

15.  Somebody Somewhere Sometime

16.  Dancing Alone

17.  Peversity

CD2

1.     Darker Times (2020 Extended Mix)

2.     Monoculture (2020 Extended Mix)

3.     Le Grand Guignol (2020 Extended Mix)

4.     Last Chance (2020 Extended Mix)

5.     Together Alone (2020 Extended Mix)

6.     Caligula Syndrome (2020 Extended Mix)

7.     The Night (Manhattan Clique Remix)

8.     Divided Soul (Live in Leeds, 2001)

9.     God-Shaped Hole (Live in Leeds, 2001)

10.  Somebody Somewhere Sometime (Live in Leeds, 2001)

11.  Last Chance (Live in Leeds, 2001)

12.  The Night (Live, 2002)

13.  Together Alone (Live, 2002)

14.  Darker Times (Live at London O2, 2018)

PLEASE CHECK OUT THE OTHER FORMATS ALSO AVAILABLE - IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN MORE THAN ONE FORMAT, PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR SPECIAL MONEY-SAVING BUNDLE DEALS.

Pink Vinyl Album (ABF5LP)

-       Cut on double deluxe 180g pink vinyl, with a gatefold sleeve and especially remastered for this format, with 5 bonus tracks.

 2 CD Book Format (ABF5CD)

-       Featuring almost 160 minutes of music, including brand new 2020 mixes, unreleased/rare remixes plus unreleased live tracks recorded at a triumphant homecoming reunion show in Leeds in 2002.  New artwork and sleeve notes, essay by Adrian Thrills, compiler’s notes, plus fully printed lyrics (for the first time) and other archive content.