Prior to this collaboration, McAlmont recorded a debut album which was virtually ignored, and a Mardi Gras celebratory single 'Saturday'. The disinterest these releases met with could be explained in part by the inability to pigeonhole his sound, veering as it did from pop to indie to soul.
That McAlmont possessed a powerful yet simultaneously delicate voice was never in doubt, and it was perfectly harnessed by his initial single with Butler. 'Yes' mixed the anthemic sound of Motown strings and guitars with McAlmont's defiant, passionate vocal style and saw the single enter the Top 10 in the UK charts. The follow-up was more restrained and reflective whilst equally as enchanting, but the pair soon tired of each other's company and split amid accusations of unreasonableness (mostly aimed in Butler's direction). Their label, Hut Records, compiled all recorded tracks on a mini-album which stands as a timeless example of the quality songwriting that the pair managed in their short time together.
McAlmont continued to pursue a solo career, with sporadic single releases again seeing him drift from one musical style to another - 'Look At Yourself' was 60's soul crossed with rock, 'Easy' was a smooth R & B ballad, but the majority never troubled the charts.
Rumours of a reunion with Butler surfaced in 2002, and proved to be true. The duo emerged with a new single, 'Falling', and an album, 'Bring It Back', both of which are a continuation of the promising pop and classic songwriting that prospered during their original collaboration period.
IF YOU LIKED THESE, YOU'LL LIKE McALMONT: McAlmont & Butler, My Life Story, Marc Almond.