Editor’s Note: The Albumism staff has selected what we believe to be 50 Essential Albums by LGBTQ Artists, representing a varied cross-section of genres, styles and time periods. Considering that the qualifier “LGBTQ” can often be open to various interpretations, for the purposes of this particular list, we have defined an artist as LGBTQ if he, she or they have ever publicly identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or queer. Moreover, albums by groups have been included in the list if any of their members fit the aforementioned criteria, even if some members do not.
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MCALMONT & BUTLER | The Sound of…McAlmont & Butler
Hut (1995)
Selected by Patrick Corcoran
Bernard Butler was considered by some the finest guitar player of his generation. As the guitarist and songwriter with Britpop group Suede, he powered them to heady heights alongside Brett Anderson’s androgynous, wasted elegance. In 1994 he left Suede and immediately began working with David McAlmont, a singer and songwriter with a voice that has to be heard to be believed.
Boasting an incredible range, from a deep profound bass all the way through to a piercingly brilliant falsetto, McAlmont’s voice allied to Butler’s astonishing guitar work and their wondrous songwriting made it an unforgettable combination. Beyond the music itself though, was the fact that McAlmont was an openly gay black man. To see the imperious McAlmont soar ebulliently singing “Yes I do feel better / yes, I feel alright / I feel well enough to tell you what you can do with what you’ve got to offer” added an extra dimension to an already outstanding song—perfection from a vocalist breaking barriers and not remotely giving a shit.
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