David McAlmont

David McAlmont is a soul singer and songwriter from Croydon, born in 1967. He is best known for his work with Bernard Butler in McAlmont and Butler, whose single “Yes” reaches the UK top 10, and for a solo career that moves through indie pop, soul, garage and jazz-influenced material.

Early work and Thieves

Before McAlmont and Butler, McAlmont performs in Thieves, an indie duo with Saul Freeman. The pair release the single “Unworthy” in 1993, and the band attracts attention from NME for McAlmont’s voice and striking stage image. The project later falls apart during work on a debut album. McAlmont continues as a solo artist, and the album appears under the title McAlmont. It includes the single “Either” and a cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Conversation”, which reflects McAlmont’s interest in Mitchell’s work.

McAlmont and Butler

After Bernard Butler leaves Suede, he and McAlmont begin working together in the studio and record a run of songs that become the “Yes EPs”. “Yes” becomes a major hit, and “You Do” also reaches the UK top 10. One album is issued from that material as The Sound of McAlmont and Butler. The partnership later ends, but the pair reunite for Bring It Back in 2002, a Motown-influenced pop album. “Falling” comes close to the UK top 10 and the title track also charts. They later record songs including “Freak” and “Speed” for a planned third album, and “Speed” is issued separately in 2006.

Solo albums and stylistic changes

McAlmont’s solo work changes direction several times. A Little Communication is released under his full name and presents a polished soul sound. The singles “Honey”, “A Little Communication” and “Lose My Faith” come from the album. He then records Be, a more dance-orientated, garage-leaning album; the singles “Easy” and “Working” do not chart strongly, and the label withdraws the album before release and drops him.

He later releases Set One - You Go To My Head on an independent label. This record takes a jazz-pop approach inspired by Cassandra Wilson. “Saving All My Love”, a cover of the Whitney Houston song, is sent to radio and draws attention partly because McAlmont, who is openly gay, sings it as a gay man to a song associated with a married family man. The album also includes covers of Shirley Bassey’s “Never Never Never” and the title track “You Go To My Head”. McAlmont had previously had a minor hit with “Diamonds Are Forever” with David Arnold.

Later work

McAlmont and Butler work together again in 2006 on “Speed”, taken from sessions for the abandoned third album. In 2012, McAlmont and Guy Davies form Fingersnap and perform around London.