McAlmont & Butler

English duo McAlmont & Butler quickly became one of the most hyped collaborations of the mid-90s through a handful of singles that combined uplifting soul music arrangements with the reigning Britpop sound of the era. Shortly after meeting at the Jazz Café in Camden, singer David McAlmont, formerly one-half of the short-lived pop act Thieves, and Suede guitarist Bernard Butler struck a creative partnership that culminated with the release of the orchestral single "Yes" in May 1995. Praised by its lush production, the track reached Number 8 on the UK Singles Chart and was followed by second single "You Do" in October of that year. Although the pair's relationship had deteriorated considerably by the end of 1995, label Hut decided to release the compilation The Sound Of... McAlmont & Butler, which included both of their singles and a couple of B-side tracks. Against all odds, the duo smoothed things over in the following years and released their sophomore effort Bring It Back Again in 2002. Thanks to the popularity of singles like "Falling" and "Bring It Back," the LP climbed to Number 18 on the UK Albums Chart. However, this success proved short-lived as the band went on hiatus once again after being dropped by label EMI. The group reconvened for two charity shows in 2014 and headlined a UK tour in 2015.