AMG Review of Yesterday Has Gone [UK #2]

Ned Raggett
All Music Guide

In a random but entertaining one-off, three generations of British popular music came together for this 1996 single, with transplanted American cult figure P. J. Proby teaming up with Marc Almond on a cover of the Cupid's Inspiration hit. Backing came from the underrated '90s outfit My Life Story, specifically the nearly ten-person string section that was part of the band! With Almond and his collaborator Neal X handling the production, "Yesterday Has Gone" finds both singers in quite grand voice. Almond's rich vocals come across with more impact than Proby's slightly thinner register, but the latter throws himself into the proceedings with the right blend of enthusiasm and skill. This particular single, the second of two parts, fills out its running time with the original recordings of three of Proby's older hits -- "That Means a Lot," written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and covers of the seasonal standards "The Christmas Song" and "White Christmas."