Customer Reviews

Once More (LEP Version)

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

That Spandau Ballet have managed to reform and remain afloat was exciting enough for me but this new release was a totally unexpected treat. They breathe brand new life into songs that were classic to begin with and have elevated them smack into the present. Tony Hadley's voice has never sounded better. New arrangements of classics such as True, Chant No.1, Through the Barricades, and She Loved Like Diamond really bowled me over. I have had this CD in my car for over two weeks now and I have listened to it over and over and every day it's like a brand new CD. When I hear Tony hold that one note for a full eight bars in To Cut a Long Story Short, I realize what an astonishing instrument the voice really is and what a talent he really has for using it. As a musician, I am inspired to the highest when I hear these songs and this new release by SB really proves that the band still has the power to rock.

I bought this album because of the incredible title track, "Once More." I stumbled upon the video on Youtube and was absolutely gobsmacked. These guys have definitely gotten better with age.

While Spandau Ballet was popular during my youth, as an American I probably didn't have quite the exposure to them as my British friends did. Still, many of Spandau Ballet's songs became iconic and indelible parts of the 1980s American culture ("True", "Only When You Leave", "Gold", "Round and Round"). Picking up this album I was a little taken aback at first because the arrangements here are so different from the original releases. But after a few plays the brilliance of this effort becomes apparent.

These men have matured as musicians and it definitely shows. Hadley's voice is as awesome as ever, and if "Once More" is any sign of things to come then my vote is for another album full of new releases. In fact the title track may very well be the best song Spandau Ballet has ever done, and that's saying something!

Overall I found the remakes better than the originals, with one or two exceptions ("True" was better as the original--it is really impossible to top that song--although the remake is nice, and the covers of "Only When You Leave" and "Gold" are in a dead heat with their originals to the point it is hard to choose which is best). The remake of "I'll Fly For You" is astonishingly good, and the versions of "She Loved Like Diamond" and "To Make a Long Story Short" are way better than the originals.


I've listened to this album so many times that I have a hard time remembering how to sing the originals properly. I'm not sure that I mind either, because this is an outstanding effort. I love this album and so will you. Five stars all the way.

Oh what a cd!!! I loved SPANDUA BALLET when I was a teenager, and it was my dream come true when I heard they were releasing a new CD and touring AUSTRALIA!!!! This CD brought back so many memories and the the way they reworked their songs is out of this world for me!!!! No one can argue the classic sound of the ultimate instrument THE SAX, and of course the great talent of being able to play it!!!!! I fully recommend this to all Spadua Ballet fans and know you won't be disappointed!! xo

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE THIS CD!!! THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST-HAVE FOR BIG FANS OF THE SPANDAU BALLET. THE 2 NEW SONGS ARE BEAUTIFUL AND TONY HADLEY SOUNDS BETTER THAN EVER!! FOR ANYBODY WHO LOVES THE '80s AND SPANDAU BALLET, BUY THIS CD!!!!

It's not easy being a legacy band. Your fans want you, but they only want your old hits. So what better way for Spandau Ballet to reform after 20 years than with a rejuvenated piano driven best-of album, with two new songs included.

The truth is: Spandau sounds the same. It's like they never left.

Tony Hadley's voice proves that he's a better singer now than ever before. My only complaint is that the album has too much of a dreamy, ethereal mix...everything seems to be floating and there isn't enough bass to ground the songs. The sparse and laidback feel on some songs makes it sound like we're listening in on demo cuts and not final tracks. It sometimes feels like the band is pulling their punches in favour of improvisation.

Once More takes a jazzier, bossa nova kind of feel towards the older material. It all feels slightly slower in tempo. Gary Kemp's trademark groovy rhythm guitar hooks are largely absent, as in Lifeline. Back-up vocals are also dropped from songs like True. Some parts for me at least, even lapse momentarily into muzak because they felt a little too deliberately laid back. But those are minor faults.

The biggest question is: are the new arrangements any good? Do they improve on the originals? That really depends on the listener. In my opinion, you could take out a scorecard and rate them one by one, but I won't do that here. The originals for the most part, are still brilliant pop songs that stand the test of time.

The two new songs are pretty good and give us some insight into the future, should Spandau decide to release new material. But I'm betting that the tours are going to make more money than any new album. Hopefully the tour will NOT include all new arrangements of the songs!

A Big Welcome back to the boys nevertheless.

This album took me completely by surprise..the Spandau Boys are back, with 2 new wonderful tracks and new renditions of 11 of their hits from the 80s. "Once More", the title track and opener, is the first new released song from them in 20 years, and showcases the band back in full form and in classic Spandau Style. If you enjoyed their big hits from the 80s, such as "True" and "Gold" and yearn for 80s style pop, you will absolutely fall in love with this song as it has all the elements of the band that made them famous: emotive, soulful, heartfelt lyrics and hooky pop sensibilities. Equally as fresh are the reworked versions of the older songs, which are given a facelift with a fresh, more organic feel, sounding less dated then their heavy synth-laden ancestors. Highlights for me include "To Cut a Long Story Short" and "I'll Fly for You." All in all, all songs are performed and executed to perfection, not a dull track in the lot, with an energy, vibrancy and production that is first class and reaffirms to me that Spandau Ballet must have "True"-ly been one of the best bands of the 80s generation!

Spandau Ballet's first "album" in twenty years is a disappointing reworking of eleven of their best loved songs and two new tracks. The problem isn't so much the wonderful source material as the indifferent treatment it's given here. The arrangements and production are simply uninteresting with their consistently bland combination of acoustic guitars, keyboards, strings and Steve Norman's occasional sax. Gary Kemp argues it brings the band's sound into the 21st century and shows how they would've done these songs originally if they'd had the maturity and know-how back then. I think it rather undoes their magic. Teaming up with Danton Supple probably seemed like an excellent idea, but if they wanted to refresh the back catalogue the band might've been better off handing over the original material to a range of mixers, producers and guest artists who could've spun something more engaging from it all. (Surely "Chant No.1" could've made a good dance track a second time around? Have a listen to what people have done with some Peter Gabriel classics over at realworldremixed.) The almost-soaring title track and single, "Once More", walks a clever lyrical line between the repair of a romantic relationship and the reunion of the band - but then lines like "I always loved you, but I didn't know" can suddenly make it feel a little creepy. Both it and the Tony Hadley-penned "Love Is All" are unlikely to build a new fan base, but they certainly do sound of-their-time: they're so resolutely MOR-inoffensive that they could well have been plucked from the Idol Winner's Single list. As one of my friends said, "It sounds like Robbie Williams' father has released a song." Still, Hadley's voice is as good as ever and I can only hope the much deserved success of the tour sparks the band's creativity and encourages them back into the studio to make a real album next time. As a shameless fan of everything they did in the 1980s, I want more!

The Spandau boys are back and still sounding fantastic! I was pleasantly surprised to find that Tony still sounds the same, if not better. The tracks are great...although I think Gold, True, and Only When You Leave are better in their original version. However, that being said, I really loved the new versions of She Loved Like Diamond and To Cut A Long Story Short...much better than the original. And whoa! Hearing Tony hold that note was impressive! The new songs are good too! My favorite song is the one written by Tony Hadley (Love Is All). It's a lovely ballad and Mr. Hadley really should write more songs.

Though they look aged quite a bit. The return to hear the songs recreated are a delight, they no doubt still have the talent. The question is do they still have the desire and the skill to bring out invovative music?

After a decade of hiatus and inter-personal turmoil between some of the band members,(read Tony Hadley's book "To Cut A Long Story Short) it's good to see that the boys are back at it again! Fantastic!
Ultra-cool alt versions of the classics and two new songs to boot, it's so refreshing to hear them all together again as they were in the hey-days of the '80's. Skeptical at first, thinking this was just a repackaged greatest hits thing, but alas....it wasn't. And I am very impressed. Tony's voice is timeless, even with his solo projects, he still maintained that magic. He IS the voice of Spandau Ballet. But knowing the guys are back together again just warms the heart and puts a glow in a true SB fan. The songs on this album are awesome. Sure, you won't hear it on mainstream radio, but for us "Spandites", it's like a breath of fresh air. Definitely a MUST HAVE in your SB collection. I'm glad the boys have settled their differences and are back at what they do best...performing together AS Spandau Ballet! I'm looking forward to a new studio album as well...I hope they do come out with one in the future. Keep it up guys!
On a 'minor' note, the CD I got was an import (obviously), but from Malaysia....hmmm. I mean, nothing's wrong with it. But I thought I'd get a copy made in the EU. I hope I didn't purchase an 'inferior' copy. But no complaints...it plays fine. :)