Customer Reviews

True

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

 

 

Spandau Ballet had a respectable string of hits in their native Britain, but they were a one-and-a-half hit wonder in the U.S., where they scored the Top 10 smash "True" and the Top 30 hit "Gold." But if this 1983 album is anything to go by, the band deserved far greater success on these shores. At 8 tracks and clocking under 40 minutes, "True" is a tastefully crafted hybrid of new romantic pop and blue eyed soul. Singer Tony Hadley was always one of pop's most underrated singers; his expressive vocals perfectly complimented the intricate melodies of guitarist and songwriter Gary Kemp. The singles "Gold" and "Communication" may be dated in production, but at their core, the songwriting is still fresh. Other album cuts such as "Code of Love" and "Foundation" also hold up, but the disc saves the best for last: the title song which goes down as one of the best and most familiar ballads of the 1980s. "True" has been remastered for its 20th anniversary, and the disc has an enhanced portion which has an attractive set of extras including the video for "Gold" as well as home footage of the group. It's one of those records that triumphs equally in both style and in substance.

This is the only Spandau Ballet album that everyone has (or should have) in their collection, and it's easy to understand why. In the band's brief journey from innovation to irrelevance it was the moment they set aside the baroque, art-disco theatricality of their earlier New Romantic work and offered up something original, innocent and pure - a white-soul antidote to the tedious excesses of punk and 70s rock. It's essentially a suite of eight modern love songs, carefully crafted by producers Steve Jolley and Tony Swain from the simplest of arrangements - funk guitar, a super-tight rhythm section, occasional keyboards, and some beautiful percussion and sax neatly deployed, often to spine-tingling effect. But the real star is vocalist Tony Hadley, who at last dropped the artsy, melodramatic edge from his performance and demonstrated that he has one of the finest pop voices ever recorded. Even Gary Kemp's whispery falsetto backups don't sound too ridiculous here. The album contains two classic tracks - "Gold" and "True", which were actually the band's career highlights (matched only by the well-deserved late hit "Through the Barricades"). Spandau's career went south shortly after this early peak as they sought to commit to record the more vibrant energy of their live shows. The results were mixed. "Parade" (1984) was moderately successful, but super-smooth Jolley and Swain were perhaps the wrong men for the job. On "Through the Barricades" (1986), Gary Langan captured a harsher guitar-driven sound, but apart from the brilliant acoustic title track it just wasn't credible. "Heart Like a Sky" (1989) saw the band revert to a smoother sound wrapped in a lush late-80s mix, but the magic had fled and so had the fans. Kemp's writing was arguably still strong, and Hadley's voice was better than ever, but the moment had passed. Pop had moved on, and the band members were sadly left to squabble over the spoils of a brief but memorable career. Some listeners at the time called "True" a MOR sellout, but its slick surfaces remain tough to resist even today. It's Spandau's most consistent and best all-around album.

Spandau Ballet was one of the most successful New Romantic bands of the 1980s in large part because of this 1983 masterpiece, which includes their US and UK smash hit "True" as well as the popular "Gold." Also includes the third single, "Communication," which unfortunately failed to chart here in the States. The album was followed by the excellent "Parade" LP, but Spandau Ballet's career was essentially over in the U.S. This remastered version is well worth the $$, though the extras fail to impress (a DVD of the videos for True, Gold and Communication would have been much nicer). Standout tracks: True, Gold, and the fantastic "Pleasure."

The sound quality is better then the first release on CD. The biggest difference is in the drum sound but on some tracks the kick drum is a little distracting. It was nice to see the video of the song "Gold". It has been twenty years since I've seen this video! It would have been nice to see some of the other videos like "True" and "Communication". The making of True was nice except for the shots of the man in the speedo. Maybe that was for the ladies. All in all this is a great CD and I would recommend it to all fans.

If you have heard any of SB's so-called "rock" albums, you know right off the bat that they were ill-suited for the genre. When brothers Martin and Gary Kemp decided to change their musical landscape of rock and trendy club disco, the result was this cool, suave, sophisticated mixture of blue-eyed soul and new romantic pop that not only redefined who the band was, but also made them a heard-of act here in the US.

I must maintain a deep love for this album that transcends the decades simply because it is so stylish, timeless, and romantic, not to mention that it is everything a well-constructed British lounge album (by today's standards) should be. It is apparent that a lot of hard work and care went into this project, and every track on True belies this fact like a sparkling diamond in direct sunlight.

One often gets the feeling that a lush, passionate song like "Gold" just missed being used for a James Bond flick. "Heaven is a Secret" is endearing for its references to West Side Story, and the title track is ear candy that never loses its dignified charm regardless of the years that have passed since its release as a single.

Excellent song structures, spritely guitar work, romantic-without being drippy-lyrics, and Tony Hadley's vocals which often resemble the intensity and tone of ABC's Martin Frey make this a must-have for anybody who enjoys good 80s Brit pop. I also love the gorgeous video on the enhanced portion of the cd for "Gold." Extras aside, I can play this album over and over, never growing tired of it because it still sounds so fresh after all these years. I only wish SB would have made another album of this immaculate standard.

My hubby and I both love Spandau Ballet ever since we we're like 18 years old(20 years ago). Throughout the years our True and Parade albums were lost. But now thru your site we were able to enjoy the albums, again. Now even our children aged 13/9/6/3 are singing along whenever we put the cds on. Truly the Best ever New Wave Band...... much, much better than Duran2

I was a freshman in high school when "True" was released. Spandau Ballet became my favorite band until I picked up "Chicago 17" the following year - then Chicago became my favorite - and still is. Though I intended to buy more of Spandau Ballet's albums, I never did - probably the same reason why I didn't purchase any more Survivor albums (you can read my review on "Vital Signs" for more information)

"True" was the group's third studio release and their most successful in the states. The album had three hit singles, though I can only remember two: "True" (#4), "Gold" (#27) and "Communication" (#59). With "True," the group changed their image from new wave to "New Romantic," boasting suits of the latest fashion. The album topped the charts worldwide and launched the group into international success; sadly, it wasn't to last.

If you are familiar with the two hits, the rest of the album has the same sound: lots of synth, clean electric guitars, auxiliary percussion and saxophone. Unfortunately, the rest of the album is not as strong as the main hits and there are only eight tracks on the CD, instead of the usual ten (same as LP). Even at the time, I only liked about half of the album. The strongest tunes outside the hits, are "Pleasure," "Lifeline," and "Heaven is a Secret." Though dated with the early '80s synths and electronic drum set, all three have great melodies, changes between the verse and chorus, tempo breaks, and instrumental interplay.

What drew me to the music then was the hit "Gold." At the time, I had just began studying piano with Dr. David Rostkoski at Eastern Washington University. I was totally engulfed in technical exercises and when I heard the pianist fly through a two octave scale, in the key of b flat minor no less, I was IMPRESSED. "Gold" was a great tune - the music built dynamically up to the first chorus, laid back on the second verse and built up again, had a very modern saxophone solo and a cool piano solo and the end. Though not listed on the Spandau Ballet roster, Jess Bailey was the pianist and his name is listed in the liner notes.

I only gave this album four stars, which I think is more than it deserves. Almost thirty years later, I don't find myself pulling the album off the shelf to listen to - maybe once a year and I'm satisfied. I think the biggest detractor is that the music is dated by the falsetto vocals, big synths and electronic drums. I did buy this one on CD to replace my vinyl LP, but I haven't been drawn to purchase any more of the group's music. If you like '80's music, this album truly represents the slick pop of the era.

Spandau Ballet recorded two albums in their native England before gaining fame in America with this 1983 release. This flash-in-the-pan band scored two hits from this release,the title track and GOLD. These guys qualify for induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame this year. The title track is often played by various adult contemporary and easy listening radio stations worldwide. The title track would be later recycled for SET ADRIFT ON MEMORY BLISS recorded by PM Dawn and later covered by The Backstreet Boys. I recently saw the video for GOLD on youtube.com for the first time in over two decades. Fans of this band also like more famous UK acts like Duran Duran,The Thompson Twins and The Human League.