Customer Reviews

Wild Card (Jokers Edition)

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

At long last this album sees the light of day commercially in the USA (it's been available on the internet and/or an import for about 2 years in varying forms.) If you're only familiar with TTD (now Sananda Maitreya - loooong story) from "Introducing the Hardline", this is a great starting point to get re-familiarized. The album is TTD's usual effortless blend of rock, funk, soul, pop, and jazz. As usual he writes, produces, and plays most of the instruments himself. His voice is in amazing form throughout, from growling rock yelps to soaring falsetto crooning. Standout tracks include the pop perfection of "O Divina" and "My Dark Places" as well as the jazzy ballad "Shalom". Unlike his previous three albums, there are no "weird" tracks that take several listens to get adjusted to - but for a fan like me, this feels like TTD is pulling his punches just a little bit - I'll take the weirdness, myself. Still, for the diehard fan this definitely stands up to his previous work, and for the casual fan is the perfect reintroduction to the most overlooked musical genius of our time.

Flashback 1987 Terence Trent D'arby (BTW he goes by the name Sananda Maitreya now) His C.D.'s Inroducing the Hardline...(Great funk music), Neither Fish, Nor Flesh (My 2nd favorite), Symphony or Damn (Great mixture of rock, soul and yes country), Vibrator (Great Rock/Soul C.D.) and now 8 years later...Wild Card- The Jokers Edition. Wow! No wonder it took him so long to release a C.D. This is pure perfection and his best work yet. A mixture of diverse music. So candid! 19 songs of pure soul music at it's Greatest! Outshines anything that is out there now. Truly a piece or ART! I've seen him perform live 4 times now, By the way i recently saw him at B.B. Kings (NYC) this summer 2003 and his voice is still incredible! Don't miss out on this C.D. release you won't be sorry! Check out his Official Website...

TTD is back. I'm struggling with the thought that this latest offering by TTD might be better than ...Hardline. The voice is as dynamic as ever but with a more definitive edge if that's possible. It's unfortunate that we may never hear this incredible cd on the radio or see a video on MTV, BET, or VH1. Mavericks don't get to play with the other horses. I will not rate any songs because they are all of equal strength. If you like rock, R & B, Urban, or Cool-Out music you won't be lost on this CD. This will be the best CD you never heard. Get this one today.

This is an amazing album.
Terence Trent D'arby or as he is now known Sananda Maitreya is a musical mastermind. Each song on this album has a depth and sound unlike any other performer. He mixes funk, rock, soul and spirituality in ways that not even Prince can match.
If your a fan of TTD this album is for you. If your not yet a fan, you will be after you listen to this music unfiltered my the middle man-record industry... Honestly this is his best album ever. Buy this album and you will not be dissapointed. Stand out tracks are the funky sexy "Designated Fool". The soul searching of "MY Dark Places", the beautiful "What Shall I Do" and the unforgetable "Sayin About YOu"...."I met TTD at his BB Kings Show In NYC and hung with him for about an hour...NOt only is he extremely humble and cool, but he is an amazing performer.....

It has been some years since Terence Trent D'arby burst onto our TV screens and Hifi's in 1987, and even longer it seems since any mew material has surfaced from this talented artist.
Wild Card TTD's/Sananda's fifth album and official follow up to 1995's Vibrator, and the first to be released on his own label, was recorded in 1998, and after much deliberation finally gets the light of day on cd.
The album as expected, is as diverse musically as previous albums by the artist but also shows signs of experimentation in style and content.
Over the 19 tracks included here, TTD again shows his range, both vocally and musically, gracing the album with jazz,pop,funk and rock songs brought to stunning life with that voice.
Unlike Symphony Or Damn TTD's pinnacle third album, Wild card is dominated by songs using programmed drumbeats and stripped down production, which at times is masterful and at others plodding, meaning that whilst it doesn't quite match Symphonys' scope and vision it does contain some of his finest compositions.
O'Davina the opening track, is probably TTD's/Sananda's best opener to any of his albums, a jazzy, beautiful pop song with great horns and vocal harmonies. He has also remained faithful to the unfashionable banjo used so often in his past work.
Designated Fool is a welcome departure for TTD, with programmed beats ,wah wah guitars and keyboards.
Suga Free is also unfamiliar ground, but TTD makes this song his own with a great vocal and excellent harmonies, courtesy of one Mozart sample.
Ev'rythang and Drivin' me Crazy builds on a heavier, more dance orientated feel, keyboard synths and pulsating drum loops in full effect as TTD bellows out that voice. A collabaration with Glen Ballard on Shadows is less successful however, with the song never really working as a cohesive whole.
Whilst most of the album is donminated by mid tempo programmed tracks particularly the middle half, TTDs best work improves when he picks up the pace. Goodbye Diane, a funky hard edged workout succeeds in rock n roll and Sayin' About You is probably TTD's most commercial record on the album.
The last 2 tracks improve things further still.
Not originally included on the downloadable edition of WildCard these two tracks Benediction ; Sugar Ray and Testify bring this record to an upbeat, funky end.
Sugar Ray with its pulsating guitars , soft backdrop and great production captures TTD's great vocal range and stengths,
whilst Testify again mixes hard funk, vocal harmonies and wah wah guitars to great effect.
Wildcard sees a more mature artist shinning through. An artist in need to continue experimenting, changing styles and challenging himself. As a complete work it is diverse, frustrating and rewarding. It may lack a beautiful standout ballad so reminiscent of previous albums, it can get tedious
in the middle half , but it remains a great addition to TTD's body of work. Recommended.

Back in the late 80's I remember seeing Terence Trent D'Arby perform on MTV. He was and still is a great writer, performer, musician and artist. His first album "Introducing the Hardline, According to Terence Trent D'Arby" is still one of my favorites. You remember "Wishing Well" don't you? Ahhh, to reminisce.

After experiencing a lot of changes and hangups with the albums that followed, he relocated to Europe and recorded songs under the name of Sananda Maitreya. This was his best move because he found himself creatively. Being such a visionary, he crafts these songs like sculptures, making them so real in your minds that you can seemingly touch the words. He embodies what a music artist should be. Reminds me a lot of Prince, but with fewer albums and minus the hallucinatory fixation with himself.

"Wildcard!" is an album that wraps you up and comforts you in its flow, continuing to snuggle you even after the final song. I found myself connected to the songs "Girl", "Shalom" and "Some Birds Blue". Even so, if there ever was a perfect album, this is it. I find no fault with it, and I am greatly pleased with what Terence has created.

It is definitely an album you can listen to from start to finish, crying or laughing or dancing or cuddling. Doesn't matter, because if you like good music, you'll love it.

I was very surprised to find out that Terence Trent D'Arby had
changed his name altogether (to Sananda) and made this all new album. It seemed sort of like a disguise to me, or that Terence was trying to avoid being pigeon-holed by his former career. This is a very novel idea-to come back and show everybody that it is his talent , not his name, that takes him places musically. It also shows incredible confidence in his abilities. To me it seemed far-fetched though, since you can not possibly hear him sing and not immediately know who it is. He's got a classic powerhouse voice that will probably always harken back to his former hits, but on Wildcard, he continues to excell in his art. I was not at all sure what this new cd with so many tracks on it would sound like, and I was so blown away by it after just one listen. It appears that this album has been an incredible effort for the artist to make a truly great cd, and I think he has certainly done it. His style shows through in every track ,and the songs take you places you have never been before. Every track is unique and original to me, and once again his voice just couldn't be more amazing in range and texture and maturity. If you at all liked D'Arby's earlier work, this one will be an unexpected treasure. I hope that more people catch on to this album and it becomes as appreciated as it really deserves. This one should have spawned a number of commercial hits if the music scene weren't so fickle.

In today's plastic pop world, it's nice to hear music that is original, yet draws on many different influences. TTD is such an artist and unfortunately thanks to his uncategorizable sound, his music goes unnoticed. The public doesn't like being challenged or having to take the time to actually HEAR music. They are used to being visually assulted with artists who look great, but whose music is basically simple and substance-free. Terence is all about music. He isn't a commercial artist, but is honest, soulful and has a hell of a voice. He is kind of cross between Prince, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder. Being a huge fan of all those three, I can't help but love TTD as I have since he first came into our public concience in 1987.

His latest album is a cross genre disc with many great songs. Best tracks: O Divina, My Dark Places, Shalom, Sweetness, and Testify. If you enjoy real music and like albums that are real ALBUMS and not just collections of same sounding songs, check this one out. Also, check out three of the best albums I've ever heard:

Introducing the Hardline...
Symphony of Damn
Vibrator

All by TTD, of course

no matter what Name He is calling Himself these Days one thing is for certain the Guy Can Sing/Sang&Write a Song like nobody's Business.when I see all the Neo-Soul Acts& a Lenny Kravitz,Seal&others I can't help but wonder where TTD fits in overall?? this Guy was Huge for a while back in the day.for a Minute it Looked like He might Challenge Michael Jackson&Prince as The Man that could Blend R&B&Pop really well.this Album is a Combination of His Last Few Albums.the downsides are His up-dated Beats on some of the tracks."Shalom" is my Cut it combines Elements of 70's Steive Wonder Meets Steely Dan&it works.TTD paid the Price for expressing how He thought of Himself&that is truly a Shame because He has been Slept on.The Man Is one of the Most Important Artists that The World it seems has forgotten.and like the ALbum title He truly lives up to that.

Alright, so it's been six years since TTD's last cd, and like all talented artists he has changed his name. Often compared to Prince, TTD has proven on each successive cd that he will not derail his career with self-indulgence like Prince has in the past 5 years. In fact, "Wildcard" continues to show growth and originality. TTD has always used rock, r&b, jazz and blended them into something of his own. "Wildcard" adds some drum and bass, funk, Parisian accordian, and whatever else was handy to come up with some amazing results. I had to listen to "Wildcard" many times to hear all the musical and lyrical nuances and to really enjoy this cd. Still, I will be critical as well as praiseworthy. I do have all five of TTD's cds and I can't admit that "Wildcard" is better than 1993's "Symphony Or Damn". I just can't do it. However, the strengths on "Wildcard" are as follows, in my opinion: "O Divina" with its Motown influences, "Designated Fool" with its electro-funk feel, "My Dark Places", which has the great lyric: "Since we're parking in each others places, won't you be with me in my dark places" (Classic D'arby line), "The Inner Scream" with its commentary that if you don't let your anger out it can become a disease, "Drivin' Me Crazy" with its catchy drum and bass rhythm, "Suga Free" (in the vein of Supermodel Sandwich) with it's humorous line "Sweet tooth is missing a cavity"--also this song has an unusual electro-funk-operatic quality, "Ev'rythang" is a good ballad, "Sweetness" is a moving hip hop/r&b flavored song, my favorite song is "Be Willing" with its positive message of finding happiness in life, "Goodbye Diane" with its unique rock and roll sound with unusual chorus, "...And They Will Never Know" with its stop and start rock and roll, "Sayin' About You" has that classic 70's r&b sound, "Shadows" with its Parisian accordian is an unusual twist near the end of the cd, and last but not least "Testify", the bonus track, is a solid closing statement about taking a stand on love. The songs I think could have been excised are the bizarre and pointless "SRR-636", the boring "Shalom" and "Love Can You Hear Me?" the repetitive "Reflecting" and "Benediction: Sugar Ray". It is these weaknesses, and the fact that TTD has already suprised us with "Symphony Or Damn" and "Vibrator", so the uniqueness of "Wildcard" comes as no suprise, that I am giving "Wildcard" four stars instead of five. Still, TTD is one of a few artists that can pull off a 19 track cd with little complaint from me. TTD fans will be satisfied with "Wildcard" but today's radio audience, the kiddies watching MTV, they won't get TTD, and that's a shame, because TTD has just as much musical legitimacy as Lenny Kravitz, Prince, Macy Gray, Alicia Keys, Aria Arie, R. Kelly, Brian McKnight, Wyclef Jean, Lauren Hill, etc. I believe TTD offers a wider range of sounds and often times more poetic words than many of those artists. Now, if TTD could just put out music more often than every four to six years!