While Journeys To Glory, Spandau Ballet’s first album, was greeted by a fairly tepid critical response, their second album, Diamond got a severe panning. The album came out in two versions, a standard package, and a boxed set of four 12 inch dance mixes - a very unusual packaging ploy. On ... Read review
...critical response, their second album, Diamond got a severe panning. The album came out in two versions, a standard package, and a boxed set of four 12 inch dance mixes - a very unusual packaging ploy. On the LP, side one sported the epic Chant No 1 and three other upbeat numbers, but side two was deliberately experimental. Lifting ideas wholesale from the likes of Japan, tracks like Innocence And Science and Missionary mingled Indian and oriental ... ...30 and She Loved Like Diamond (49) caused a swift reassessment and regrouping for later albums.
Chant is a sublime slab of dance funk and a must have, with Beggar and Co’s brass section flashing all over it. It was a massive hit and stands out from the rest of the stuff here like a true diamond.
Best advice is get the single - dump the album.
... more
While Journeys To Glory, Spandau Ballet’s first album, was greeted by a fairly tepid critical response, their second album, Diamond got a severe panning. The album came out in two versions, a standard package, and a boxed set of four 12 inch dance mixes - a very unusual packaging ploy. On the LP, side one sported the epic Chant No 1 and three other upbeat numbers, but side two was deliberately experimental. Lifting ideas wholesale from the likes of Japan, tracks like Innocence And Science and Missionary mingled Indian and oriental sounds, with dripping water sounds behind the slow, monotonous vocals.
The band defended their work as being intended to be film music and an attempt to get out of the Duran Duran league by trying out different styles. But adverse critical reaction and the relative failure of two further singles taken from the album - Paint Me Down which reached 30 and She Loved Like Diamond (49) caused a swift reassessment and regrouping for later albums.
Chant is a sublime slab of dance funk and a must have, with Beggar and Co’s brass section flashing all over it. It was a massive hit and stands out from the rest of the stuff here like a true diamond.
Advantages: Some okay singles Disadvantages: All naff
with his soulful little boy lost and hurt in love slowburn but for the real people that counted this was just so much weak kneed tosh.
Tony Hadley - June 2 1959 - (vocals)
Gary Kemp - October 16 1960 - (guitar, songwriter)
Martin Kemp - October 10 1961 - (bass)
John Keeble - July 6 1959 - (drums)
Steve Norman - March 25 1960 - (rhythm)
Of course, they're now just a footnote in musical history and a bunch of dodgy actors but there once was a time when the Spuds were touted as the next big thing - those days were long over by the time they got here, of course, and True was an overblown piece of mushy pap - overblown, over emotional and over hyped.
SpandauBallet got a drubbing from the press for their previous album, Diamond, and the slating obviously hit home because they went for a new style with True, their third album, and also ...
Advantages: Comprehensive collection Disadvantages: A few space fillers
and Maid of Orleans), it would seem rude not to cover one of them. This one was always the one I prefered, since it lacked the abrasive growling noises of the other track, instead having a tinkly clap and bells introduction with quiet singing eventually giving way to the rather grand finale but with a sweet, harmonious, pretty little bridge. It's a pleasure just to hear a song with an unusual theme, and Andy's preocupations and obsessions do make for some interesting lyrical content. This has such a gentle lullaby ghostliness to it, it's a wonderful song to listen to in the dark. As for Maid of Orleans... well, I never really got that one, although as a matter of fact the passionate incomprehension and even the lyrics ("she cared so much she offered up her body to the grave") remind me a whole lot of SpandauBallet's She Loved Like Diamond ...
ruth_cole 15.12.2003 (16.12.2003)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Singles - OMD
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