Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby

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Mon Aug 16 2021

5

THIS IS THE BIGGEST, MOST IMPORTANT ALBUM SINCE SGT. PEPPER! I HAVE TALENT THAT HASN'T BEEN UNEARTHED SINCE MOZART! These were among the things Terence Trent D'Arby was openly proclaiming to the press upon this album's release. Then he backed off a little saying only, "I made the most brilliant debut album from any artist this decade.” After he faced a backlash for making such bold statements, he claimed he was joking. I don't think he was joking. He may not have made Sgt. Pepper, and he may not have been Mozart, but dude was immensely talented. And he wasn't really wrong about that last statement suggesting this was the best debut album of the decade. He reminds me of someone else who released an equally brilliant debut album around the same time: Nenah Cherry. Both D'Arby and Cherry should have been colossal stars. They both should have soared to the heights that say George Michael and Whitney Houston reached. But they both sort of fizzled out after their debuts (my theory is a lot of that stems from the fact that neither of them were really all that interested after their debuts). It's too bad, but at least we have the albums, which remain timeless and belong in the upper tier of this list. Somehow, Lenny Kravitz ended up having the career and fame that should have been Terence Trent D'Arby's. I'll take "Wishing Well" over "Fly Away" anytime. In fact, I'll take anything from this album over any Kravitz record. Lenny is no Terence. Lenny doesn't have anything that compares to "Dance Little Sister" or even "Seven More Days". D'Arby was just ahead of his time. I doubt his bold proclamations would have caused such an uproar had this album come out 20 years later (see: Kanye, among others). I "only" gave Nena Cherry's entry 4.5 stars, and immediately kicked myself for not giving it the 5 it deserved. I'm not making that same mistake again. Apparently, Terrence Trent D'Arby legally changed his name to Sananda Maitreya back in 2001, claiming TTD was dead. He's wrong. Terence still rules. And Wishing Well will outlive us all.

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Wed Feb 10 2021

5

This album is real good. I think it's "Soul music" according to wiki (but I'm not in familiar territory here). Terence's voice is incredible and always turned up to 11; he's just constantly putting in energy and effort. The songs are varied and moving but sometimes have fun melodies like in "Wishing Well" and "Dance Little Sister". My favourite one is probably "Seven More Days", coz he really pushes his voice in that one. I like every song to be honest. Sometimes the repetition is a bit frustrating (like in "Let's Go Forward") but I think that's a trait that's pulled from gospel music so I'll accept that as a stylistic choice on his part. Besides, he has a beautiful five and a half minute acapella track ("As Yet Untitled") with zero repetition so I suppose he's really covered that basis of variety. And he ends the album on a really cathartic 6/8 song that makes me wanna slow dance ("Who's Loving You"), which I really dig. There's nothing that musically interesting about it, but it's an awesome ending and Terence's voice sort of explodes into each line.

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Sat Jul 03 2021

4

It is rare for me to hate hi-nrg pop sound, and fortunately, this is not a member of that club. What is rare is for me to enjoy 80s soul music. This guy does not rival Prince or Michael Jackson, despite what his ego claims. Yet these dance tracks are funky and employ great use of synths and instruments, creating a distinctive 80s sound all throughout while at the same time holding an identity of its own. I did think the choice of the intro song was a weak choice, but almost all the songs were solid (I'm looking at you, "As Yet Untitled"), and it ended satisfactory. I may relisten to this if I'm looking for 80s soul that is not one of the big boys.

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Wed Sep 08 2021

3

I get the sense much of this is directly addressed to black people--"dance little sister", "get up off that rockin' chair grandma", "pray for me", "don't give up your birthright"--a feeling reinforced by the way hooks emerge from D'Arby's heartfelt well-wishing. Not as pop device but as a way of unifying people through repetition focussing mental and spiritual faculties. [Something here about the oral tradition]. Just as the drums traverse the spectrum from filler match to main event, his voice traverses the spectrum from rough to honeyed so that, in a way, it feels like he's not only speaking to his audience but for them--in *their* voices. There are a few overstretches and misfires, but his spiritual generosity is catching, so I'll go high.

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Fri Apr 09 2021

4

A little disappointed that this wasn't funkier. 7

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Sat Jul 15 2023

3

I really enjoy The Hardline 5.0. The addition of Gen-X Davey is a huge positive and allows Bob and Corby to stay in their respective lanes. Hot dog. Best track: As Yet Untitled

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Mon May 10 2021

1

Unremarkable, but also not my taste in music.

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Sat May 22 2021

1

This was not for me..I wish it had stayed in the 80s where it came from.

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Wed Sep 15 2021

1

I didn't really care for him when Wishing Well was all over the airwaves, and I don't care for him much now. He's got a soulful voice that got ruined by '80s production. Most of what I heard here sounds like what would later go on to be the Dave Matthews Band. Do with that what you will.

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Sun Dec 12 2021

1

Extremely 80s and not in a good way.

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Fri Apr 09 2021

5

Giving it a 9 for now, but I didn't really get to focus on it properly because I was playing with excel. Will revisit.

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Wed Mar 03 2021

5

This one, damn, van mijn sokken geblazen. Putting it on the Vynil buying list.

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Sun Oct 10 2021

5

Потрясающе!

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Tue Nov 30 2021

5

Loved it! Keep in rotation!

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Wed Jan 19 2022

5

Ok...so...Im shook. I have two songs, of course they were all over radio but I never listened to the album. This is surprisingly good. I mean really good.

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Wed Jan 26 2022

5

p584, 1987. 5 stars. 2022-01-25 1980s electro soul. Great voice, catchy hooks, great songs. Production a bit dated - cheesy synths - but still excellent and still sounds great today. I'd forgotten what a great album this is.

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Thu Feb 10 2022

5

Brilliant - what a voice! At least 7 world-class songs on this album. Shame he went nuts after it.

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Fri Mar 11 2022

5

I love this album, there isn’t a bad track on it and it flows from track to track. It’s been many years since I last listened to it, it’s now on my repeat playlist 5/5

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Fri Mar 18 2022

5

A fantastic album.

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Wed May 11 2022

5

Muy muy fresco Me ha gustado mucho

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Mon May 30 2022

5

Okay daddy

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Sun Jul 10 2022

5

Rating: 9/10 Best songs: If you all get to heaven, If you let me stay, Dance little sister, Seven more days, Rain, Sign tour name, Who’s loving you

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Thu Sep 08 2022

5

The rest of the album is much better that the top 40 hit "Wishing Well:

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Thu Jan 19 2023

5

look if you can't get laid when you put on "Sign My Name" on the stereo then man you just can't get laid.

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Thu Jan 19 2023

5

Music is treasure because it evokes memories both remembered and forgotten. 1987 was a magical year for me and this album evokes that magic. Love it.

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Mon Feb 06 2023

5

One of the weirdest things in pop music history. One of the best singers of the last 35-40 years makes, out of the blue, a smash hit debut album second half 80s (8M copies sold): this album which contains several great songs, including two absolute classics, and is nearly perfect in terms of production and flow.. .. then has some moderate European success a couple of albums later down the line (with songs just as strong as his debut modulo "Wishing Well" & "Sign Your Name").. ...and then changes his name, and just disappears to Italy, where he regular goes on tour, while all the time releasing 75-min to 3-hour albums, most of which could have easily been cut down to 3*-4* albums of 35-40 minutes. It is a bit of a mystery why in 1995 the Vibrator tour (with a great band with amongst others, Kevin Wyatt) did not put him back on the map - just listen to the impressive live version of "Let Her Down Easy" recorded in London '95 on Youtube. ..or not? -> check a 2017 Guardian interview or Nick Duerden's Exist Stage Left...

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Thu Aug 17 2023

5

I loved this album when it was first released. His soulful voice and catchy melodies... nearly everything is perfect here (though Dance Little Sister and As Yet Untitled are kind of duds to me). An incredible release. What I remember most about this album is how bad the follow-up was. Terence Trent D'Arby is my vote for the artist that fell the furthest from Album #1 to Album #2. Still an amazing release.

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Wed Sep 09 2020

4

Both classics (Sign Your Name) and songs that cannot be listened (As Yet Untitled)

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Thu Feb 25 2021

4

Fantastic late 80s nostalgia

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Sat May 08 2021

4

Surprisingly good R&B+Pop album

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Fri Apr 09 2021

4

8.5

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Wed Apr 28 2021

4

Pretty unique, but good.

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Thu Apr 29 2021

4

Dance little Sister, sign tour name, Wising well , if you letr me stay

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Wed Mar 10 2021

4

Some hits. Creative. Acapella

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Fri Apr 02 2021

4

I really liked this album! It was so funky and dancy, quite different than a lot of the other stuff we have listened to so far

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Thu Jan 21 2021

4

Chłop ma flow jak GEORGE MICHAEL a wokalizy jak PRINCE kurwa sztosiwo ale szybko mnie męczy

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Fri Apr 09 2021

4

Really good! A solid 8, would relisten

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Fri Apr 09 2021

4

Good album, nice vocal performance and interesting lyrics. 8

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Fri Jan 22 2021

4

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Wed Mar 03 2021

4

Eigenlijk 4.5 sterren. Heel fijn album. If you all get to heaven is ook sterke opener, maar As Yet Untitled is de echte uitschieter hier.

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Tue May 18 2021

4

Nice and funky

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Wed Mar 24 2021

4

Some really nice songs, but I doubt I will remember it in the future. Worse 4.

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Tue Jun 22 2021

4

Very cool album. After reading the AM description, I can definitely see how Neo-soul followed this. Bring on D’Angelo, baby!

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Fri Apr 30 2021

4

What a blast from the past. Great album

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Mon May 10 2021

4

Smooth, ret nice.

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Tue Jun 29 2021

4

This was a fun poppy kinda album, it probably had some deep and dark brooding message that went right over my head but I enjoyed the sound to my ears

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Thu Aug 05 2021

4

I recognized Wishing Well and Sign Your Name, but not the artist. It's a time capsule of the late 80s.

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Fri Aug 13 2021

4

I should listen to more 80's music that didn't become super popular hit singles, although the singles on here were also really good.

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Mon Aug 23 2021

4

Pretty cool album that blends R&B and rock in a prince-kinda way. Some pretty fun lyricism combined with funky beats and layered vocal arrangements. A fun time, would definitely listen to again- not a single bad song on the album.

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Sun Sep 19 2021

4

Thought this might be pretty good. Sgt pepper it ain’t but still enjoyable!

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Sun Oct 03 2021

4

Fanastic debut

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Wed Oct 20 2021

4

Reminded me a lot of MJ with a few other vibes thrown in.

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Fri Oct 29 2021

4

Dance Little Sister is a brilliant song guaranteed to make me dance. His other hits are good too and the rest of the album was mellow. He has a lovely, soulful voice. 4*

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Thu Nov 04 2021

4

Big Michael Jackson energy. I enjoyed the heck out of this. Some great hooks, and romantic grooves.

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Wed Nov 17 2021

4

3.5 stars but I'll round up. Not something I would listen to regularly but I generally like it.

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Wed Dec 01 2021

4

More 80s weird pop. Terence Trent D'Arby's voice is melodic and calm and passionate all at once and he carries these funky tunes with his performance. Dance Little Sister has hints of a much better Michael Jackson performance. Good - Wishing Well, Dance Little Sister, Sign your Name, Rain

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Wed Feb 09 2022

4

J'ai eu la chance de tomber sur la version "Alben für die Ewigkeit" de l'album du jour, ce qui m'a permis de profiter d'une performance exceptionnelle. En effet, en plus des enregistrements originaux de Sananda Maitreya (ou Terence Trent D'Arbanville, c'est au choix), des adlibs issus des plus grandes personnalités de la musique allemande ont été rajoutés à chaque pré-refrain. Ici, c'est RIN qui vient nous gratifier de son "oh junge" legendaire. Là, c'est Sido qui vient répéter sans interruption "der beste Rapper ich bin". Nous avons même la chance d'assister à un salut nazi parfaitement efectué de la part de Xavier Naidoo en fin d'album. Une version collector à mettre entre toutes les mains.

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Wed Feb 09 2022

4

Je tenais d'abord à préciser que cette critique sera probablement impactée par le fait que je me sois brûlé une partie de mon index gauche hier en mettant une bûche dans mon poêle à bois. J'ai beaucoup & mais alors beaucoup _-_ beaucoup aimé %%% cet album $$. Terence Trent D'Arby semble être né () d'un mariage entre Michael Jackson et Stevie Wonder "#/# à cette différence près qu'il possède un timbre immensément plus flûté. @@

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Wed Feb 16 2022

4

Thoroughly enjoyable..

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Fri Feb 25 2022

4

A very good album.

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Fri Mar 04 2022

4

Great hybrid fusion of pop, soul, rock, and funk! While he's no The Beatles or Mozart, this man always keeps the audience on their feet.

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Fri Mar 25 2022

4

Actually pretty good.

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Mon Apr 18 2022

4

Ah - ah. Why do this to me? Didn't know until recently that Martyn Ware produced this album

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Fri May 06 2022

4

Funky, soulful 80's pop. I actually like this guy better than Stevie Wonder - he's less saccharine. 4.5 stars.

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Mon May 30 2022

4

This was pretty nice.

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Fri Jun 10 2022

4

Good jams, especailly the cover of Who's loving you!

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Wed Jun 29 2022

4

6/27/2022 - ALBUM #151 Today's Album: "Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby" by Terence Trent D'Arby - This is a really great late 80s R&B pop album that demonstrates the talent of Terence D'Arby. The sound of this record is very reminiscent of sounds I've heard before from artists like Prince and Michael Jackson, but this time it feels like there is much more soul involved, with a lot of the more commercial and synthetic sounds that Jackson is known for being replaced with more creative auxiliary percussion. I particularly like how on some tracks, the guitar is used as more of a percussive instrument, only being placed in the back of the mix to serve some rhythmic purpose. The flow of this album is also something to compliment, with a really solid crop of tracks to start things off before transitioning into some of the slower or more experimental cuts, and then finally ending off with the extremely artful As Yet Untitled and the great closer, Who's Loving You. D'Arby maintains such a cohesive sound to this album, while still offering a lot of different kinds of tracks. If You All Get to Heaven is a heavier song, commanding the listener to pray for D'Arby's entry into heaven. If You Let Me Stay and Wishing Well are certified R&B bangers, Dance Little Sister is an energetic dance track, and As Yet Untitled is this slow spoken word poetry piece with harmonizing vocal lines splitting up the quiet verses. There are moments where the album does trail off and get a bit boring and I specifically think the track Rain sort of jumps the shark with the instrumental and gets a little too goofy, but the fantastic moments of this record demonstrate that this is not simply someone messing around. Overall, this is one of the most unique and fresh R&B albums I have heard and there are a ton of fun bangers in the track list to keep me coming back to it. Give this one a listen if you like Prince or MJ and want a new R&B pop influence. Highlights: If You All Get to Heaven, If You Let Me Stay, Wishing Well, I'll Never Turn My Back on You, Dance Little Sister, Sign Your Name, As Yet Untitled, Who's Loving You Score: 8/10 Some funky, soulful, and earthy R&B bangers

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Thu Jul 07 2022

4

Enjoyed it, has some good songs.

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Thu Jul 14 2022

4

Elska þessa plötu. Nokkrir bangerar og afskaplega falleg lög þess á milli. 35 ár og 1 vika síðan hún kom út og hefur elst afskaplega vel.

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Mon Aug 08 2022

4

Brilliant. When this came out, everyone thought Terence Trent D'Arby was the next big thing...then... what happened? This album is brilliant. But, TTD turned out to be a one-album wonder... like so many before him and since... 4.5/5

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Wed Aug 17 2022

4

This is a case of an album, that has a very well-known song ('Sign Your Name'), but you had no idea who the vocalist or the band is. And I have to say, that's a real shame, because Terence Trent D'Arby, or Sananda Maitreya as he is known now, is a really talented and entertaining singer. The album started on a very high note with a great 'If You All Got To Heaven'. Funky and with some rock influence, masquerading as a soul song.The rest of the album is leaning more into a mix of funk and soul. And although it is not my favourite combination, I really enjoyed listening to the album. Very solid record, I'm happy that I found out about this album.

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Fri Sep 02 2022

4

I enjoyed this album. Clean late-80s soul, reminded me of Stevie Wonder at times.

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Fri Sep 09 2022

4

Really enjoyed it

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Fri Sep 09 2022

4

I always have a fable for essential 80s, and this hits a nice note, but never breaks through to be truly extravagant. I could listen to it all day on loop though.

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Mon Sep 12 2022

4

Oooo, very soulful. Love the 80s sounds (drums especially). Huey Lewis meets Marvin Gaye.

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Sun Oct 23 2022

4

I thought this was a really good one. Though I have to say my favourite song was probably the first one, and the others on the album weren't quite as good to me, but overall this was still a great album with some 80s pop. Favourite: If You All Get to Heaven

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Thu Nov 03 2022

4

not mine but epochal

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Sun Nov 06 2022

4

Liked it! He has a great voice

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Fri Nov 18 2022

4

Really good 80s album I had never heard of before.

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Mon Nov 21 2022

4

funkeeee cewlllllll

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Mon Nov 28 2022

4

I enjoyed this much more than I expected to. The music incorporated elements of soul, funk, R&B, as well as some more latin flavored genres to create something that had a great groove that held throughout while exploring more unusual rhythms and melodies. I was only familiar with 'Wishing Well,' but I found the rest of the album to be just as memorable.

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Wed Jan 04 2023

4

I LOVE Michael Jackson. I LOVE Stevie Wonder. I DON’T MIND Prince. I’m not that bothered about 80s power-pop-soul. This album has some decent tracks on it but it’s not anywhere near as good as it thinks it is.

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Fri Jan 20 2023

4

Если бы на этом альбоме не было инструментов, он бы всё равно мне очень понравился. Теренс Трент Д'Арби обладает настолько потрясающим голосом, что он мог бы вытащить один альбом целиком на чистом вокале. Меня очень порадовало что фокус здесь не только на его голосе, но и на замечательном инструментале, который привносит немного души в каждый трек. Также стоит отметить очень чёткий и точнейший продакшн, который радовал мои уши на протяжении всего альбома - каждый инструмент слышно чётко, никакой музыкальной каши. В общем и целом прекрасный альбом. (7.5 - 8)

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Thu Feb 02 2023

4

80s but good. Huge choruses that work due to pure power. A maximalist sound that fits with the artists character, and a general cohesion that makes the record work in an albun format, rather than feeling like a singles collection. A great record.

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Thu Feb 02 2023

4

If You All Get to Heaven- 8.4 If You Let Me Stay- 7.8 Wishing Well- 7 I'll Never Turn My Back on You- 8.6 Dance Little Sister- 8.5 Seven More Days- 7.6 Let's Go Forward- 7.8 Rain- 8 Sign Your Name- 7.6 As Yet Untitled- 7.3 Who's Loving You- 7.8

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Thu Feb 02 2023

4

Unbelievable as it seems, I've never listened to this record. The hits from this are amazing, the vocal only track is great too!

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Sun Feb 12 2023

4

Just a little too much filler for a 5-star. Otherwise iconic

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Mon Feb 20 2023

4

Enjoyed the album, good singing and funk

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Thu Feb 23 2023

4

The man formerly known as Terence Trent D'Arby is a very interesting guy; a man with a vision that firmly supported a boatload of talent that was best exemplified with this album. Introducing the Hardline According to... is a tantalizing hodgepodge of late 80s musical excess and a musical future that only he could see lain ahead and what would later inform his successive work. No wonder he went ahead and did what he felt was for the benefit of not only the industry (who coolly thought otherwise) but for himself in the long-run. Favorites: If You All Get to Heaven, If You Let Me Stay, Wishing Well, Dance Little Sister, Let's Go Forward, As Yet Untitled.

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Thu Mar 02 2023

4

Finally, some good fucking r&b. This thing is soulful and catchy, but it’s also weird as hell at times, in a bold and clever way. I like the weird synth instruments. They really help push this album from ordinary to extraordinary.

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Thu Mar 23 2023

4

Beautiful

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Wed Mar 29 2023

4

Wishing Well is great. What a phenomenal voice, this album is so bouncy and energetic. Really enjoyed it.

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Thu Mar 30 2023

4

Now here is a pleasant surprise. I am already looking forward to the next time I get to listen to this album.

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Thu Mar 30 2023

4

Some pretty solid bangers

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Thu Mar 30 2023

4

I enjoyed this listen today. It’s somewhat nostalgic since this was extremely popular in France when I lived there in 1988. Is it a little pretentious at times? Sure, but that goes along with being a 20-year-old study-abroad student. For the most part it was a sound I quite liked.

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Thu Mar 30 2023

4

Veeeery good voice, coole 80s Tracks

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Fri Mar 31 2023

4

Pleasant surprise. Maybe not quite sgt pepper but good album

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Thu Apr 27 2023

4

Never heard of this dude before and it's some really nice tunes, but the 80s production does shine through and while it gives it a very unique sound, it's not the sound I particularly love. Still shines through in places and was a fun listen.

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Fri Apr 28 2023

4

full disclosure, not to be “that guy”, but i own this on vinyl. a magnificent album with both upbeat and slower songs. definite michael jackson vibes throughout. this is another album that puts me in a good mood when i listen to it. just solid. highlights: “if you let me stay”, “wishing well”, “sign your name”.

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Sun May 14 2023

4

Yea man this was great. Wishing we’ll kiss and tell

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