Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby

This is a grower. When it came out I thought yeah it’s good. But decades later it’s a bit ahead of its time and has incredibly great songs. Finally a must listen. 4.5

I can spontaneous remember "wishing well" - a cool song; Soul +pop +80s - Hey Mr List, thanks for transporting all the walkmen owners back to those 80s parties! I’m having fun before even hitting play! Will the whole album cut it? Lets see... Ok. Verdict? This is some soulful sexy sh*t. And don't miss him as a Micheal Jackson copy just because for the first few tracks - there is something different here. Even better than expected - standouts are superb: *****Wishing well, *****Sign your name, (how did I forget pure sex soul & cool 80's ) plus the spatial stereo affects?=makes me almost laugh out loud. But its sexy cool, like Axel F, right ?) ****and I also like the last track where he really launches it. We called that “raunch” Scorching in places. Why didn't he continue? I looked him up. OK, quite on ovulation for me to catch up. I do hope to enjoy his voice again, and enjoy his maturation and what looks like a massive stylistic evolution. A surprising 4-5, rounding up, as i DO want to hear dis more

I really wasn’t expecting give this 5 stars, but it’s honestly just really enjoyable pop music, even if the claim of being the best album since Sgt. Pepper’s. Just a nice treat from the generator - kind of like Rio, except I would have never listened to this otherwise.

cool

holy shit, this is so good !!!! 10/10

Loved his voice, the songs- feel Bad that he fell off my radar.

"Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trend D'Arby" was a tremendously brilliant album back in 1987 and is still—an easy 5 Star.

Oh so good!

Silky Smooth

I saw him at the launch of this at Oxford Street Virgin Megastore. He was brilliant 🤩

Holy soul! If You Let Me Stay sounds so familiar especially the backing baseline but I can not figure out if I know it from a cover. That album was powerful. Such impressive singing by him and the backing choir on a few of the songs made it even more epic. The horn usage I'm a bunch of songs really added some great elements as well. A few of the songs were a bit slow for me by themself but they added greatly to build up some of the more intense songs. This worked perfectly with the last two songs. I was between a 4 and a 5 here but I'm going to give it the step up because I think it was a pretty special album

Really enjoyed every track actually!

L'r&b poques vegades ha sonat tan potent. Amb els anys Samanda passaria per vàries turbulències personals i professionals, pero el seu primer i tercer disc són dels millors treballs dels 80 i 90 respectivament. En aquest, singles tan imbatibles com 'Sign Your Name', 'Wishing Well', 'If You Let Me Stay' o 'Dance Little Sister' es barregen amb album tracks gairebé igual de recomenables com 'Seven More Days' o 'If You All Get to Heaven'. Una meravella sense moment dolent que mirava de tu a tu a les grans obres d'aquells anys dels seus rivals artístics Michael Jackson o Prince

Really enjoyed it!

Wow. He has a great voice, and there's a dark strength to this album. I really enjoyed it. I'm saving this to my favorites list.

1 cos researching the artist they sound like an annoying asshole and this album is such mediocre 80s pop music that them being a dick immediately brings it way down. Them claiming this was the most important album since Sgt Peppers is so funny lmao

Yeah this was an enjoyable listen all the way through. Very good stuff Stand out songs: - Dance Little Sister - Who's Loving You

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.

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...

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.

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

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

Okay daddy

Muy muy fresco Me ha gustado mucho

A fantastic album.

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

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

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.

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.

Loved it! Keep in rotation!

Потрясающе!

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

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.

Great album - amazing singer. Completely different than what was going on at the time tha was released - blew me away then and still sounds amazing today

The kind of album where everything is so good but it all blends together to its detriment.

I initially dismissed this, but it grew on me. Definitely some bangers

Uživam u ovome. Guilty pleasure fazon albuma.

Bit of a classic this one

Good late 80s music!

Great!

An amazing voice!

Some familair tunes. Fun

pleasant

The 80s get such a bad rap on here. Plenty of it was rubbish but this one isn't guilty. Weird how a few of the reviews fixate on Rain when Sign Your Name is right there coming up next. Also a bit of history rewriting going on in one review being described as an artist "with a couple of minor hits". Number 1 and top 5 both sides of the Atlantic isn't minor. The record does sound a bit more clinical than I remember because he had such a great live band at the time that did some TV shows with him.

Feels like an outsider art michael jackson in a way i can't describe

Este son el tipo de albumns que espero en un listado así. Top notch, diverso, calidad el producción, lírica y voz y tal vez nunca hubiera escuchado si no fuera por esta vaina.

I can't believe I've never heard this before! It's an incredible pop album, very of its time but also sounding unique. Some of the songs were not up to that level but overall I really enjoyed this album.

I had forgotten that there were more great songs than Sign your name… Wishing well is still such a great song!

For the first half I barely registered that this album was happening. Perfectly fine R&B but blended with the background. Started grooving more in the back half but then got a curveball with the rain song which was weird. But, that closer was great. The long not he held gets this to a light 4.

Very good neo-Soul/R&B. Not sure why he never became more popular. This is an excellent debut. Wishing Well was a hit (and is a really good song) -- should have made him more popular.

Good album. Obvious why the singles charted well.

8/10… pop / soul / funky / *1987

Really interesting record, covers a lot of ground but remains coherent. Amazing vocals. Great!

damn i wasnt expecting to like this album Favorite Songs: If You All Get to Heaven, If You Let Me Stay, I'll Never Turn My Back on You (Father's Words), Seven More Days, Let's Go Forward, Rain, Sign Your Name, As Yet Untitled, Who's Loving You

This has four shining singles that I have heard collectively probably a hundred times, but not at all in the last couple of decades, and I should’ve missed the guy. The rest works as solid examples of then-fashionable production techniques, sounds faxed-in from a distance, every edge rubbed off, many thin layers with space in between for copious echo. Soft keyboards, chiming shinies. Agreeable, overall. I like his sappy romanticism and wish it had carried into our toxic century. 4⭐️

I liked this album. Glad it popped up in my queue. I was hooked from the opening song. It aged better for me than I thought it would since I often don’t like 80s production. Somehow Sananda’s voice or styling cut through a lot of that.

I’ve got this LP by the former Terence Trent D’Arby on my shelf, but I haven’t listened to it for a while. Great music, so 4 stars from me...

3,75

Another blast from the past, I remember Terence Trent D’Arby sounded like he would be a megastar, exploding onto the music scene with Wishing Well. Unfortunately, he didn’t live up to the hype. Despite incredible charisma, his music failed to make a lasting impact on popular music. Not sure why, maybe it’s because he was overshadowed by His Royal Badness, Prince. They seemed to have moved in the same circles, perhaps even being friends. But in that very large purple shadow, D’Arby got lost in the shuffle. There’s quite a bit to unpack on this record. Maybe the reason for his fall into obscurity was due to the music being so diverse. There isn’t really one specific genre here. Certainly soul and funk, but a little jazzy stuff and even an a cappella song showing off his vocal chops: the songs are all unique and not formulaic at all. That can be an indication of genuine talent, or it can be a failure to establish a musical identity. I’m leaning toward the former. 3.5 stars

I quite like this album. It has range. Starts off really groovy but then it’s stripped down and raw.

Really enjoyed that album. Definitely could listen to it again.

If You All Get To Heaven is such a banger and fantastic way to start this album. Other standouts for me include Wishing Well, Seven More Days, and Rain. Never heard of this one before, but absolutely loved it.

One song in but tbf this sounds much better than the easy listening MOR hit of Sign Your Name. Edit: more than one song in and it is a lot more vibrant and fun than the album cover would suggest. Every song on it could have been a single. Overall I would say this is a phenomenal debut album, even if it isn't my usual music.

this is really fucking good actually

A solid debut album from this artist. Thoughtful provocative and heartfelt lyrics lead the way. Not surprised that this album did very well throughout the world.

Fire 🔥

I find this album so enjoyable. Yes, the production is almost too 80s for it’s own good, the compressed drums and over-emphasised synths are almost a touch too much. But overall, the tracks are vibrant, upbeat & get your foot tapping. If taken for what it is, it’s a very fun listen & an accomplished soul & pop album.

Un rico soul. Dance Little Sister es un temazo.

This a vibe! Great vocals - very of the time. I don't think I'd jump back into this but really easy to listen to

Summer of 1987. I was 15 and on the cusp of transitioning from Q106 (pop) to 91X (new wave / alternative) when Wishing Well came on the radio. This was the era of Milli Vanilli, Janet Jackson (Nasty), Prince (Doves Cry) and synthy hooks. I bought this album on cassette at Tower Records and played the hell out of it for a year. TTdA didn’t take off the way other artists did and to my 15-year-old brain that meant he legitimate and underground and I was somehow special because I “got it”. Anyway...listening today immediately transported me back building RC gliders in the garage, adding fish to my $10 garage sale aquarium, or afternoons stocking the beverage cooler at 7-11. My world was small, innocent, and unsure about world events unfolding every day...this record made it a little bigger. It feels dated and many songs now feel like filler (middle songs) but overall still enjoyable. I favorited Wishing Well, Sign Your Name and As Yet Untitled. 4/5.

Had heard some of these songs before and didnt know who it was. Solid album.

Raise your hand if you were also confused about the album title/artist name change I liked it quite a bit actually, definitely started strong. Definitely got flashes of Prince and Michael Jackson every once in a while and it oozes that similar flamboyant personality. It was nice to hear a slightly more modern soul album for a change. Vocals are excellent. I do think it drags a bit towards the end and that it fails to produce a real standout, but every song is pretty solid. The energy’s a little off in places which just feels a bit awkward and unpolished. Still a pretty damn strong debut album, I’m impressed

sounded good

This ace! I played this to death when it came out. I also saw him live supporting Simply Red! How about that for an 80s super combo? Shame he was so up himself with his second album and and congenital liar.

Smooth, funky, 80s sound, like it.

80’s r&b

Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D’Arby was better than I thought it would be. I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I did. It feels bold and full of self belief. Some of it is very 80s, but the voice pulls it through. I stayed with it. Four stars.

low key fusion between prince and mj Favorite track: wishing well other picks: i’ll never turn my back on you, dance little sister, sign your name

Gorgeous voice. The 80s synth production is dated, as people are saying, but it didn’t tooootally take me out of it. Still a solid listen.

Podobnie jak z niektórymi poprzednimi. Mimo, że nie są to całkowicie moje klimaty to nawet mi weszło to do głowy.

I really enjoyed this album. The singer puts on one of the most impressive vocal performances I've heard, with a dynamic range of soft low notes and soaring high notes, as well as some angelic falsetto to sweeten things out. Perhaps my biggest complaint about this album is the fact that I had to listen to it at work and wasn't able to dance and bop to it as much as I would've liked. Truthfully I would give this a 4.5 if it were possible, so I withheld from giving it a perfect score because there were some songs that I'd probably skip on my next listen, but overall a great album.

I had admittedly never heard of this man. It wasn’t until I got to “Sign Your Name” that I realized I had heard that song before on the radio. But this guy has some pipes and such a pleasant voice. It could be the fact that I had just listened to U2 before this, but I was blown away by his vocal chops. I really liked the sound of the album too, and I honestly thought there were several better songs on this album than the single. I saved Dance Little Sister and As Yet Untitled because they were so enjoyable. Dance Little Sister had me bopping and was a good time. As Yet Untitled was haunting with such a melancholy feeling. “I called on my God, but he was sleeping on that day. I guess I’ll just have to depend on me”. Sheesh, what a line. Really, really cool album! I wish I could give it 4.5 stars. Favorite song: As Yet Untitled Least favorite song: Sign Your Name

Would love to hear it redone with a real drummer and none of those stupid trumpet jabs

Real MJ vibes on here. Loved the vocals, the production, and was surprised by the album as a whole.

This was a pretty smooth album. Great RNB.

Solid 80's sound. It's not Michael or the Artist Formerly Known but it's pretty good!

I give it a 4 because Wishing Well, Dance Little Sister, and Sign Your Name still bring back fond memories of better times (although I got tired of hearing Sign Your Name, as radio stations played it so often—and excessively!). In fact, there are only two songs, that I can remember, that I can't listen to much anymore (even though I consider them brilliant songs that were huge hits): Lady in Red by Chris de Burgh and I Just Called (To Say I Love You) by Stevie Wonder. But anyway, in honor of those times, as I said, I give it a 4.

Yet another album I dismissed in my teens because my parents liked it that turns out to be really good. Oops!

Found album under changed name...Sananda Maitreya on Deezer. Absolute Great voice. Mix of funk and smooth soul jams. I'm here for it. Saved some tracks. Per wiki, the artist also played multiple instruments on this album... Nice. OMG. The acappella of As Yet Untitled. Powerful. Heard before? N Saved tracks? Y Favorite tracks? Many of them. Rain, Wishing Well, Dance Little Sister, ⭐⭐⭐⭐

What a great voice! I grooved to this, though I had to misophonia skip As Yet Untitled. Saved a few tracks to my favorites.

vibey af

I’m a little ashamed of how much I enjoyed it, but honestly? The album earns that grin and the shoulder shimmy.

Vibes vibes vibes. Such an easy listen.

Brought back memories

The production is a bit hit or miss, but there's no denying that Sananda can sing. Very soulful.

"Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby" is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Terence Trent D'Arby ( he now goes by Sananda Francesco Maitreya). Funk rock and soul are the Wiki-listed genres. The album was first released on Columbia records in the UK in July 1987 and later in the US in September 1987. And, commercially, it spent nine weeks at #1 in the UK and reached #4 on the US Billboard 200. D'Arby sang lead and backing vocals and played keyboards, drums, percussion, saxophone, piano and clarinet. 15 additional musicians and five additional vocalists were also used. The album opens with "If You Get to Heaven." Mumbled echoing drums and vocals. The music kicks in: very 80's sounding with the guitar, bass and keyboard accents. A soft-loud-soft dynamic. D'Arby with a falsetto (maybe his tenor) critiquing religious hypocrisy and society. The beat picks up in "If You Let Me Stay. It's more R&B pop and happy sounding. D'Arby pleading her to stay. Pleasant enough. A solid drum anchors "Wishing Well." I remember this song. D'Arby with raspy vocals. Sparse guitar and keyboards. A catchy keyboard melody. I can see why this song was big. A dance rock beat gets "Dance Little Sister" going. Thumbs up for that 80's synth melody. A deep bass, jazzy with the horns and a Chic(Niles Rodgers)-like guitar. Guttural vocals and Michael Jackson yelps. Funk up that groove. D'Arby croons as he wants his girl to "Sign Your Name" on his heart. Ah, ballad-like song with soft synths and the harmonies. The Weeknd was taking notes. The music on this album touches the soulful, poppy, funky, rock and dance. D'Arby shows off his vocal range going baritone, tenor and falsetto. This has very 80's-sounding production with echoing drums and keyboards and, surprisingly since a lot of late 80's production sucks, it sounds very good. D'Arby uses elements of 70's Stevie Wonder, Prince, Chic and even Billy Ocean. Besides the music styles previously mentioned, there's an a capella song and a Smokey Robinson cover. Overall, this was an enjoyable album and if you want a listen to a decent late 80's pop, soul and R&B album, this will hit the spot.

nice

Sounds like something I would've listened to my parents play when I was a growing up. You know what, Ima go put my parents on. Im definitely revising this album This whole album I thought I heard influences of Michael Jackson and Prince. Just to get to the last song and its Who's Loving You. And the transition from As Yet Untitled to this song was so good too. Im tearing up First listen, I saved I'll Never Turn My Back On You, Dance Little Sister, Seven More Days, Let's Go Forward Im most likely gonna save more the next time I listen to this album cause they're all growing on me

There is a core of absolute bangers here - soul meets 80s-rock classics. 'Sign Your Name' (unrequited synth menace), 'If You Let Me Stay' (absolutely tonking bassline, classic-style soul), and 'Wishing Well' (magnificently overblown drumbeat, funk meets dance classic). They are fairly close to perfection, and more than just vehicles for his extraordinary voice. Also interesting - Terence played most of the instruments here. It's baffling that someone with this level of talent fizzled out pretty quickly. And Martin Ware, of Heaven 17, handled much of the production. Which may account for its clever, clean sound more aligned to electro and synth bangers than big reverbed 80s production. All in all some classics, but around it some very listenable tracks, rarely dipping into filler.

4.5

This was going to be a 2.5, probably rounded up to a 3. But then I hit the last two tracks and it totally shifts gears into something far deeper. An album with a great opener and a couple of great closers with some decent 80s pop in the middle.

Solid album. Hadn't listened to his stuff before either. For a debut album, it's quite impressive. I understand why this is on the 1001 albums you must hear before you die list. 7.5 / 10

Enjoyed this more than anticipated and loved a few of the tunes , great voice

Funktioniert, rocky, groovy -> Terence

Solid vocals, very talented artist, surprised he flamed out so quickly

Surprisingly good. 3.5.

Every track on this album could be the end credits song for a different 90s film

What is this guy's name again?

At first, I couldn't make sense of the artist's name and the album. I found the album to be mostly mediocre to interesting. However, the song Sign Your Name is really great. That elevates the whole album. 4/5

Only flaw of this album is the 80s production. 4 stars

Many tracks here are quality, but I'm not sure if I'm judging the music or am feeling nostalgic about the era they remind me of. There is probably an argument for calling some of this album 'easy listening' which is not much of a compliment. However, tracks like Wishing Well, Sign your name, If you let me stay, Dance little Sister are excellent. Terence Trent d'Arby exploded onto the music scene with this debut album. Am I using my memory of that explosion to judge this album? Maybe, but I think it still sounds pretty good.

Had no preconceptions about this. Started well. Meandered. But I love the 80s and it had an enough of interest in its production and his excellent vocals for me to like. Rain the best track.

His voice elevates this album to a whole new level.

Nice solid R&B album, I like how he does his little adlibs like Michael Jackson, and one note i'd like to add is it almost feels like a wash of refreshment, its really nice. 7/10

I liked it! Was digging the vibes

Good singing. Music ok. Happy. Terence Trent D’Arby? Sananda Maitreya? If you let me stay is good. Nice tone and techniques. Very satisfying mix belting.

I have never heard of Trent D’Arby before but this homie can SING man. I felt like Rain and Sign Your Name were just alright, but the rest of the album is just pure emotion and raw talent. What an album.

Haven’t ever heard of this guy but goodness, he’s got some pipes. I enjoyed a bunch of these songs and I’m really interested in checking out the rest of his discography. Love when the list offers up some heat from an unknown artist.

Awesome album. Very much a Michael Jackson vibe. I'm surprised this guy isn't more well known.

Blasphemous, but this is almost a weirder prince/Mj style 80’s guy but it’s pretty cool

Fenomenalt bra, och nära toppbetyg men kände att helheten inte höll riktigt hela vägen. Jäkligt kul discovery dock!

A good album, I liked If You All Get To Heaven the most.

Solid 80's

Le tengo un cariño profundo a este tipo. Me enamoré de su tercer disco y todavía lo escucho a menudo. Luego descubrí los dos primeros y no me gustaron tanto. Pero hace un año recuperé este disco y ahora sí me pareció algo vibrante. Su historia personal y profesional es muy interesante. Creo que fue un gran talento.

(4.5) insane guys i love the 80s and im sticking with it

It’s really funny reading other people’s reviews of this where they say they hate all the drums and synths of the 80s because that’s what I LOVE about the 80s haha I got Thriller yesterday and there’s some obvious comparisons to be made, I would’ve expected that I’d give Thriller the higher score and for some reason it feels weird to give them both a 4 but in the words of that meme, thATS MY OPINIONNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!

A pleasant surprise. Passionate, soulfully sung, and carefully arranged. Full of the sounds of its time so I guess it’s “dated”, but it didn’t bother me this time around. Some of it reminded me of Labi Siffre’s work, like “As Yet Untitled”. I would revisit.

Really strong 4, was looking for just a little bit more to get it to a 5.

Interesting. Remembered a lot more hits than I realised he released. As a whole, liked the album. Good voice. Nice to have in background.

This album was everywhere when it was released. That was because it has some killer songs. Wishing Well still slaps and I crank that up occasionally. I’m not even sure what happened to him after this spectacular debut album.

This was a nice surprise. Never heard of this one but there are some great tracks, especially "Wishing Well." Another debut that feels well sculpted and self-assured. I’ll definitely be returning to this one.

A criminally underrated slice of solid gold 80s pop. This guy was always peddled as a bargain bin Prince, which did him no favours at all, it's an unfair comparison. I may be influenced by a strong dose of nostalgia but this was a really fun listen, maybe better than I recall my horrible quality cassette album being in the 80s. The improvement in sound quality is really working for all things 80s, as evidenced throughout this whole album. Great stuff.

Distinctive sound of Sananda Maitreya. Wishing Well and Sign Your Name have that real sound of the 80s!

What a voice!

Wishing Well is iconic. The rest of the album is rich and of the 80s, but nothing sounds as great as Wishing Well feels.

I got sick of this when I was younger as my dad overplayed it in our car. Listening back to today, whilst the production does sound dated, there was enough to keep me entertained. Cursed nostalgia! 😝

This is a very good album, his voice is great and the vibe of the whole album is just great.

Incredibly funky, I like the album's vibe.

Whereas this was his most successful album and I love it, it's not my favourite TTD, but those main singles are perfection "wishing well", "dance little sister", "sign your name" and "if you let me stay". I feel the album tracks improved with the next 3 records to give better overall experiences but this will of course be the one held most in peoples consciousness

Bisschen Soul und R&B "Signe your name" ist der bekannteste Hit

I was familiar with the beautiful "Sign Your Name", but not with the rest of this Funk Rock / Soul album and I liked it.

This was really good. I'd only ever heard the hit singles from the album, but I really enjoyed the rest of it as well.

Wouldn't normally listen to this, but really enjoyed it.

Great songs, great voice

Loved reading about this guy, sounds insane. Great music though, I love the 80s

The first song had me not expecting much, but this really broke out after that

Would not buy.

4/5. This is like easy going funk music for the most part. It feels safe and there is a new artist energy to the instrumentation. It seems like he is wanting to be innovative but not stepping past the barrier of sounding like other artists. Fortunately, his inspiration slaps and he creates an album of original songs that still sound great today. Are there better 80s albums with the same energy? Sure, but because of the freshness of these songs due to my exposure, it gives me an enjoyable listening experience. There are definitely better songs than others here so not perfect, but still pretty great. Best Song: If You Let Me Stay, Seven More Days, As Yet Untitled, Who's Loving You

Introducing The Hardline According to Terence Trent D’Arby was a completely new listen for me, and I was genuinely curious to see what it had to offer. Right from the start, I was hooked. The opening two tracks, If You All Get to Heaven and If You Let Me Stay, are easily the standouts, setting the tone with energy and charisma. Add Wishing Well into the mix, and you’ve got a fantastic opening run that I found myself returning to throughout the day. This is a seriously strong debut. The album moves confidently across genres, blending rock, soul, and R&B into something vibrant and full of personality. At times, it carries echoes of Prince and Stevie Wonder, but with D’Arby’s own flair. His voice is outstanding, and the fact that he played most of the instruments himself makes it even more impressive. Overall, it’s a great slice of 80s music—stylish, bold, and packed with talent. Favourite track: If You All Get to Heaven Least favourite track: Lets go forward was a bit dull. Album artwork: Standard 80s cover

Pretty funkin good! Wasn’t in my wheelhouse back in the day, but this old dog has learned a few new tricks. Spin it!

Very fun, very funky

Quite enjoyable

I liked it I guess? Not incredible but there's some quality here and he's obviously talented.

The cover reminds me of Tracy Chapman. The vibe is like a mix of Stevie Wonder and Tina Turner (with hints of Michael Jackson and a little Bonnie Raitt at times). As Yet Untitled felt like and ode to Sam Cooke, which seemed slightly out of place until he followed it up with a Smokey Robinson cover. This one kinda had everything. I dug it.

Had heard of TTD but never listened to him - pretty good stuff! Does a lot of the instrumentation himself (not sure on this debut album or not but generally following this).

A couple really good songs, no really bad songs, and a classic to finish. 4 stars or B.

Really fun, upbeat, a breeze to get through The singles are superb. Wishing well very very good.

Surprised by this! Knew very little about TTD but I should have... quite soulful and energetic 4

Na Lenny Kravitz nog meer studentenmeisjesmuziek uit de jaren tachtig. Softpop met een soulrandje, in z'n soort goed gedaan en het luistert prima weg, een hitje erbij, wat wil je nog meer. Niet heel verrassend, maar liever dit dan al dat punkgeblèr.

Typisch jaren '80 geluid. Al doet de zang-opzet (en een intro) me soms denken aan Michael Jackson, en dan juist niet zijn jaren '80 tijd. Meer de zeikerige jaren '90 Michael. En naast de basis-klank uit de jaren '80 komt ook alvast een R&B gevoel doorschemeren. Ook iets wat net iets later populair werd. Hij zette dan toch alvast voorzichtig een voetje richting de toekomst. 3.5 ster.

Liked it

I confess I was pleasantly surprised to see this album appear in this list. Terence Trent D’Arby’s debut album impresses with his remarkable vocal range and strong song writing, though its ambitious mix of genres sometimes leads to inconsistency and a lack of focus. While the 1980s production is evident, it complements his voice and does not detract from the album’s lasting appeal. Overall, it’s a very good album. An occasionally uneven release that remains engaging throughout. I rate this album between 3 and 4 stars, so accentuating the positive 4 stars. Would I listen to this album again? Yes. Would I buy this album? I did. 1. "If You All Get to Heaven" – 4 2. "If You Let Me Stay" – 4 3. "Wishing Well"  – 4 4. "I'll Never Turn My Back on You (Father's Words)" – 3 5. "Dance Little Sister" – 4 6. "Seven More Days" – Great chorus. - 4 7. "Let's Go Forward" – 3 8. "Rain" – 3 9. "Sign Your Name" – Fantastic song. - 5 10. "As Yet Untitled" – 3 11. "Who's Loving You" – Good cover but not really needed. - 4 Total - 41 Average - 3.73

Kinda cool

Sign Your Name will forever be the school disco smooch song of that period. Far, far more to this album though.

J’ai bien aimé, je le met dans « À réécouter », pas le temps pour plus de papotage

Better on the second listen. 80’s sound, but rather interesting. Terence has pipes! 3.5

Fave Era of music! Love wishing well, and seven more days. trying to be attentive and listen to the others. Love the sounds and the bass and percussive elements. Lets go forward has some great efx too. Saved Sign your name too great track. Love this one

No disrespect, but I'm having a really hard time hearing this as anything other than the Michael Jackson we have at home. That said, it's still really good. 4/5 Highlights: If You All Get to Heaven Wishing Well Dance Little Sister Seven More Days Who's Loving You

This is waaayyyy funkier than I was expecting it to be. Really enjoyable! It does get a little tired as it goes; it is just soooo 80s. Definitely a product of its time. The Acapella song is a nice little break, and the cover at the end is kind of fire. The album started off so great, but it just didn't really get better or do much different until the very end, and by then it's already worn out what makes it great. Not to the point that I dislike it, but it's just tired and not as great. Favorite Song(s): If You Let Me Stay, As Yet Untitled

I'm sorry I never heard this album in full as it's a really good time. The tone of the singles probably pushed me away, but I've always liked those songs. I would pick up on vinyl for sure.

Such a pleasant listen

01) If You All Get to Heaven - 7,5 02) If You Let Me Stay - 9,0 03) Wishing Well - 10,0 04) I'll Never Turn My Back on You (Father's Words) - 7,0 05) Dance Little Sister - 10,0 06) Seven More Days - 7,5 07) Let's Go Forward - 7,0 08) Rain - 10,0 09) Sign Your Name - 10,0 10) As Yet Untitled - 6,0 11) Who's Lovin' You - 8,5 TOTAL: 8,41 (84/100)

All throughout the 80s I only heard one of these songs, and I feel that I was missing a treasure, as if it were hidden from me. Not that every song is a masterpiece, but perhaps half of them are worthy to have heard my whole life instead of stumbling upon them when I'm almost 60. Glad I found this album now. 4/5

So much more than "Wishing Well" and "Sign your Name" Pretty good overall for numerologists, this is my no.600

You know maybe it's because I'm a child of the 80s but I didn't think this was that bad! Had some Prince vibes.

used to be promising, but faded away

Zo nice om een album te hebben van een artiest waar je nog nooit van hebt gehoord, dan een van de nummers te herkennen en ook nog eens vet te vinden! Lekker begin van de week ook zo, met een beetje een soulish album. Sananda heeft echt een dijk van een stem, dus wat dat betreft zit ik hier best wel goed. Wat de fuck, echt hoe verder ik luister hoe meer ik verbaasd ben dat al deze bangers van deze man zijn? Dit is echt een top album? Waarom kende ik m niet? Wel een interessante keuze om na de banger Dance Little Sister een meer gospel achtige slow jam te doen met Seven More Days. Sowieso kakt het album daarna een beetje in, om weer wat op te pakken met Sign Your name. Wel een shout-out naar Rain, wat een nummer is dat je schrijft als je zeiknat geregend bent en 10 jaar. "Rain, Rain, go away!" Hilarisch hahaha Maar dit album gaat echt alle kanten op. Ik vind het grootste deel heel erg vet, maar sommige nummers vallen zo hard uit de toon? Ik vraag me echt af hoe die pitch meetings zijn gegaan. Hij noemde dit zelf het beste album sinds Sgt Peppers, ik ben het daar niet echt mee eens, maar dit is absoluut een ijzersterk album. Wel echt heel erg 80s, maar dat is prima! FAVO: If you let me stay, Wishing Well, Dance Little Sister, Sign your name

Streng 4

Gran debut no mejorado. Desaparecido pero en activo, caso curioso.

I should hate this. It broadly straddles that pop/soul/R&B style that I usually dislike, as well as incorporating many of the worst 80s production cliches. But somehow, I enjoyed it a lot. It's unashamedly 'big' in its approach and, crucially, the artist formerly known as Terence Trent D'Arby thought to include some infectious grooves and hooks in his tunes. The flirtation with other styles across the album (like reggae) doesn't hurt, either. A very pleasant surprise: 3.5 / 4

Real strong 80s vibe, is fine.

4⭐️/5 [05.29.2025] 01.11.2026

Ordentliches 80er Album mit „Wishing Well“ und „Sign Your Name“. Auch R&B kann gut sein und gerne wiedergehört werden.

Very fun album.

If You All Get To Heaven sounds like MJ over tribal music. If You Let Me Stay is pretty good. Dance Little Sister is too. Seven More Days is good. Rain is good. Sign Your Name is pretty standout. As Yet Untitled is good. In general, upbeat 80s soul/funk/alt. Didn't really think this would be my cup of tea and still not sure if it is, but most of the music was good.

This was fun to listen to, and his voice is amazing. The instrumentation is great as well. This just sounds very good and I enjoyed it.

Good songs and rhythms. Easy to listen to and not just for the background.

Really enjoyed this one, his voice is super soulful and really cool, and even though it drags slightly at the end it’s saved by a wonderful last two tracks and a very strong first half.

Wishing Well and Sign Your Name are great songs. They both have a sort of mystical pop romance vibe that reminds me of Prince. I also like Who's Loving You, which has a soulful Sam Cooke feel to it. Rain has a pretty great beat. Seven More Days is a cool dark groove about a guy in jail that wants to get home to his woman or his man or his family or something. And he may have been wrongfully accused and this may be a social commentary but it's not exactly clear. I don't normally go for 80's R&B grooves but I like Let's Go Forward With Our Love. Dance Little Sister gives me Stevie vibes. How can you not groove to that one?! It's a pretty cool 80's album with lots of different moods to the grooves.

Enjoyable! I know the hits Wishing Well and Sign Your Name. I never would have sought this album out but having heard it, I’d definitely come back to it. It has that wonderful 1987 production sheen to it.

Great find

I like r&b and the pop vibes from this album. Vocals were a nice change of pace from the slog of British rock. 3.7

funky pop music. this album has that distinct (and maybe corny to a lot of people) clean, echoey dancey vibe that's heard in a plethora of 80s releases; definitely a hidden gem especially if you're into the almost stereotypically 1980s sort of sound. plenty of love songs, plenty of songs about identity, spiritual imagery and influence... while i can't imagine i'll be worshipping this album, it absolutely stands out by itself in the world of contemporary 80s albums. i am obsessed with maitreya's singing voice, talk about the RASP. i love that. he at times reminds me of a postmodern james brown.

Fint album, fina melodier!

I enjoyed this a lot. Groovy poppy soul music. Stand-out: I'll Never Turn My Back on You (Father's Words)

На своєму дебютному альбомі Terence Trent D'Arby дуже вдало зміг змішати ретро елементи класичного соулу та більш сучасне, на той час, звучання, що частково нагадує Майкла Джексона. Звісно, до Джексона Terence не доріс, але все тим не менш, альбом все ж вартий уваги у розрізі R&B релізів свого часу. Як на мене, найбільш цікавою його рисою є те, що альбом ніби як одночасно і "свіжий і ностальгічний". При чому "свіжим" він відчувається навіть в наш час, а деякі його мелодії і досі здатні дивують своєю харизматичністю, взяти хоча б ту саму Wishing Well. А якщо говорити про більш "класичну" та енергійну соул/фанк складову - то у ній Terence ніби як "риба у воді" та із легкістю "грається з вокальним діапазоном". Насправді, більше особливо про нього і нема шо казати - вельми гарний R&B свого часу, який 100%-во зможе подарувати гарний настрій.

I am partial to a bit of 80s cheese

I was not aware of this one prior to the list but i enjoyed it!

La canción mas conocida es Sign your name y Dance little sister

Will be listening again. We really enjoyed this one. A cool feeling to it - we recognised a few songs unexpectedly. Some quality 80a fair (and we don't mind the slight overproduction classic of the era)

Cool!

Origineel, niet helemaal mijn ding, maar wel echt iets anders.

Excellent album

Terrence Trent D’Arby once said ‘ One thing about Italians is you can't let them in your head. They're inquisitive. The English and Germans are a dog tribe; the Italians are cats. They're very helpful, but it's in their own rhythm, their own way, and it can drive you crazy’. Which is mad cos Houmous & Chutneys 17th studio album was called Italian Pussy. Everyone thought it was about Len’s love affair with Nancy Dell’Olio but in fact it was because we saw Italians as very cool cats! 3.7

Great voice - arrangements sort of remind me of Hall & Oates - pretty cool laid back sound. Works for me...

The last two tracks on this album, “As Yet Untitled” and “Who’s Loving You,” are 🔥🔥🔥 vocals performances.

Couple of bangers. Rest easy listen

This guy can really sing. There's some Michael Jackson, some Stevie Wonder, some gospel, and also some Neville Brothers-esque weirdness. The 80s of it all is not really to my taste, but it's funky and soulful enough that I think it still works. Imagine if this guy had come around 10 years earlier, or perhaps 10 years later.

With every song I was more shocked I had never heard of this.

what a title.

Terence Trent D'arby, or rather Sananda Maitreya, wrote some of the most classic soul tracks of the 80s. This is a great album with those classic tracks. My favourite, as is most, "Sign Your Name". Enjoyable, despite being a little predictable.

Först tänkte jag några sekunder in. Fan. Lite 80-rals aktigt. Men det tonade ner och sen tänkte jag inte på det alls. Det är en jämnbra skiva. Han sjunger riktigt bra. Man kan definitivt sätta på den här och lyssna från början till slut.

Sign your name och Wishing well är ju klassiker och tycker denna höll ihop bra rakt igenom. Lider lite av 80-talsproduktionerna på ett par låtar, men ändå en bra skiva.

Ooooh the nostalgia is strong on this one. Somehow I completely missed his name change. Kinda cool that both names are really beautiful and melodic...just like this album. The sounds really scream late 80s and I love that.

Introducing The Hardline According to Terrence Trent D'arby - Terrence Trent D'arby (1987) Certainly very verbose in terms of both its album and track titles, I feel like if I were to reference the full titles for some of this I would be stuck writing war and peace. I had some initial worries that I wasn't gonna have the best reaction to this album after the songs that followed the opening (Surprisingly, they are some of the most popular on the album, am I a contrarian or just retarded?). But no this album was mostly consistent with its quality output. I definitely had more of an inclination towards the funkier sides of the album. But even the more sombre tracks were awesome. A very nice surprise Highlights: If You All Get to Heaven, I'll Never Turn My Back on You, Dance Little Sister, Seven More Days, Sign Your Name

It’s a superb record

So I can recall Terence Trent D'Arby exploding into the charts with this album and its accompanying single, Wishing Well, and I can remember his voice. However several decades further on, and I think I'd qualify my enthusiasm by noting that the music hasn't perhaps lasted as well, and he does tend to over do the vocal gymnatics. But what happened to him after this album? I played this album three times this morning, and at times it felt like I was listening to Heaven 17. Then I looked at the Wikipedia page and saw that Martyn Ware produced nine tracks (and Glenn Gregory provided backing vocals for one of those. So there you go. In rating this album, I note that this isn't really the sort of music I'd really want to play, but I think it's a polished debut. Perhaps a little too polished.

Prince comparisons Deserved as they wail and write Poppy, rock ballads

Wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did tbh. The production might be very of its time/dated, but he really makes it work! Not quite a 5 for me, but I'd go 4.5... Fave tracks - "Sign Your Name" is the only one I recognized and it is indeed a hell of a track. "If You All Get To Heaven" is a great opener. "Seven More Days" stood out, and "As Yet Untitled" was positively spine tingling.

It's now called "Introducing The Hardline According To Sananda Maitreya". I owned this one back in the day, hard to believe it was so long ago. He hit the scene and everyone thought he would go on to be a huge star, that never happened. Cool voice (Sam Cooke-y at times), good vibe & look for the time, and some solid songs to back it all up. He was the guy you wanted to say you were a fan of since Day One. The instant standout tracks were "Wishing Well", "Dance Little Sister", "If You Let Me Stay" & "Sign Your Name". "Who's Loving You" wasn't a hit in the 80's but would have been a 60's hit for sure, Sam Cooke should ask for royalties! The videos were overplayed on MTV and he sold a ton of records that year. Solid songs throughout, good songwriting, easy for young and old to get into, cohesive & kind of cutting edge for the time. He was just a little different than the cookie cutter popstars & hairmetalers, blending R&B/Motown sound with singer/songwriter vibe. I think he and Tracy Chapman opened up minds and made mellow music, that wasn't overtly poppy, cool again. Influential in that sense. He skyrocketed to the top and plummeted just as quickly. Great debut album, it sold 1M copies in its first week. Solid album, some staying power, huge impact at the time, influential since no one was immune to hearing the hits or seeing the videos at the time of it's release.

A lovely little reminder of the genius in the 80s.

I'm usually not one for 80s music, but R&B always has a special place in my ears. This is a really great record that I hadn't heard of before. The vocal harmonies are really pleasant and soulful. The music isn't too cheesy 80s and actually fits very nicely with the vocals. This is a nice, balanced album that has much replay value. Solid.

A high concept, immaculately produced album that covers all manner of musical bases and yet, for the most part, possesses real commercial appeal. Maitreya has a hell of a voice - it moves from reverent hush to rough-hewn soul skyscraping with ease. A song like 'Who's Loving You' could have come out in 1957, but if the template is somewhat familiar, Maitreya's clearly having fun with it thirty years on. 'Sign Your Name' sounds a little like 'Girl From Ipanema', no?

99% of the time I feel like I know what I’m going to get before I cue up the first track on an album, but the joy of doing a project is for those 1% that you get surprised by. This was not what I expected but was very very good.

J'ai 17 ans. et je suis en plein dans ma période the The, Nick Cave, le genre de musique qui te confirme que le monde est une vaste blague tragique. Sur les ondes, c'est le règne de la pop synthétique, des coupes de cheveux improbables et des productions boursouflées. Michael Jackson est le roi, Prince est le prophète et Madonna est la reine. Le triumvirat semble intouchable. Et puis, un type débarque de nulle part ou plutôt de New York, via Londres. Il est beau, il a une voix d'ange éraillée par le R&B le plus pur et il danse comme un dieu. Son nom ressemble à celui d'un lord anglais décadent : Terence Trent D'Arby. Et ce type, il n'arrive pas avec un simple album sous le bras, il arrive avec une proclamation, un manifeste dont le titre à lui seul est une déclaration de guerre : Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby. "Voilà la ligne dure selon moi, démerdez-vous avec ça". Mais ce n'est rien à côté de ce qui va suivre car le mec, dans la presse, se lâche complètement. Il ne se contente pas de dire que son album est bon, il affirme, sans trembler du menton, que c'est le meilleur premier album depuis "Sgt. Pepper's". Il se déclare "génie", il se compare aux plus grands, il ne se présente pas comme un prétendant au trône de la pop, il s'assoit directement dessus et demande qu'on lui apporte sa couronne. Et malgré toute l'arrogance, il faut bien le reconnaître, ce disque est une putain de bombe. Dès les premières notes de "If You Let Me Stay", on comprend qu'on n'a pas affaire à un rigolo. La production est monstrueuse, un mélange parfait de la chaleur des enregistrements Stax et de la précision clinique des années 80. Et puis il y a cette voix, cette VOIX. Un mélange incroyable de Sam Cooke pour la douceur, d'Otis Redding pour la fêlure, de James Brown pour l'énergie et de Prince pour l'androgynie. Le type peut tout faire : hurler, murmurer, passer d'un falsetto angélique à un grognement rauque en une fraction de seconde. L'album est une collection de tubes absolument imparables. "Wishing Well" est un morceau de funk-pop d'une efficacité diabolique, avec un refrain qui s'incruste dans le cerveau pour ne plus jamais en sortir. C'est le genre de titre qui a dû faire transpirer Michael Jackson lui-même. "Sign Your Name", la ballade, est d'une sensualité folle, un slow moite et élégant qui a dû lancer plus d'une histoire d'amour (et de maladies vénériennes). Mais l'album ne se résume pas à ses singles. C'est un véritable voyage dans la musique noire américaine, revisitée par un seul homme. Il y a du rock ("Seven More Days"), du gospel, du blues... Le tout est écrit, composé, arrangé et produit avec une maîtrise qui force le respect. On peut détester le personnage, mais on ne peut qu'admirer l'artiste. À 25 ans, le mec livre un album d'une maturité confondante. Alors, pourquoi cette note de 3 sur 5 ? Pourquoi un disque que l'on qualifie de chef-d'oeuvre ne mérite-t-il pas la note maximale ? À cause de la suite. L'histoire de Terence Trent D'Arby est une tragédie grecque de l'industrie musicale. Son arrogance était telle, sa "grande gueule" si démesurée, qu'il s'est lui-même scié la branche sur laquelle il était assis. La presse, qu'il avait provoquée, l'attendait au tournant. Le public, qui avait adoré ce premier album, attendait la suite avec impatience. Et TTD, au lieu de capitaliser sur ce succès, a fait ce que font les génies arrogants : il a fait un disque complexe, abscons, prétentieux et invendable "Neither Fish Nor Flesh". Le couperet est tombé. Rideau. Sa carrière ne s'en est jamais remise. Et c'est là toute la complexité de ce disque, il est brillant, mais il est orphelin. C'est le premier chapitre d'un livre qui n'aura jamais de suite. C'est la promesse d'un règne qui n'a duré qu'un seul album. Quand on l'écoute aujourd'hui, on ne peut s'empêcher de ressentir une pointe de tristesse, un immense gâchis. Le talent est là, palpable, éclatant, mais on sait qu'il va s'éteindre, consumé par l'ego de son créateur. C'est pour ça qu'il ne peut pas être un 5/5. Un 5/5, c'est un disque qui ouvre des portes, qui lance une carrière, qui devient une fondation. "Introducing the Hardline…" est une comète magnifique qui a illuminé le ciel de 1987 avant de s'écraser dans l'indifférence. C'est un excellent album de soul, l'un des meilleurs des années 80, sans aucun doute. C'est une leçon de musique, de talent, et aussi, une amère leçon sur la façon de ne pas gérer une carrière. Un chef-d'oeuvre solitaire et sans descendance. Et c'est précisément ce qui le rend si fascinant. Et si frustrant.

I have no idea why, but on the first listen I really liked this album. It might have been because I woke up in a real good mood and listened to it… I saved 4 songs immediately from it. Skipped through the rest of it. Reminds me of someone that tried to do Michael Jackson’s vibe, but couldn’t quite replicate it. 3 stars. I loved 50% of this album, and the rest was just filler baloney. I listened to 4 songs on this album multiple times today, and enjoyed my time with them. Besides that it, the songs were repetitive and kinda cringey. I listened to those four songs a couple times today. They were good. The rest were terrible. In the order of my favorite Wishing well Dance little sister Sign my name If you let me stay Okay nvm. The four songs were enough for me. 4 stars.

Day298 - i was surprised how good this one was. he definitely had a prince , stevie wonder thing going but i guess he couldn’t follow this up

if you all get to heaven- hold up. goddamn. 7 or 8 if you all let me stay- 6 or 7. i like the bass wishing well- 5 or 6 ill never turn my back on you- 6 or 7 dance little sister- 7 seven more days- 5 lets go forward- 5 or 6 rain- 7 or 8 sign your name- 6 as yet untitled- 4. im sorry i got bored as fuck whos loving you- 7 ill go with a 4, why not. good job

I really liked this!!! He knows his style and executes it well. The first track was especially good.

Glad I found this! A solid album ended with a really fun version of Who's Lovin' You. Something seemed odd with the sound mixing at times, not sure if that's intentional, original, or an artifact of the various processing/versions, but it was a little annoying.

Enjoyed this a lot. Very Prince, but I admire the album's cohesiveness. Those first 30 seconds or so are a nice way to start.

A promising first half that led into a repetitive and unoriginal second. I really enjoyed listening to the first three or four songs. I was excited to see what came next, but after the halfway point, it became clear that nothing else new was on the way. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, having never heard of the artist. It was good. 4/5

Never realised TTD is now called Sananda Maitreya. This is not the sort of music I would listen to, but acknowledge that it is a well written pop/soul album and stands out from similar music at the time 4/5

Miche-alt Jackson

Yo era un chaval y este disco en una cinta pirata del rastro estuvo sonando todo ese verano en casa y en el coche. Fue un bombazo en la radio y en los programas de TV con video clips. Después de aquello la estrella de TTD desapareció y yo tampoco he vuelto a escucharlo. Buenos recuerdos y buena música. Me quedo con If yo let me say, Wishing well, Dance little sister y Sign your name. Curioso que el disco en Spotify está con su nombre actual "Sananda Maitreya".

I did not have much expectation for this album. I assumed since it was born of the 80s it would be some amalgamation of music of the time and wouldn't resemble what I consider R&B at all. But after listening to this, it does feel like it was (at the time) a very modern take on R&B but still rooted in the classic sound from Sam Cooke and Otis Redding. It certainly seems like it has it's foot in neo-soul too. I didn't love this, but it was a good record for sure.

This was my first proper listen of him. I've heard "Wishing Well" before. Great song. But aside from that, almost everything I knew was reviews of Seal comparing the two of them. And now having listened - I kind of don't get the comparison at all. They have completely different voices and styles. But that being said, WOW does this album work. Almost every song is a full on display of heart and soul and downright genius. The man can not just sing, but he sings with so much agility and soul. I was in awe. Which makes it ironic that the only song that just utterly did not work for me was the penultimate track "As Yet Untitled" where it's basically him acapella figuring it out as he goes. It's kind of impressive, and if you were watching it happen in the moment you'd have to admit it was going to become a great song, but as it is it's a weird half baked overly long totally self indulgent track that mars an otherwise lusciously strong album.

I was disappointed as a kid when I bought this album after hearing the single Wishing Well on the radio, thinking all the songs were that sugar coated. But listening now, there’s more depth to it.

I’ve definitely heard of Terence Trent D’Arby before, but before listening to this album I’m not sure if I’d have known what I actually know him from. The name existed in my head, but I didn’t know if he was a singer, actor, artist, or anything else. However, this has changed now that I’ve listened to this album. There were parts here where the vocals together with the happy funk reminded me of Prince. The softer acoustic parts reminded me of Tracy Chapman. Honestly, it’s hard to find much I didn’t enjoy here.

Viel Funk und Soul, eine große Stißße, und Hits, die um die Welt gingen.

Sananda Maitreya, or Terence Trent D'Arby as he was formally know, has put together a captivating album. His tenor voice is powerful and complex, and is supported by instrumentatiom with funk/soul influence. The songs are pleasant and easy to listen too- a lot of catchy "poppier" songs. Overall- an enjoyable album

4-

Is this a great album? Sure, maybe. Does it have the ability to transport me IMMEDIATELY to the summer of 1988 like a friggin' Harry Potter portkey? Definitely.

The opening track, If You All Get to Heaven, hooked me immediately. I love the sound. I should definitely get that song at least. The rest of the album never reaches that high, but it's still good. It's a blend of funk and soul, with some blues influence in there.

3.5, enjoyed this one

I seen this and thought who tf is Terence Trent D’arby. And then I was asking myself the same question when Sananda Maitreya came up. This dude can sing and it’s really good music. Will be on rotation for a while

Funky and sweet

A unique and fantastic 80s slice of eclecticism.

Fantastic sounding album

Before Garth Brooks added a lap steel guitar and a vocal twang to soft rock and forever re-defined it as country, there was such a thing as soft rock which (for better or worse) gave us Duran Duran, Rod Stewart, Billy Joel, Kenny Loggins, Richard Marx, et al. Today, that is still considered 'soft', but now soft has a negative connotation. Surely Terence Trent D'Arby (apparently now Sananda Maitreya) stems from R&B roots, but there's a handful of soft rock cross-over genres mixed in there as well along with some gospel, some pumping dance grooves of Michael Jackson ("I'll Never Turn My Back On You (Father's Words)"), some intensity of INXS-meets-James Brown ("Dance Little Sister"), the self-awareness and soul-purging of Nina Simone ("As Yet Untitled"), and the seduction of Sade ("Let's Go Forward"). He's not afraid to let in some of the rasp too, which is pretty uncommon with such otherwise smooth grooves. Though always middle of the road and accessible, Introducing the Hardline . . . tries to incorporate much of the other genres that stay middle of the road and comes up with something unique yet not daring. His vocal performance is confident and bold but can be equally timid and delicate, and he executes as if he's very comfortable with the songs and is effortlessly half-riffing off the main melody line. Hey, I didn't know he sang "Sign Your Name." I always tied him to "Wishing Well" but I didn't realize he sang this one too, which I like better. Like a great unknown live band, Terrence eventually succeeded in winning me over. In fact, the entire second half is pretty stacked with the steamy "Let's Go Forward", erotic "Sign Your Name", the fast jazz calypso of "Rain", soulful "As Yet Untitled", and a killer slow-dance doo-wop cover of "Who's Loving You." And now that I see where he's coming from, a second listen reveals the first half has some good tunes as well. The vocal run in "As Yet Untitled" at 4:19 is jazzier than most I've ever heard. The instrumentation is a little too polished for me; I blame the producer more than Trent, but there is a particular 'cheap Casio' feel to some of the keys, orchestral hits, and gated drums. Overall, a great vocal performance; very mature and sophisticated for a debut album.

I kind of dismissed this when it first came out, partly, I think, because TTD was a bit of a blowhard in the music press. But listening to it now, it's actually pretty damn good. Funky stuff, and TTD has a great voice. Somewhere in the high three/low four range; going to be generous and round up.

Still love his soulful, raspy voice like from back in the day. Wishing Well still my favorite, but a couple new ones to listen to: Rain and the cover of Dance Little Sister. If it’s true Michael sabotaged his career, lame, but I can see why. Terence was hotter than Michael ever hoped to be.

7/10. Nice 1980's vibes. :)

Let’s Go Forward and As Yet Untitled are too slow; I especially like Wishing Well, I’ll Never Turn My Back On You, Dance Little Sister and Rain

Great to revisit this album. Had to listen a couple of times to get past a few things, but really enjoyed this.

This is a fantastic album.

Had never heard this! A weird miss in my disco. Very 80s production. Prince is all over this record.

7/10. Very good voice. But got a little stale for me, and I didn’t notice anything unique that stood out. That said I did enjoy it because of the talent. Had some MJ or Prince vibes but with far less unique, game changing attributes. Added Wishing Well and Seven More Days to the playlist.

An excellent album! I enjoyed the songwriting but the instrumentation was also good: clearly, there was some influence from genres like disco but equally the influence of ‘80s soul on hip-hop can be seen. This would be a 5 if I was more interested in the genre. 9/10. A note for anyone using streaming services or digital downloads: he changed his name to Sananda Maitreya and it’s easier to search for that than Terence Trent D’Arby.

I liked it

Tää oli kiva uus tuttavuus!

Hyvä RnB-platta! Hieno ääni ja hyviä sovituksia. 4/5

This is an album that has been somewhat overlooked by history. I remember that it was huge at the time with a bunch of very successful singles. It's a weird mix of very 80s production (the synths! the drum machines! the gated snares! the digital reverb!) but with D'Arby's classic soul voice. Clearly heavily influenced by James Brown (whose dance style he emulates), Prince, and Smokey Robinson, his vocals sound most like Sam Cooke towards the end of Live at the Harlem Square Club where the demands of a show have added a papery rasp to his voice. I love that sound, and D'Arby deploys it well. He can write a tune, too, and there a brace of really strong singles on this record (Wishing Well, Dance Little Sister, Sign Your Name, If You Let Me Stay). D'Arby is a true soul singer in a way that was not popular in the late 80s. He has classic and individual tone and phrasing, with a tendency towards histrionics that he usually keeps just on the tasteful side of the line. Rapid mega-success and fame were not kind to D'Arby, who was clearly inspired by Prince's career. He took over his own production, moving into far more ambitious territory with his subsequent albums, much to the chagrin of his record company and increasing disinterest of the record buying public. His second and subsequent albums are a little more... idiosyncratic. Occasionally interesting, but often simply puzzling. I bought a copy of his second album from a $1 bin a while back, which is a total bargain. He also copied Prince's habit of declaring himself a genius, which I don't think went down that well with anyone. It happens to a lot of people who get famous quickly, so I won't hold that against him. His brief stint as lead singer of INXS was an interesting exercise; he managed to make INXS sound like Terence Trent D'Arby, which I personally enjoyed, but was a bit tough for a legacy band. Around 2000, with no major record deal and burnt out by fame, he changed his name to Sananda Maitreya and continued to tour and record independently on his own terms (again, lifting from the Prince career playbook). As he said in a 2017 interview on albumism.com: "I got what intensity of spotlight I needed. History repeatedly shows what happens to those who crave more than they need. My profile, such as it now exists, has allowed me to completely create a whole new world. The law is the law, and we always pay for taking more than we need. And let’s be clear, fame is a pain in the ass, majorly. I am respected now for the work and not for the fame." I respect that he had the fortitude to walk away from an industry and lifestyle that was incredibly destructive to him as an artist. There are a few precedents (Bill Withers, and Prince, to a degree). The independent career model hasn't been as lucrative for him as it was for Prince, but he seems to be still touring with a pretty hot band and his voice still is in pretty great form. He even turned up as vocalist on an Avalanches single a couple of years ago. He is not talked about much in record snob circles (too black? too confident? not compliant enough?), but I think that says more about the prejudices and tastes of record snobs. I mean, imagine if he had tragically died after his first record like Jeff Buckley; would this potentially be a cult classic too? I fear that I have sometimes shied away from playing his records because they are not 'cred' enough, but I really enjoyed re-listening to this album, and fully intend to slip 'Dance Little Sister' into my next DJ set. I'm sorry, Sananda, I shortchanged you. You keep doing you. One of the great soul albums of the 80s (and there are precious few of those). Voice is great, even if the production is showing its age. 3.5 stars, rounding up.

Disco con muy buen rollo, tiene flow y se escucha con mucho gusto. Alguna canción es especialmente pegadiza, no son temazos ninguno de ellos pero sí un disco que resultaría agradable escuchar a modo de relax por el rollo que transmite.

I had never heard anything about this artist/album before but I enjoyed it. Wishing Well was rightfully a hit!

What MJ could be. Smooth, and enjoyable despite the 80s production

I enjoyed this listen - it was a change from the past several albums I’ve had generated on here and a good one. Reminded me of Michael Jackson, Prince, and New Edition wrapped in one. For me, the highlight was Who’s Loving You.

grreat stuff , maybe a couple of fillers. very fond memories of getting this lp for my birthday !

HL: “If You All Get To Heaven”, “Wishing Well”, “Dance Little Sister”, “Let’s Go Forward” May 14, 2024

My first thought was "I liked this better when it was called PRINCE." That said, it's a pretty good album. Enjoyed listening to it more than I expected. Favorite tracks: If You All Get to Heaven, Wishing Well, Let's Go Forward, Sign Your Name.

Rating: 8/10 Great album overall. Incredibly soulful and passionate, D'Arby sings his heart out every song and does so with great instrumentation and production supporting him. The album shines through the most with the slower, more soulful songs but falls relatively short on the more upbeat songs. Favorite songs: If You All Get to Heaven, Wishing Well, I'll Never Turn My Back on You, Dance Little Sister, Seven More Days, Let's Go Forward, Sign Your Name. Worst song: As Yet Untitled.

Elements of the vocals and drums reminds me of Prince, but has its own feel too, good album.

Pretty good! But sounds a LOT like Steve Winwood.

Great voice, I'd say R&B style

Really good! Loved the vocals.

I enjoyed this a lot more than I remember. Plenty of great songs, great sound - I'm a sucker for the 80s approach to production - and a good soul/funk vibe to it all.

A really great album with some classic tracks.

I mean it was okay. TBH I only listened passively but it was pretty. Great voice, and I liked the mood, and energy. I'll give it a 4 and that's being generous.

Amazingly skilled vocalist, probably a shame he had to live in princes shadow

great voice, great tracks, really enjoyed it, really fun tracks, 8/10

This was a lot better than I was expecting. Maybe a little bit pretentious and some of the instrumentation seemed overly 80s, but overall it was a great combo of unique vocals and lyrics. Sorry I avoided this when the album came out.

Definite James Brown and Prince inspired. Listened twice not bad.

Genre: Funk/ Soul Instruments: 4/5 Modern Translation: 3/5 Dance Potential: 4/5 Listening Location: Commute to work Heard it before: No Favourite Song: If You Let Me Stay & Dance Little Sister Made me feel: Enjoyed soul music on the way to work. Fun, good beat and would listen again.

Going down the 1001 albums road, I fully expected to have a few albums I don’t care for come up. A 1980s Michael Jackson type of album from D’Arby I would think would fit into that category, but it was fairly enjoyable. Not going to be on repeat in the car any time soon, but the singles are catchy, the album is consistent, very enjoyable listen.

A really fun listen. Between his vocals and the music he's got some muscle behind him. I dig it

кайфово

Thought it was fantastic. Getting hard to only have one day with some of these albums. 4/5

Nice

Damn you and you're well performed catchy music D'Arby!

so am I cool now?

Definitely an album I'll listen to again. Really love his voice, and I love a good acapella song.

80's soul/pop. Like Michael Jackson, but less poppy. Really solid. Favourite songs: Dance Little Sister, Who's Loving Who, If You Let Me Stay, If You All Get to Heaven, Wishing Well Least favourite songs: As Yet Untitled, Let's Go Forward 4/5

R and B/Pop/rock- biggest hit was Wishing Well. I personally think several other songs were much better. Funky voice reminiscent of Prince and Michael Jackson. Enjoyed!

Michael Jackson and Journey had a child. 7/10

I really enjoyed this. Never heard like 95% of these songs and thought it was a good mix of being upbeat and funk every now and then. Borrowed some traits from other artists but I think he does it tastefully. I would definitely listen to more of his stuff. 8/10

Röddin er flott, en ekki efstu deildar falsetta. Próductionin hefur elst mjög vel, sérstaklega ef tekið er mið af útgáfuáratug. Þrír bangerar sem maður vel eftir sem krakki, en restin er ekki nostalgísk fyrir mér og ég þyrfti að hlusta oftar til að tengja sterkt. En þetta er gott stöff.

Brilliant

I’ve always liked this album, though it flits between delights that are almost perfect and odd curiosities that only barely work. His later albums tended more to the latter but this remains a gem of the 80s.

That was pretty good, although i don't think i will be revisiting it anytime soon. 4/5

Respekt, gefällt mir. 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️