Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby

I didn’t like this much. I tried to look for positives. He puts a lot of energy into his music. His voice is pretty. Somehow it just doesn’t come together for me and it’s mostly boring. “Sign your name” is nice, as is the finale, “Who is loving you”. Otherwise forgettable

Fine… especially the wishing well(?) song Lo knew

Really interesting. Obviously feels like it takes a lot from one specific singer, but feels like it doesn't have the same problematic links. The production is quite late 80s but really high quality and very effective. The vocal performances are obviously awesome. The general groove is pretty cool. It obviously has other motown influences - I guess that last track helped me notice!

Recognised a couple of these songs. Funky.

Mindes honom som mycket mer av en hitmaskin. Detta är ju lågmält och svängigt, men inte särskilt minnesvärt. En trea

This was fun.

Not my cup of tea

i think i listened to the right album cuz the name's changed and i'm an idiot but if it wasn't the right one then whatever i listened to was pretty good 4/5

Not gonna lie, I was expecting a really lame R&B album based on the cover. Instead this was way more interesting than I expected. There’s a little Prince in there, some Lenny Kravitz before Lenny Kravitz really became a thing, and when Terence Trent D’Arby gets up into the higher parts of his range I can hear some Michael Jackson too. The album moves around a lot more than I expected. There’s soul, funk, rock, and some blues mixed in, so it never settles into generic late 80s R&B. The guitar on “Seven More Days” was especially good. It has that dobro or resonator-type sound that gives the song a completely different feel from everything around it. “As Yet Untitled” was pretty lame and easily the weak spot for me, but the rest of the album was strong enough to make up for it. Favorite song: "Severn More Days"

Wishing Well is a great song, but there are parts of this album that sound painfully generic. It's not unlistenable, so I'll rate it a high 2, round it up to a 3

Another mediocre pop album that no one (other than maybe those who fell in love with it as tweens or mid-30s-divorcees) ever needs to hear. It's inartistic and of no apparent historical significance. The production is aimed squarely at Top-40 radio. There are too many Steve Winwood style solid state (read: thin) synth and drum machine tracks (HELLO 1987!). And while there are brief moments where it sounds like things could get interesting, they quickly devolve into Paula Abdul-esque drivel. Terrence, or Sananda, has no clue what HE sounds like yet. He veers spastically from aping Sam Cooke to aping James Brown or Marvin Gaye. More distressingly, he isn't very good at any of those imitations. He's pitchy and melismatic and his growls and shouts feel thin and forced rather than raw and passionate. Why are we here?

This is a case of what the heck happened to that guy. I def remember this album coming out and aaalllll the buzz. And then the next album came out and total flop. It’s a good album. It didn’t change my life.

Some very good moments (Sign Your Name being one), but he ain't no Prince nor MJ. 2.5 rounding up

Classy, not surprised a lot was expected from him

Just a bunch of the most generic softly-sung 80s songs I can imagine, leaving literally zero impression on my mind, like water washing gently over clay. Bland, and so long it became offensively bland.

I remember the singles, but little else and can see why. My memory was of TTD’s vocals being far richer and soulful. Unfortunately aside from the singles this just sounds dated, manufactured pop does soul.

Were it not for my visceral hatred of “Sign Your Name”, and a handful of tracks that didn’t keep the quality towards the end, then this would’ve gotten a very, very rare 5 stars from me - it’s a 4.5* from me, really. I’m genuinely surprised at how much I loved it - aside from the aforementioned, the singles still sound great, especially the funk of “Dance Little Sister”. I also loved “If You All Get to Heaven”, especially the chorus, and the soulful feel of “Let’s Go Forward”. “I’ll Never Turn My Back On You” gave me 70s Stevie Wonder vibes in the best way, and I liked the cover of “Who’s Loving You?” (although it’s not a patch on The Jackson 5 version - sorry!) All in all, this is a great album that (mostly) got a second listen, containing tracks that I’ll come back to time and again.

He has a great voice, but it really is fighting with the immense 80sness of the production. It genuinely is interesting to me how instantly recognisable the 80s are in musical form. The synths in Rain? Dear lord... The shoo do wop wops in Sign Your Name are so loud in the mix. Not sure I noticed that before, despite remembering that song from it's original release. I liked Seven More Days. I liked Who's Loving You because it was very 80s does 50s. But it's all so dated and just not the type of thing I gravitate towards. Overall, definitely better than a 1 but not good enough to me for a 3: 2/5

Não é ruim. É notável a qualidade vocal nesse álbum. Porém... É um álbum cansativo e que soa um pouco datado. QoA Adonis New.

Never heard of this artist before- immediately very interested. Gorgeous vocals, super interesting instrumental stuff happening that I can't define but I like! It really feels like quintessential 80s music- I wasn't alive for it so I might not be spot on but it's fun and nostalgic.

The album is as boring as the singles. Didn't like him in the past that hasn't changed.

Reminded me of freshman year of college. Very much a late-80s sound. Hearing Wishing Well and Sign Your Name brought back memories of The Cosby Show and A Different World, with socially conscious soul music. Overall, though, I found the other songs to be repetitive and a little boring.

A very good album, I much enjoyed it.

Didn't hate it, didn't love it. Decent funk/soul album.

Sing it, Sananda!

This reminds me a lot of Michael Jackson. I recognize the Wishing Well song, a bit adult contemporary but I don't mind it. I find this music super cheesy but I'm weirdly digging it. I think his voice just really breaks through the cheesiness of that late 80's music. Also the music videos for some of these songs are completely hilarious. Cheesy music with an incredible voice but I will probably never listen to it again

At first i didnt understand why this album was on this list, but the back half was act pretty solid

Some great stuff. Particularly enjoyed As Yet Untitled.

Great voice. Moments on this is quite liked. I don’t think a lot of the 80s production had aged very well though. Sign your name is by far the best track imo, definitely the stand out.

The whole thing reeks of a poor man's Prince. That's not to say that it's bad, but it does feel sort of like an imitation. There are some tracks that are really good, but it just isn't consistent. There are also a lot of tracks that I really don't like. Overall it's 'Meh.'. There are some redeeming qualities, but if I want to listen to Prince I'll just go listen to Prince.

My wife has been getting on me for listening to Elvis despite him grooming a 14 year old. The next time she listens to Michael Jackson I’ll propose Terence as a more appropriate alternative.

Different sound. Occasionally made me hate the 80s less 😅 I didn’t like the album opener (if you all get to heaven). Sananda starts cooking after. Wishing Well and As Yet Untitled were my favorites. Wished I liked this more because Sanandas story is fantastic. Somewhere around 2.5

Quite behind. Been in the middle of a cross country move to NYC for the last month. True Exodus of SF with Ted and the sheriff all fleeing. Anyway, but this started really strong and fun with 80s vibes but got a little cheesy and less good in the middle. Final track was fun.

It took me a while to warm to TTD/SM at the time, because I didn't have any knowledge or appreciation of soul. But I soon caught up, and realised he was a really talented singer and performer. The hits still make me smile. Quality. Soul with an 80s flavour.

Недопринс недомайкл

I’ve heard the singles off this album, of course, but never the whole album. It was really great. Coincidentally, Wishing Well played at the super market yesterday as well.

You know the track "Sign Your Name." It’s a soul album. I don’t like it at all. I just skipped through it. I can’t listen to it.

i cant

This was quite good. I'm not a huge fan of the slightly tinny/artifical 80s production but he has a great voice and there are some super catchy pop songs on here. I also learned that he is now called Sananda Maitreya, who knew?

Enjoyed

The guy’s clearly got singing talent, and overall the songwriting and arrangements are not terrible…but man, this was a really tough listen based on the 80s production alone. Didn’t care for it then. Not my bag now.

He sings good. But man, I just couldn’t get into this. Maybe not my style or taste so I tried to put that aside but just felt a little generic. I think I recognized wishing well and prob the best song in my opinion. 2.5

Very 80’s sounding and not my favorite. Not awful, just sounded very dated and meh. 2.25/5

Great voice. Some dated tracks. Don't like the M Jackson noises. Some good tracks

Great voice, a couple of really good songs, the rest, like a cut price Michael Jackson.

As far as 80s pop goes this is actually pretty good. Would happily listen again

First impressions are standard middle of the road 80s pop trying to be Michael Jackson. And a few big 80s hits I didn't know who they were by (If You Let Me Stay, Wishing Well, Sign Your Name) But when you listen more closely, you can hear more of a soul side. So this sits in the space between Stevie Wonder, maybe James Brown, and Michael Jackson. If you strip back the 80s production gimmicks, then some of the tracks wouldn't be out of place on a Stevie Wonder album. As Yet Untitled is an impressive acapella track Best track (not known before) - Dance Little Sister, Rain 3.5 stars - call it 4 because I would re-listen

Great songs, diminished by 80's production.

some great R&B

Fantastic voice, groovy tunes

I do like this, he’s a great voice, knew a few songs.

meh nothing on this one really stood out to me. More of a 2.5 star rating for me

Surprisingly good songs sprinkled in here. But the 80’s overproduction strikes again bringing the rest down

10-year-old me didn’t like Sign Your Name when it was released. Today, I think it’s by far the best song on the album. But I still don’t like it that much. Obviously he is a talented singer, and there might be a good album buried behind the very 80s production, but I just can’t hear it right now. Wish there were more songs like the final track, with a little more soul to it

Awesome

Brilliant stuff!

Brilliant, emotive voice. Some gems in here.

Wait this album is actually iconic? Like i knew half of these songs already?

Really enjoyed this album. Of course knew Wishing Well and Sign Your Name; some of my favorite singles of all time. Those songs take me back to being 10 and becoming more interested in music. Stumbled upon If You Let Me Stay in the past year or so, also love that. The rest of the album is really good. Who's Loving You stands out as well. (4.5)

I judge anyone who likes this nonsense just a little bit.

Background music

nothing for my playlist but - I'll never turn my back on you and - seven more days were fun to listen to also didn't like as yet untitled but the switch to the last track was cool

Honestly this is way better than expected considering I don’t really like 80s production or pop. This is *almost* like Michael Jackson and Prince had a baby, but that’s somehow reductive and also overhyped, so maybe I just don’t have a good analog. I’d give it a 4, but I’ll probably never turn this on again and that takes a star away.

4-1/2 stars If you like this one, check out his next three albums. They’re as good, if not better, than TTD’s debut album, and it’s a shame they didn’t generate the success they deserved. Neither Fish Nor Flesh (1989) Symphony or Damn (1993) Vibrator (1995)

I heart the 80s.

Me: Can we have some Michael Jackson? Mom: We've got Michael Jackson at home. Michael Jackson at Home: Terence Trent D'Arby This album is so derivative and just sounds dated at this point. Reading about his comments - nothing here is remotely comparable to Michael Jackson's or Prince's output in the same time frame. The best song is 'As Yet Untitled', really shows off what a nice voice he has. Next up: Sign O The Times by Prince. Came out the same year and feels like a way better and more timeless album.

Would you like to dance, ✨️ℊ𝓇𝒶𝓃𝒹𝓂ℴ𝓉𝒽ℯ𝓇✨️

★★½

Terence Trent D'Arby released a very popular album back in 1987. I remember the album cover and a bit of the hype. Anyway, here it is. Apparently he was quite the self-promoter back in the day. Now, he's changed his name. There must be an interesting, and likely tragic, story behind that.

Just because you are extremely talented doesn't mean you have something great to say. I read that in his early days, Terence (his mamma calls him Terence, I'm gonna call him Terence) transformed his "choir" voice into a raspy voice by listening to Rod Stewart and Sam Cooke. And he does have an amazing voice. I can't believe I am saying this, but I think Rod Steward is more authentic. He's using his voice and soul. I don't know what Terence is doing. You can't shape soul.

“Wishing Well” and “Sign Your Name” are must-listen singles. The rest of the album is a dated reminder of why Terence Trent D’Arby will always be an also-ran.

I don't know what it is, but other than Prince and Sade I've never been a big fan of 80s R&B music. Most of the time it's just too silky smooth and that applies to this album too for the most part. It's not bad but it's not that great either. Favorite track: If You Let Me Stay

I enjoyed a few tracks here (and surprisingly knew a couple from before), but I thought this was overall outdated and fairly plain. It's not bad, but it's also not something I plan to come back to.

A lot more interesting than I anticipated- especially considering when this was originally released

Late 90s soul rock. Decent 90s pop rock.

Man. If I made some of these songs, my ego would be out of control too. Fantastic 80s pop/r&b album.

I didn't know this singer. Some nice tunes. Good album overall.

The guy can sing, but the 80s production has not stood the test of time.

Pop, but more rough around the edges than bigger names which makes it interesting. Overall not my taste at all but no complaints on the musical quality.

Apparently he changed his artist name? I had no idea that, among the Micheal Jacksons and Princes of this time, this guy was hiding in the rough. His creativity might not be quite at their level, but this album had a lot of energy and I enjoyed it. There must've been some summit in the 80s where popular artists got together and collectively decided to all use the same drum samples and sound palettes. This album goes above and beyond just another throwaway 80s pop album, though. My only complaint is that a couple songs drag on a bit too long. Wishing well and Rain were my favorites. Strong 3 to a light 4

Another very 80s album. I'd sort of forgotten about him, or more like he'd fallen to the back of my thoughts. There was a lot of buzz about him, and this album in particular (it seemed like), when the album came out. The obvious comparison, it seems to me, is Michael Jackson (at around the same time). Mix Michael Jackson and 80s sounds (percussion and keyboards/synths, in particular), and you get . . . T.T.D (who apparently changed his name to Sananda Francesco Maitreya, in 2001). Of course, it's still up to him to sing well, and he does, pretty well. The songs I most remember are "Dance Little Sister" and, especially, "Sign Your Name." Although apparently "Wishing Well" was a bigger hit. I do remember the catchy keyboard/synth riff from that one, and I suspect that little ear worm was why it was a hit, but otherwise it's a pretty forgettable song, to me. I much prefer 'Dance' and 'Sign.' And "Who's Loving You," which was written by Smokey Robinson, and performed by The Jackson 5 (and on their "Greatest Hits" album), and others, and makes explicit the connection with Michael. Still need to rate this one: a low 4 stars, or a high 3? His singing is good, but the music is kind of mediocre, and the production sounds a little dated, so I think I have to go with a high 3 stars.

I enjoyed some of it, but a lot of it was so corny. Someone needs to study why the 80's were so corny. Case-in-point the track titled "Rain"

Jag gillar det!

Denna typ av soul funkar verkligen inte för mig. Är ledsen. Tvåa eftersom jag fattar att det inte är dåligt egentligen.

Skrev några irriterade anteckningar efter första lyssningen om att jag ”hellre lyssnar på de artister han försöker härma”, alltså MJ och Prince. Och det stämmer ju. Terence trent D’Arby kallades ju tydligen när det begav sig för ”the New Prince”, så perfekt att vi fick Prince mästerverk och den här back-to-back för en direkt jämförelse. Prince vinner ju med hästlängder såklart, men den här skivan växte ändå väldigt mycket med en andra lyssning. Det som först kändes som en överproducerad blek kopia blev plötsligt en rätt trevlig och rätt egensinnig funkig r&b-platta. ”If you all get to heaven” var fräsch, ”dance Little sister” hade fin sade-kvalitet i blåset och ”Sign your name” var riktigt bra knullsoul. Nåt jag vidhåller från mina första anteckningar är att jag stör mig lite på att hans i övrigt rätt fräcka pipa ofta blir sur när han svävar ut i för mycket wailäventyr. Covern på whos loving you var hädisk och as yet untitled var mer än lovligt pretto, trots de piss-snygga stämmorna.

Skulle egentligen behöva en till lyssning men tror det här var en fyra

Some really things on this album, too bad there was not some good follow up.

I tend to rate R&B higher than most other things on here, just because these albums usually feel like a breath of fresh air. This one’s really good though.

Allerwelts-80er-Pop ohne Alleinstellungsmerkmal. Austauschbar!

Not my style, but I enjoyed it. ★★★

Nice music. A bit Phili Sound.

I get it, I can see why it would be so well-regarded, just not for me.

Not music for me, too gospelly

"Wishing Well" is genius. I bought this when it came out after seeing the video on MTV (yep, I am that old - a cultural touchpoint that very few will have the pleasure of knowing). Blown away by the voice and the verve, and I probably read about Terence Trent D'Arby in a printed magazine, seeking music to make my own in a world of Pixies and Nirvana and Urge Overkill, my desperate craving for funky soul drove me to this. I was conned. Nothing else on the album is anything even close to the single. It kind of hurt. I listened to this SO MANY TIMES trying to get my money's worth out of it, but alas. Nothing on the disc really compares. That being said, the dude has a great voice and a penchant for the funky R & B that filled the empty space between Prince albums. And I'm not saying this guy is anything like Prince who is literally a god. I'm just saying, sometimes record company hype can fool even the savvy music enthusiast. I bought his next album also. Probably the sunk cost fallacy at work.

Just hootin and hollerin the whole time man

Much better than I was expecting for 80s contemporary R&B. Not necessarily the most memorable album but certainly enjoyable

Mejor de lo que esperaba. Estuvo bastante bien.

"I'm not going to lime this because it's R&B" but wow "If You All Get To Heaven" is awesome. I liked this album way more than I expected to. Very glad I listened.

One of my favorite albums. Sananda is really underrated as an artist and this is definitely by far his best album. It just sounds so unique. There's nothing like it.

Solid R&B. Very comfortable listening

Quite nice

I actually liked this one. It gave me Michael Jackson vibes, and we'll I obviously love Michael Jackson. Solid album, happy to finally start to hear ones I actually like

This is fine. I have almost no opinion of this music. But I am definitely annoyed by the ludicrous comparisons people make between this guy and certain other artists.

I'M TRYNA FUCK

Kul vibe

definite michael jackson inspo rain rain go away

Really solid 80's album, while still being very 80's. In one of the worst era's of Pop music, this was a really welcome change of pace. World Music, Pop, Funk and lots of other stuff can be found here. I really like the hits on here most of all, but after a few listens the deep cuts start growing on me as well. It somehow manages to pick out the good parts of 80's kitsch and blend them together with a nice flavor of other genres in order to create something novel and familiar.

Sounds a bit dated, but still enjoyed a lot of it. Rating: 5/10 Favorite Song: Wishing Well

Groovy ass album, and what a voice this dude has. 4.5 bumped up to 5.

I’m right at a 5. Perhaps even just a touch higher. The only track I knew going into this was “Wishing Well”, & that’s just because I’d heard it a number of times. It’s the type of track that’s a bit plain in execution, but the fun bouncy vibe of it just kinda grows on you the more you hear it. Either that, or the chorus is simple enough that you can’t help but learn it & Stockholm Syndrome your way into enjoying it. Either way, it’s an inoffensively fun song, and I went into this expecting 11 tracks of a similar caliber. Thankfully, I was wrong; yes, some of these are still inoffensively fun, but I found myself rather impressed with some of the additional depth on a lot of these tracks. Sananda Maitreya obviously wears all of his inspirations on his sleeve; this is practically a Prince / MJ / James Brown hybrid album, and his vocals occasionally channel all 3 in a way that’s more reminiscent to my brain of Bruno Mars. A lot of this album feels like a Bruno Mars album if it were actually produced in the 1980s. Bruno’s slick as hell, sure, but he’s not using synths & gated reverb drums like that. One thing this album does that Bruno hasn’t done, at least in a bit, is explore some topics past just making love. Since the first track is about searching for religion & what that journey will entail in a way that he doubts he’ll even make it to heaven, I’d say he sets a bit of a ‘tortured artist’ tone early. That tone does give this album a bit of self-importance that it sort of sheds by “If You Let Me Stay” and the bouncy doo-wop feel behind it, but it’s still about pleading to a lady to keep him around. I still can’t really tell you what the fuck “Wishing Well” is about other than being a loose love track. “I’ll Never Turn My Back On You” thankfully brings the depth back into play, and I think it’s a pretty good reggae-tinged tribute to his father & his devotion. “Dance Little Sister” is by far the grooviest track here with a James Brown lean, “Seven More Days” is a great ballad about enduring the work week for some family time & “Let’s Go Forward” is a masterclass in how to keep a track vocally stimulating in a way that lets the repetition within go by without a complaint (though mileage will HIGHLY vary here). “Rain” is obviously silly, & the weakest track here, but it’s just kinda fun. I’m more disappointed he didn’t commit to all 23 verses. Cowardice, perhaps. This album really sends it home for its final 3 tracks, all of which really worked for me. “Sign Your Name” is love-making music with an intimacy to it that REALLY sells the track; it’s a bit long on the outro & a little stagnant instrumentally, but given what might be happening as a result of listening, I don’t think it matters too much. “As Yet Untitled” is a fully acapella track, reminiscent of Tracy Chapman’s acapella track on her self-titled debut; Sananda’s voice shines here, and the storytelling about wanting to reclaim his homeland in a way that washes away the sins of his previous generations is wonderfully written. The cover of “Who’s Loving You” that ends the album will no doubt invite MJ comparisons that I’m sure he was expecting, but it’s probably the most potent cover of the track I’ve heard aside from the Jackson 5’s own cover (it’s a Smokey Robinson original). I already love that track to begin with, so hearing someone tackle it with passion that feels close to Michael’s vocals really did it for me, and it’s tastefully updated to ‘80s instrumentation without overdoing it like Tina Turner did on “Private Dancer”. Given that Sananda was hyping this album in the press by saying he made “the most brilliant debut album from any artist this decade” & something better than Sgt. Pepper’s, it would be very easy for this album to crumble under its own expectations. Perhaps miraculously, it does not. It’s not the best debut album of the decade (that’s probably “Appetite for Destruction”, at least for my tastes), and it’s not better than Sgt. Pepper’s, but he was right in hyping himself up. This is a surprisingly strong 47 minutes that only really falters on some slightly longer outros, but those barely matter, since the core of each track preceding those outros is usually engaging as hell. I think it’s an easy 5 for me, and perhaps even just a touch higher. I really liked it, I’m glad it’s on the list, and I may need to check out a bit more of this dude’s albums.

Holy 80's Batman. This is what I mean when I say 80's music isn't for me. 3/10

I was feeling indifferent about this album until I heard Who’s Loving You. Woah.

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

When a bloke changes his name and then goes back and renames a 40 year old album 'Introducing the Hardline According to Sananda Maitreya' - I just think what an absolute tool. I recall at the time he was rather up himself declaring this album to be the best thing since Sgt. Pepper. So he's still not short of ego is he - even if he seemed to disappear without trace after this album. Granted he does have a very good voice and some of the songs have stood the test. But he didn't. Nobody likes a bighead.

4/10

The debut album from the artist formerly known as Terence Trent D'Arcy. He now produces work under the name Sananda Meitreya, but I don't think he ever bettered this enjoyable blend of funk, soul and pop. Four of the singles charted highly in the UK - songs like Wishing Well and Sign Your Name have a similar funk riff and sexual energy to Prince, and for a short time D'Arby burned brightly under a pretty intense spotlight. There are strong vocal performances throughout, notably in the brave As Yet Untitled, and the songs remain pretty consistent. Highlights of the unreleased tracks include I'll Never Turn My Back On You and Seven More Days. Rain is probably the weakest track, but it's still catchy. It was good to remind myself of this album and it's a well deserved 4 stars.

Angelic voice

I enjoyed this! The lyrics to Wishing Well surfaced from the deep recesses of my brain; I wonder if this is an album my mum had in the rotation way back when.

There were time when I thought this would be fun to see live and you could tell there was a charasma about the man but then there were other times when I was waiting for it to be over or tuning it out so how do you balance that out? Probably won’t seek it out again.

Was alright. Nice and chilled. Good voice.

I had notes written for this but I forgot to save. This isn’t worth recalling because I didn’t get much from this album. Just dated musically and this guy just feels like MJ from Temu.

Production stinks of the 80s. Never heard this before. It was fine. Production sounds very similar to many other records of this time. Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins records with that 80s sound come to mind. Just nowhere near as good. 2.5/5. Raising to 3.

fun

It was nice listen. Jut can’t realy remember much except the ‘meanwhile on the other world’ part.

Voða hugljúft á köflum en smá pirrandi líka. 2-3 mjög flott lög þarna.

Not sure how I felt about this one. A weird mix of Prince and Michael Jackson. Really don’t know.

'Wishing Well' is a great single even with the awful 1980's production & 'Dance Little Sister' is lots of fun but that's pretty much it as far as highlights. It's not an awful album by any means but by God it's a boring one & sometimes that's worse. Another WTF is this album doing on here moment brought to you by the bipolar 1001 Albums list.

favs: wishing well i’ll never turn my back on you (father’s words) rain sign your name as yet untitled who’s loving you rating 2.7/5

No thank you. It’s just such drivel.

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

Hated it when it came out. Affected and posey. Not changed my mind much since. Pushing it to give it a 2 because he tried hard

Ik vind dit redelijk verschrikkelijk. Elke keer als hij de gelegenheid krijgt en zelfs als hij de gelegenheid niet krijgt gooit hij er een aanstellerige, schreeuwerige ad-lib achtige uithaal in. Verschrikkelijk. Daarnaast zijn er weinig albums die zo doorgeschoten commercieel 80's klinken als deze. En dan ook nog die aanstellerige naamswijziging... Ik had in dit geval de Wiki eigenlijk niet moeten lezen, maar ik wilde kijken of Spotify me wel het goede album had gegeven. Het is geen Astrud Gilberto en met het mes op de keel zou ik waarschijnlijk voor dit album kiezen als het tussen die twee gaat, maar ik ga wel alsnog 1 ster geven. 'Aanstellerig' is de beste samenvatting. Het is ook geen leuke, lekkere ergenis die ik hierbij ervaar, het is gewoon pure, vervelende ergernis. Ik vind dit echt helemaal kut.

Listened Before? N I remember Wishing Well from the 80s... yep. Thats about it. This wasn't memorable for me. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Wishing Well

His voice is the big selling point and it kinda worked, but it sounds as 80's as it gets, and therefore a bit dated

Would listen to this one again. Can tell it’s 80s but I liked it

Genuinely surprised and impressed

Loved this album particularly Wishing Well which is such a great song. Sad that it imploded on the second album.

"Wishing Well" is a neat late 80s pop track. Always thought Seal really had the edge over this guy in terms of making this funk/rock/r&b sound work. Production is very dated.

This album sounds like the 80's. A real time capsule. I like the vibe.

Music production in the 80s was genuinely abysmal what were they thinking

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

Uživam u ovome. Guilty pleasure fazon albuma.

The production might seem overly 80s now, but at the time it seemed raw, minimal and authentic. ‘We started out as friends’ in Sign Your Name, compared to the over-sexed snapshots of American life offered up by, say, Prince. It’s a bit cringe thinking it about it now, but this album, and Sign Your Name in particular, came up a lot in late teen conversations about sex and love. I don’t remember any other album outside of The Smiths being used as a talking point in the same way. Nobody talked about meeting a girl at a five and dime and throwing her over the back of your motorbike.

Bit of a classic this one

Like others have said, the 80's sound was too much for me. Still, I didn't hate it. Didn't like it either. I will say the songs kind of stuck in my head afterwards (surprising since I hadn't heard them before). I liked the ending track "Who's Loving You" the most.

Good late 80s music!

I thought this was great! So soulful and such good beats. I added “Wishing Well” to my playlist.

Iconic! Glad to have heard this album in full for the first time. 3.75 rounded down to 3.

Great!

Did not like. Recognized one song but it was too 80s r&b

hard

funky

An amazing voice!

Some familair tunes. Fun

This is very okay (will probably not listen again), and the second half built and built, concluding the album much better than it started. Overall I felt like the production on these tracks muddied the waters too much, and neither the voice nor the music had a chance of standing out. I am surprised that it could be considered an "essential" album but I don't regret listening to it. It's nice to know that there will at least be some non-old-white-dudes on this journey.

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

First song is pretty great, weird and soulful. Point off for the acapella one where you can hear him swallowing. The rest of the album doesn't quite hit the highs of the opener, but is good enough.

Not my usual listen but good. Lots of variety. Kinda made me think of Michael Jackson but less annoying.

#376/1001. File under: - 80s - Artists formerly known with another name - Soul, R&B, funk - Multi-instrumentalists - Music producers - Sex symbols - Black male singers with androgynous personas - People with too big egos - Pop stars searching for spirituality - Not so innovative musicians as Prince

A mixed album for me. Was a bit dull in places. Smokey Robinson knows how to write a song. I've never heard a bad cover of 'Who's Loving You'. 3.5

Eh

"Say a prayer for my camel / As I ride through the desert" ...? 80s funk pop/rock. Not awful but definitely not my cup of tea. "Dated" is spot on.

4.8 had to deduct something for "Rain", otherwise amazing album.

EH

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 was totally unfamiliar with this artist, or at least I thought I was, until I listened to the album and vaguely remembered a couple of the songs from back in the day. I have always thought that in Wishing Well, the melody of the musical interlude between the chorus and verses, and also at the end, reminded me of an old timey cartoon where the skeleton plays the xylophone on his rib cage. Anyway, I digress. I have to say that I enjoyed this record a lot more than I anticipated. I probably won’t purposely listen to it again, but if it happened to be playing somewhere randomly I would be totally okay with that. I give it a strong three stars.

Every song feels like the end credits to any Disney movie between Oliver and Company and Hunchback of Notre Dame. Which is neither a dig nor a compliment.

Marked the start of a very welcome move from saccharine early-mid 80s pop towards something that rediscovered soul & integrity. It’s still a bit too light for my taste but there’s more interest here.

Not bad. The 80’s production holds it back a little, as well as the obvious comparisons to Prince and MJ. But listenable.

Sounds like it was made in a funko pop plant. Just so plastic!

Okay album with 2 hits.

É aquela musica

Acho que provavelmente merecia que ouvisse mais uma vez ou duas

Budget Michael Jackson meets a 'fun' church. The deeper I go the more (irrationality?) annoyed I become. I hate it, I thought I'd like it. Perhaps if it had been a part of my youth I'd be more forgiving.

Hmm

enjoyable but pretty derivative

what the hell is going on

Like if Lenny Kravitz and the Fine Young Cannibals had a baby. Found this to be a little toothless but still an easy listen

thought "this is like prince mixed with raffi" like immediately and couldn't shake that. it's better than that but the wheels on this bus do be going round and round

Surprisingly good...

Day 49 — Terence Trent D'Arby — Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby (1987) Listened: May 22–August 10, 2026 Genre: Soul / R&B / Funk / Gospel-influenced Pop Vibe: A remarkable voice pulling from gospel, Motown, funk, and soul simultaneously — church-raised energy meeting 80s production with real emotional range underneath. Highlights: • If You All Get to Heaven • If You Let Me Stay ★ Wishing Well • I'll Never Turn My Back on You (Father's Words) • Dance Little Sister • Seven More Days • Let's Go Forward • Rain • Who's Loving You Impression: A voice that stops you in your tracks — the range and soul behind it are undeniable. Wishing Well is an automatic favorite that holds up every listen. The gospel and Motown influences are exactly in my lane and the album rewards coming back to it. Rating: 3.6/5 Keep songs? Yes Revisit album? Yes

It's quit good so far. Has great vocals and songs, some more to my liking than others, have interesting shifts to them. In my opinion there is not enough variation in energy. He's pushing very hard almost all the time. And while there are this interesting shifts in some songs, I can't say it's a harmonic or melodic masterclass. Good arrangements though... Let's go Forward is my favorite song so far. Very good composition. Rain my least favorite, not a good song. As yet untitled is a very special track. Resonates. Last track is a banger. I don't really know why, but this album left me feeling a bit bad. It's probably because of the bad day I was Having yesterday, but still. I'll give it a high 2. Still appreciate the good tracks and talent but my mind isn't there.

J'ai passé un bon moment mais sans plus. C'est de la bonne soul des années 80 mais la production c'est vrm cliché 80's avec une superbe voix dessus. Mais il se démarque pas assez pour me marquer/ me donner envie de réécouter

Un disco eterno. Contiene 4 temas magistrales de neo-soul: If you let me stay, Wishing well, Sign your name y una de las mejores canciones de todos los tiempos: Dance little sister. Imposible quedarse quieto con este trallazo. El resto no ha envejecido igual de bien, transita entre lo excelente Who´s loving you, lo notable If you all get to heaven y alguna cosa de menor nivel Seven More days, Rain, Let´s go forward o I´ll never turn my back on you. As yet untitled es una buena muestra de su clase con esa voz digna heredera de Sam Cooke y Sam & Dave. Lo tenía todo: imagen, talento y voz. Arrasó (12 millones, convirtiéndolo en el tercer debut más vendido de todos los tiempos), se metió en un lugar que no le gustaba y fue desapareciendo del mapa hasta pasar a Sananda Maitreya donde sigue con una carrera en la que hace lo que le gusta. Su segundo disco me gustó mucho aunque era anticomercial, ya con Birth Of Maudie, bajo un pseudónimo: "The Incredible E.G. O'Reilly nos dio pistas de que el camino era ir a contracorriente. El tercero (Symphony or Damn) con Delicate incidía ese mismo pasaje. Un genio, en todo. Gracias

I wanted to love this so much more. But its a little messy, and just not really hitting that hard. Funky groovy, but only a solid 3

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.

Enjoyable, but wish it was a little funnier. Man can he sing though

Very 80s production very wacko jack lite

Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby synthesizes soul, funk, pop, and R&B through dynamic vocal phrasing, polished arrangements, and rhythmic sophistication. D'Arby demonstrates impressive control across contrasting styles, balancing commercial accessibility with expressive ambition. Although occasional compositional unevenness affects the album’s consistency, its stylistic breadth and performance intensity remain compelling. The record effectively showcases late-eighties crossover aesthetics while establishing D'Arby as a remarkably versatile and charismatic vocalist and songwriter.

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

Good

Another one of the albums that seem to be on this list because of one good song.

Wishing Well and Sign Your Name are among the classic picks you will often hear on 80s-90s pop radio stations in my region. And I really like those songs

Not as 80 awful as I expected (or vaguely remembered). Still, it's a 2 from me.

Hella dated. Almost an easy 1, but Wishing Well went kinda hard...

3,5

I love it, the voice of the lead singer is amazing.. it felt like Michel album tbh.. I love also the messages and the atmosphere of almost all the songs Fav songs - If You All Get to Heaven, Wishing Well, Sign Your Name 5/5

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.

Honestly it was nice to hear some mediocre music that was R&B rather than new wave. Inessential but fine.

Dude can sing, but sadly the songs didn't go over well for me. "Wishing Well" is a cheesy song that I was never really too into, but his cover of Smoky Robinson's "Who's Loving You" is pretty good and really shows his voice off. Considering his ego and how he thought this record was better than Sgt Peppers, it really made me hear this and go... huh? so yeah idk it didn't age well imo.

This was shit,i think

Finally some black music, and it's the most white sounding pop/soul. List is embarrassing in places.

I expected to dislike this because of the 80s of it all, but actually found it kind of charming. Wishing Well and Sign Your Name really are bops. 3.5

Little too 80’s for my taste. Plus he seems at times like he’s trying to emulate MJ (HEEEheee)

So boring. So many of these songs are just the same line repeated over and over in a way that doesn’t work.

Over-glossy soundtrack to a lifestyle I'm not buying

Talented musician, great voice, but the 80's production just ruins it.

Die Musik finde ioch gut, sie mach mut und docch stärke

Dober

Good album. Obvious why the singles charted well.

Plainly he was talented and the singles are pretty good. They deserve the radio play they still get. I found myself less bothered about the rest of the album.

Imagine being a male pop vocalist during the 80s and having to be compared to Michael Jackson at his height.

this slapps

8/10… pop / soul / funky / *1987

No thanks

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

About as good as Coldplay

I’m all about respecting artists creative choices and their freedom of expression. Doesn’t mean I can’t think that changing to using his real name as his stage name isn’t a major aura loss. This album is super 80’s (complimentary). His vocal performances are consistently great and these songs are solid. Favorites were If You Let Me Stay, Dance Little Sister, Seven More Days, and Rain.

Very 80s in the best ways but not my taste

Prince, MJ type great 80s funk pop.

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

#929. It's alright. 2/5: meh

I know "Sign Your Name" but not much else. It's very late 80s

This album definitely gets a few points for nostalgia! I must admit I forgot the phenomenon that this dude was, and reading his Wikipedia page reminded me how 'up his own arse' he was at the time. The most important album since Sgt Peppers! My arsehole!. It's interesting and definitely marks a time in my life, but there is not much staying power, and I can honestly say I don't recall listening to this during the last quarter century! To be fair, he has pumped out a bunch of albums (that are not on this list) since he changed his name to Sananda Maitreya. I did like this quote regarding his name change. "D'Arby legally changed his name to Sananda Maitreya on October 4, 2001, explaining "Terence Trent D'Arby was dead ... he watched his suffering as he died a noble death. After intense pain I meditated for a new spirit, a new will, a new identity" The wank continues!

The dude can really sing - but I just find it really hard to get on board with the distinctly 80s production, drum machines generic sounding synths etc. I wish I didn't feel that way - because it ruins lots of what could be great music on this list for me!! 10/10 would bang to Sign your name though.

Not my cup of Michael Jackson. :)

This is the most average, no-thrills album I've ever listened to. There's nothing in"ItHAtTTD'A" that distinguishes it from other albums from that era. I do like it, though, as an album to have on in the background. "Wishing Well" becomes the best song on "ItHAtTTD'A" with its deep bass, which I enjoyed. However, since I'm not keen on acapellas, "As Yet Untitled" is my least favourite. 3 stars for "Introducing the Hardline According to Sananda Maitreya (formerly Terence Trent D'Arby)".

So soulful.

technically, amazing. however, none of those songs needed to be longer than 3 minutes. 3.5

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⭐️

The hit songs I've heard, but then nothing too much that sparked in me. I guess Trent have had its comparisons to Michael Jackson back in the days? But in my ears falls into the shadows

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...

resina

3,75

Funky and smooth, very enjoyable

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

Thought this was a nice album. Good for listening to during the work day and overall pleasant on the ears. Great voice. Definitely reminiscent of the late 1980s, a music era that I really enjoy. Thought there were some good stand-out-ish songs, but nothing major. Also nothing major in a bad way. Found myself bopping along a few times, but couldn't tell you the names of anything at the end of the day.

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

Love the opening track. Recognized track three. This is decent.

Very good album. "Sign Your Name" and "Who's Loving You" are amazing.

This sounded like the album/artist was trying to capitalize on the success of Michael Jackson. MJ was all I could hear while listening to this. I was not impressed.

Overall: 6/10 This album is pretty good but it's so much a product of the late 80's that I just couldn't get too into it. Still, the vocals are great and the best songs are very sexy. Fav Song: Wishing Well

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

I didn't really care for this artist back in the day when he used to get a little MTV play and this listen didn't change that.

Diet MJ 3/5

Boring 80s funk balads

Que rica su voz de verdad es única. Lo sentí un poco repetitivo pero por lo que entendía de las historias que contaba en las letras me pareció admirable el trabajo que hay detrás. Me da risa hacer estas reseñas desde la ignorancia pero siento que es mejor así para disfrutar más la música. Si tiene algún contexto profundo espero saberlo

man this dude must have been super charismatic

We all know that one song, right? The Album is surprisingly tasty, combining pop, R&B and gospel. And there is Mr. D‘Arbys very unique voice. Unfortunately you can hear pretty well, that all this was produced in the 80s, which does take it away a little for me. But overall it is better than expected. Fav: As yet untitled

Great voice and interesting blend of genres. Not my style but still an enjoyable listen.

Better than I expected, but still not something I would seek out.

Third rate Stevie Wonder imitation without the charisma, catchy songs or singing ability. Terrible.

The way this shows up on Amazon Music these days uses his current name, Sananda Maitreya, which was surprising — not that the artist name has updated, but that the title of the album and the cover image use the newer name. I had only heard the singles before this, although I was certainly aware of the album. Really enjoying "Rain." And "As Yet Untitled" is beautiful.

Ålreit

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.

I mean, yeah ..pretty good for cheesy 80s soul. I remember Wishing Well being ubiquitous on the radio back in the day. But damn do I hate long held high note scream-singing like on the final song. It makes me angry. And for that I removed a star.

Maravillous!

Nice voice and tunes but couldn’t keep me interested. 3.5 goin down.

I don’t hate it, but 80s cheese is really cranked up here. I was into seven more days though

This is one of those projects that I feel should have clicked with me on a much better level all around but ended up pissing me off and becoming one of the most frustrating listens I have heard in some time. Terence Trent D'Arby, or Sananda Maitreya in today's day and age, is an artist who seemingly appeared out of nowhere near the end of the 80s and ended up taking airwaves over like storm and I don't think there was any valid reason for that happening. Terence takes so much from his inspirations and instead of creating something new with it, he blends it up and repackages it nearly exactly the same. Whether it be the clear Michael Jackson influence, real hit and miss swings towards emotional beats, or even just not being entertaining enough to sustain a 47 minute album on their own, it is safe to say that Terence absolutely struggled to keep any sort of attention from myself. The instrumentation didn't help either as it felt so over the top and cheesy with the one exception being Sign Your Name, but even then that song had no idea what to do other than repeat the chorus an absurd amount of times. I quite frankly did not enjoy this project and was left with quite a bitter taste in my mouth by the end because people think this shit is worth hearing before you die? Seriously?

The songs are well-crafted pop songs and he is a very good singer. This is a good record.

The entirety of the three stars I gave this is based on my fascination with “wishing well” which I randomly found last year and played on repeat for a couple weeks. It’s angular, surreal, it’s I think the one track he gives a rasp to his voice which is very effective. I’ve described this song as bubblegum soul, it’s so buoyant and dreamy, almost Lynchian.

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.

Ok

3+ Stars (9/15)

This album is like pure 80s nostalgia. The monster hits I remembered ("Wishing Well", "Sign Your Name", "If You Let Me Stay") are still amazing pop/soul jams. The rest of the record settles into a soulful, smooth groove that really showcases his incredible vocal range, which often feels like a fusion of Michael Jackson's energy and Prince's funkier edges. The production is a bit of a mixed bag though. It's got that classic 80s sound that can sound a bit dated, but he's super talented. Tracks like "As Yet Untitled" show he didn't need all the effects to be awesome. It's a little cool, a little funky, and a little over the top debut that's a great listen.

Introducing The Hardline According To *Sananda Maitreya If you're going to put your own name so prominently in the title of an album, you have to be really sure you won't change your name in a fit of weird spiritual awakening. And if you do, fair enough, you should also be aware that going back and retrospectively fixing the title of said album will just look daft.

this is really fucking good actually

Opener on the album was interesting, but then the rest devolved into typical 80's R&B which was pretty boring.

Perfectly fine. Good vocals, good music. Solid R&B/soul. Not likely to stick with me.

3.5

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.

If You All Get to Heaven - 4.5/5 If You Let Me Stay - 4/5 Wishing Well - 3/5 I'll Never Turn My Back on You (Father's Words) - 3.5/5 Dance Little Sister - 3/5 Seven More Days - 4/5 Let's Go Forward - 3.5/5 Rain - 4/5 Sign Your Name - 3.5/5 As Yet Untitled - 3/5 Who's Loving You - 3.5/5

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.

Great voice, nice mix of ballads and funky jams. Any song from this album would fit perfectly over the credits of an 80s movie.

Up and down but listenable record. Not sure I would come back to it.

Un rico soul. Dance Little Sister es un temazo.

Me voló la cabeza, ademas lo escuché en el momento preciso precioso preciado

Jamais écouté avant. Aucun doute, ça sonne comme les années 1980, pour le meilleur sur certains morceaux enthousiasmants, et le pire quand on se noie dans la guimauve. Du talent, c'est certain, mais pas de génie. Top : ...Seven More Days Flop : If You Let Me Stay

Some soul in this album

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

Its not longer Terence Trent D'Arby... that's interesting and so is some of this album

It was quite the debut, but the power of it is rather lost under the 80s sheen these days I guess. Still some absolute bangers on here. Solid 3

Meh

It was fine but not especially my go-to music genre...

Corny & goof. I liked it, wish each song was a full minute shorter, but I think I might just have that opinion about every song in existence apparently.

Felt like a real bait and switch the longer the album went on

Very dated. Just not for me.

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.

Hasn't really aged well

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

I was very impressed by this album! I’m giving it a 5 because I didn’t dislike a single song. I love the singing, balance, instrumentation, and style. This reminds me a lot of Michael Jackson, but not a dollar tree imitation- this album was created with great quality! My favorite song on the album is Who’s Loving You and I really enjoy the penultimate song and how gritty and earthy it is. I also enjoyed If You Let Me Stay, Wishing Well, I’ll Never Turn My Back On You, Seven More Days, and Let’s Go Forward. I like how nostalgic the album is with sampling of Wade in the Water and nods to Return of Mack and the Rain, Rain Go Away rhyme.

In a nutshell: synth soul. Music writer Darryl Easlea said Introducing... was "...a soundtrack to the turning point when the 80s turned from austerity to prosperity..." I think I can see that too. Sananda (formerly Terence) captured the vibe of the 80s here with his voice, synth keys and sax use. It shows its age. Vocally, he has the blend of progressive soul, Gospel and sophisti-pop. Talented, definitely. But you have to admit, he's trying too hard to be a hybrid of Otis Redding and Prince. It suffers the same affliction as Iron Butterfly's In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida: the production and popularity of a single (ie Wishing Well) distracts you from the mediocre tracks on the album. Overall: 2/10

pass

The first song was good, everything else sounded like Poundland MJ