Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby

Waiting for an album that sneaks up on me from nowhere and goes to a straight up 5. This is not it but it is very close and definitely on the right track. I am going with a solid 3. Terence Trent D’Arby’s debut, Introducing the Hardline, is one of those albums that sneaks up on you. Going in, you might expect a late‑80s time capsule—slick production, big vocals, maybe a bit of over‑earnest swagger. And sure, some of that is here. But what’s surprising is how often the record cuts deeper than expected, revealing an artist who wasn’t just chasing trends but genuinely shaping his own sound. The album blends soul, funk, pop, and rock with a confidence that feels both youthful and ambitious. Not every experiment lands, but when it does, it really does. “Seven More Days” is the clearest example: warm, melodic, and emotionally grounded, it shows D’Arby at his most controlled and expressive. And I totally forgot about "Sign Your Name" - what a great tune. It’s one of those tracks that makes you sit up a little straighter and think, Oh—there’s something real here.

Pretty good, very 80's. It was ok.

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

Mostly meh. First, couldn't figure out just how many names this artist gets to claim. Took me a second to be sure I had the right album... Thought it was Zendaya singing Terence Trent D'Arby. Weird. Anyway, from 1987 and a little dated. I'll give it up for Wishing Well, but that's about it. Sounds like he could be Bruno Mars' illegitimate father... Electronic drums and keyboard/synth, not terribly soulful singing even though he tries. Not terrible.

So, I was originally going to give this album a 4 because I thought it was some pretty good music, but then I was informed that the artist of this album just straight up stole music for this album and now I can't really say I like it.

Yep, this is an 80s R&B album for sure. I feel like he’s trying to channel a little bit of every icon from this era, like Prince, Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, etc. But pairing it with some of the most generic 80s production I’ve ever heard. Is it unappealing to the ears? By no means. But is it the kind of thing that sticks with you? Or that you’ll even retain an hour after listening? No, no it’s not. Obviously your mileage may vary, but each song felt pretty non-distinct to me. You can get much better flavors of this elsewhere. The only thing that stood out to me was As Yet Untitled, which I’m pretty sure is intended to be some sort of emotional climax to the album, but it’s singlehandedly the most uncomfortable five minutes I’ve experienced in a while. If I ever listen to this thing again, that track is getting skipped. Not much else to say on this one. Shoutout to this dude for calling it the most important album since Sgt. Pepper’s though! You gotta admire the confidence. Did I need to hear this before I die? It's pretty inoffensive, so I guess

++: If You Let Me Stay, Wishing Well, Sign Your Name, Who's Loving You +: Dance Little Sister, Rain +-: I'll Never Turn My Back on You (Father's Words) -: If You All Get to Heaven, Seven More Days, Let's Go Forward, As Yet Untitled 4,5/10

Mid road pop. Nothing much there

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.

good vibes! lots of hooting and hollering but in a fun way. lots going on protection wise asw would be a nice pres album??

Smooth, funky, 80s sound, like it.

More mediocre British music from the 80s or 90s that you've probably never heard of. And for good reason! I hated this album. The lyrics in Rain are so bad it's laughable. Sign Your Name seems to be the big hit, and wow, what a boring song! If they weren't British, do you think this would be on the list? I doubt it

music is a touch cheesy (“Rain”) but this guy’s voice is pretty amazing

He had a good voice but it didn’t really connect with me especially after a full album. Maybe in a different setting or just a single song it could be more enjoyable

Somewhere I read that he thought this album was more important the Sgt. Pepper. I have to say it falls more than a little short.

Soulful sound, now goes by Sananda Maitreya, fantastic esp. considering this is a debut album

Soulful, heartfelt, with funkiness and funk

Enjoyed myself! Some real highlights on this, including the closing track (Who's Loving You). 3.5, rounding down.

Not quite on the level of Prince or M.J. but suceeded in making an R&B record I didnt hate.

This is the second straight day of me getting music that I am just "blah" on. I don't think Terence Trent D'Arby has as much of a claim to be in this book as PJ Harvey does, though we still did not need 3 PJ Harvey albums. This album goes down easy and I don't feel there is too much to report back on. It's late 80's soulful R&B and the production is not New Jack Swing and not really the late 80's synthesized production. D'Arby has a really good voice and the touch of saxophone sets the album apart a bit. Acceptable, non-offensive but I have no motive to investigate more of his work. My favorite tracks: If You Let Me Stay Wishing Well Dance Little Sister Let's Go Forward Sign Your Name Who's Loving You

There's a great album burried behind the 80's production, but as it is does not impress me much

come on. this is basically penis music.

comparisons are a hateful nasty thing. but is undoubtably that Sananda Maitreya is pretty similar to Prince. In some sense, the weight of that notion makes it hard to appreciate his work for what it is. In that sense, i feel, that this album made me like only 2 songs. but there's that same sensation i felt with the earlier works of Prince, that assures me his next works will probably be something more interesting for me. in other words: i like soulish heartfelt music from androgynous singers and this album is ok.

Ok. Didn’t seem special to me. 3 star

One of my favorites.

I'm getting tired of this 80's silliness. At least I'm getting it out of the way. My least favorite brand of music (see rating for Sade, just like her this is a talented musician making music I hate.) It's like more boring Michael Jackson who is already one of my least favorite artists. No thank you. This is one of the first albums I just couldn't get through. I had no interest. I can't imagine the context were I give it another shot. It's a little rude but it has to be 1 star

great album name, not the biggest fan of it tho

Symphony or damn was better imho

I have not heard this before. I remember hearing Wishing Well on the radio and MTV a lot and I figured he was a one hit wonder, and I don’t think I’ve heard any of his other songs. The main thing I am noticing listening to this album is that it has that really terrible production from the mid to late 80s that drenches every instrument in a kind of synthetic sound, it’s noticeable most in the drums and keyboards which are electronic and filtered as hell, but the guitars and bass have an uncanny valley feel I guess as the best way I can describe it. This sound covers so much pop and r&b from 1986 to 1989 that made it hard for me to like anything from these genres in this era. So this is going to be a big stumbling block for me enjoying this album. I’m recognizing other songs from the radio including Sign Your Name which I always liked. Unfortunately that one and Wishing Well are the only two songs good enough to overcome the production. I am wondering if I would like any of the rest of these songs without that ‘87 studio polish and with a better keyboard, like maybe there are a few hidden gems, but on a second listen I don’t think that’s the case.

I liked dance little sister, seven more days, sign your name, and who's loving you but it ultimately just isn't for me

80’s r&b

80’s rock with a little Tracey Chapman sound

Charmingly era-specific production and strong vocal performances for unmemorable songs

Nice

michael jackson meets sade meets I cant remember who the third one was. Decent

Something between Michael Jackson and Prince in a good way, a couple of good tunes but no desire to come back to it. The 80s production does it no favours.

Because I like his voice and mainly because of "Sign Your Name" I give it the three stars. "Wishing Well", "Dance Little Sister" and "Rain" are good as well. The rest of the album does me no harm. 3,5

back to back to back 5 star albums is crazy this album was so good

💕💕💕💕💕💕💕

One of my favorite late 80s albums. Always wonder why he wasn't a bigger star.

Liked it more than I thought I would. Wish I could give half stars so this could be a 3.5 instead.

not really a 2 but not a quite a 3 either, there are some boppers though.

Mid.

nice aber ka

interesting

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.

So good

6.5/10

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

Ugh - must be up there with Simply Red for the worst of 80s excess. Even hair metal was less ridiculous than this.

It might just be my car stereo but this album really suffers from some of the recording foibles of the 80s. I wonder what it could be like if it was able to have bigger drums. Other than that, this song has a single I recognize but I don't think it was that different from anything going on at the time.

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.

Amazing for an artist to do so little with so much. Absolutely stunning voice, but i was barely able to force myself to pay attention to the record. 0 dopamine delivered, I had some mental notes made about the first track having weird pacing and starting the record with a very middle of the album energy, and then my brain slid straight off the music and starting thinking about something else. After the biggest track, apparently, 'Sign Your Name' with 200m plays on Spotify, wrapped up, it had barely touched the sides. Just as I was considering literally switching it off to do something else, the opening gambit of As Yet Untitle peeled out, unaccompanied vocals finally delivering some sonic contrast and letting Terences true talent genuinely shine. But my optimism is shortlived, by the 5th minute the vocal only endeavour has once again forgotten to be interesting in spite of technical ability and vocal talent. I'll be honest, i switched off if the final track is the cover of Who's Loving You i think it is, I'll stick with the Michael Jackson version. Thanks Terrence, now i see why your record is on every charity shop vinyl shelf in the Uk.

Boring MOR rock.

Not for me

I fucking hate the 80s.

3/10 - He has a good voice but I did not like the album. It felt like a production company saw the success of Thriller/MJ and Purple Rain/Prince and tried to recreate it in a forced way. The album felt like a Disney remake of good albums.

This sounds dated and I find the songs to be kind of annoying at times. He has a good voice but this album is not one I'll be returning to. 3/10

62/100. Powerful and soulful, with a very clear late-80s sound. There are more ambitious soul records from before, during, and after this era that push things further. Solid and well-performed, just not particularly groundbreaking in the bigger picture.

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

This is almost impressively boring, given how much energy he seems to put into it. I can't believe this was top of the charts for so long. I don't recognise ANY of these songs, so it goes to show how well it's endured in the culture. As others have said, it doesn't help that the 80's aesthetic is dreadful.

Strong voice, just a pity that the music is weaker than it should have been.

Too much was made of this guy.

Pretty upbeat. Quite 80s in sound. Bit naf in places. Nothing really stands out. I even find 'sign my name' is quite dated in terms of instrumentals etc.

I enjoyed it at the start, but then it started to drag. 2.8.

It's really pretty good for what it is. Does that elevate it to 4 stars? It does not.

I liked the instrumentation best on the songs with more funky rhythms like “I’ll Never Turn m Back on You”; however, I liked the singing best on the more soulful numbers. What I didn’t care for were the songs that leaned towards 80s sophistipop. Sometimes albums that explore many different music styles are better for it. However, sometimes it can make them lack cohesion. For me this album leans more toward the former than latter. I think it would have better if D’ Arby focused on his R&B strengths. The pop tunes sound contrived and out of place in the context of the more interesting soulful tunes. Overall, an enjoyable enough album, but hardly the “most important album since Sgt. Peppers”. I’m pretty sure I will not be revisiting it.

Feels very of it's time, but not particularly captivating.

Pretty upbeat. Quite 80s in sound. Bit naf in places. Nothing really stands out. I even find 'sign my name' is quite dated in terms of instrumentals etc.

2.5

2.5

I liked the first two songs and then this fell off so hard

Did this website just deadname poor Sananda Maitreya? Cancelled. Sorry fellas. I'd like to introduce you to my "hardline" which is punching you in the computer head for deadnaming my boy(?). Although, how do you abandon Terence Trent D'Arby as a handle? That shit is unreal. I suppose if you're going for an "approachable" vibe, maybe it's best you don't sound like the petulant son of a powerful 1750s ivory hunter. This guy can sing. Technical chops alone do not an enjoyable experience make. This is dull, agreeable, casino night music. R & B ain't for me dawg. I'm sorry. Not everything is for everybody and any of the smooth, R & B sequences fell on very bored/irritated ears. God, even the a capella song was cringeworthy. Mostly miserable experience, but I can recognize that this guy would certainly receive 5 star reviews from the 58 year old couples at rural Canadian bingo halls. Instead of love, lets go forward with the cancellation of my membership of the TTD Fan Legion. Yes, I would like to continue. Yes I'm sure. Yes, delete my custom TTD avatar INCLUDING customizable skins & accessories. Wait, no refunds?? I spent thousands on that sequined trilby. Probably one of the most brutal auctions I've been a part of on on D'arbysArmy.org. Thrill of the chase you know? I can still see how that puppy glimmered the first time in the virtual world while frantically trying to mute "Sign Your Name." I'll see you bastards in court. 1-1.5 HIGHLIGHTS: Life ain't all peaches and cream, youngster. Sometimes it's garbage and tomato juice.

'We have Prince at home', except this Prince forgot how to be fun OR funky. Recommended for all those who care about great voices and not much else.

Sad to hear that Sananda Maitreya killed this man

Just cheesy 80s slop. I'm actually quite surprised that the book doesn't have more albums like this, but that doesn't make this one any less bad. You still have everything that made me think I hated an entire decade of music for ages; poorly used drum machines, unnecessary synths, and that absolutely god awful SAW style production. Start to finish this is generic, forgettable, and annoying. Just commercial slop that for some reason seemed to hit rock bottom around the late 80s.

This one is as wierd. Prince vibes but also reminded me a lot of early 90s pop. Didn’t love it, probably won’t be back

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 do not typically listen to the genre(s) this artist makes music in, but the lyricism on "as yet untitled" was haunting, and a couple of the other songs had really interesting parts that were pleasant to my brain. According to reviews, I think I would enjoy his later albums more. I'm glad I learned about this artist.

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

Knew the singles from when they were released. Not bad. Nor amazing

Most of this was generic 80’s love music which is fine. Then he had a song that had the “rain rain rain go away” rhyme as the chorus and I got mad at this whole album.

Another nobody, doesn't connect Wishing well Dance little sister

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

- It gives a very sterile/packaged feeling, which is annoying given his soulful voice. Basically, they somehow made a soulful Black man sound like he is singing basic White af music. - The songs bored me - I didn't find anything interesting in them. The instrumentation is your basic 80s random percussion and jangly or honking/horn sounding (I have no idea what effect does that) keys. - Wishing Well and Sign Your Name are jams, for sure, and they were everywhere when I was a kid. - I won't go back to this album, and it doesn't deserve to be on this list. - Reading about how TTD, now Sananda Maltreya after breaking down when he was humiliated about flopping and reinventing himself, kept grandstanding, saying this was the best album in the world makes me like it even less. Delusional narcissism much? This is just so bland.

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.

This is platonic ideal of 80s production. I struggle with the mad tropes in this- the punchy snares, the keyboard, the MJ-style vocals, the cheesy lyrics. This is doing things to soul I do not like. The vocals are really good and I can't help but thinking if this was a different genre it would be so much better

Never heard of the artist, did know one of the songs. I enjoyed a few of the songs on this album

This guy can really sing. A bit like Sade, it's soft-pop smoochers for middle-of-the-road 80s shaggers. But I got a wee kick of nostalgia from a few tracks, like Sign Your Name.

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

When to listen: Need an 80s synth uplift moment. Some of the elements felt so dated, but damn does he have a gorgeous voice. But truly, many of the songs are catchy as hell I just couldn't get over the overly 80s elements. Def loved his cover of Who's Loving You!

6/10 Favorite: Let’s Go Forward

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.

Huge gap between the highs and lows on this album for me. Throughout all of it, Terence’s performances remain the strongest parts (just listen to the shit he pulls in the final two tracks). But this album also reminded me that I’ve never been able to get into the “singing shirtless in the rain for your love” style songs and there are some long examples on this record. On the other hand, there are some fantastic standouts that just make me wish the album went harder in their direction. Favorite Songs: “If You All Get to Heaven”, “I’ll Never Turn My Back on You”, and “As Yet Untitled” Least Favorite Song: “Let’s Go Forward” High 3.

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.

I appreciate a conscious soul record. 80s nostalgia has a way with me at times but this was just Unremarkable.

Fine music, but not my thing.

Buen álbum. Aunque no repetiré, es bueno.

vibey af

Very 80s. Some good singles

Pseudo-stream of conscious review: this is so '80s - in the worst possible way. Synths and a drum machine? Woof. Why does the editor love Brit pop so damn much? Oh, hey, I know this song (Wishing Well). Okay, the guy has pipes, but the production . . . it's physically painful. All of the actual musicians in the '80s must have been strung out on coke. They were certainly not recording. Songs from this album were definitely in movies. Like the weird jazzercise scenes from the likes of Running Man. I'm not listening to any more of this. Influence 2. Quality 3. Intangibles 2. Hits 4. Meh. I'm actually bored with giving 2* - it's 70% of this list 3.

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.

2/5

For an 80s album it was fine. Prince-like vibe.

Very eighties.

Can’t hear past the 80s

Brought back memories

6/10 Definitely enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I was going to. It's late 80s, a time I'm nostalgic for and the songs on here took me back to that time. The songwriting is surprisingly good, I nearly forgot this was still pop music

He has a great voice but I hate the sound of this record

This cat has a great sound

I need more than just Wishing Well to keep me interested

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

Very good mor soul music

Never heard this before. Was pleasantly surprised.

"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.

hideous

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

The last two songs saved it from being mid. (As Yet Untitled / Who's loving you). Definitely could've died without hearing this. Saved (0): - HM: Let's Go Foward

These songs sound like the kinds you hear during the credits of a 90s movie. Not for me, but not bad.

Three very evocative 80's bangers (Wishing Well / If you let me stay / Sign your name) which take me right back to the glories of Now Thats what I call Music compilations and the Sunday Chart show. He's got a great voice but I didn't particularly care for the songs then and I care even less now. Rest of album of pretty lite 80's plastic soul.

Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Aarby This is definitely a bit of a mixed bag, he’s got a great voice of course, capable of both soulful tenderness and soulful grittiness, but the song quality is a bit patchy and it loses its way a bit in the middle. Sign my Name is a great late 80s soulful pop song, and the retro soul of the excellent If You Let Me Stay (love the organ) and the quirky synth of the great Wishing Well are very enjoyable. If You All Get to Heaven also has a nice drama to it. As Yet Untitled’s solemn acapella is great as well. Those more upbeat retro-soul-pop-driven tracks do seem to work better, when it is more funk driven, like I’ll Never Turn My Back on You, and when he goes OTT with the James Brownisms on Dance Little Sister, or gets a bit overwrought on the cover of Who’s Loving You it feels less successful. And in between it’s mainly pleasant if largely generic late 80s soul - Seven More Days, Let’s Go Forward and Rain are nice enough, but hard to recall. Granted the piano can often sound uber 80s, particularly on I’ll Never Turn My Back, but I think the 80s-ness of the production, particularly the songs Martyn Ware is involved with, is actually a plus point here, especially on Wishing Well and If You Let Me Stay, the latter fitting right alongside Aretha & George and Annie Lennox & Al Green in that nice little genre of 80sified retro soul. Although I enjoyed the good tracks I’m not sure there’s enough to come back to, so I’ll go a high 2. 📉📉 Playlist submission: If You Let Me Stay

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.

Introducing the long title that already made me bored/5. Music was ok.

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.

Turns out I know one of these: "Sign Your Name". That resonates to an extent, because it's such a well-known song. I quite liked "As Yet Untitled", even if if was a bit overdone in parts. The rest does nothing for me.

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

if micheal j and prince had a long lost cousin

Sound a bit like mical Jackson and it was quite nice if I could i would do 3.5 but ill just do a 3 because I didnt add loads of songs

just started and im grooving with this , this is abit of me i love this wowwowowo

Another one that's just not my cup of tea.

Best one so far. Immediately knew this would be a five star by the first track. Only one so far that I’ll be revisiting

I believe this guy loves me so that's why I like this album. I think he'd really die for me.

I wanted to like this a lot more than I did. I remember thinking D’Arby was mythically special when I was younger. This was not that good.

I really just don't care for this at all. Just kinda whatever soul that is not really that inspired

Had no idea going in who Terence/Sananda is... then "If You Let Me Stay" starts - oh THIS song. Totally had no idea who sang this. "Wishing Well" - oh THIS song. Totally had no idea who sang this. I do think the first few songs on the album are very reminiscent of Michael Jackson, similar tone (though I do really like Sananda's voice), even has the vocal tics (high-pitched "hees", "hoos", etc.) in places, and in the music videos, even similar dancing. That said, quite a lot of the album takes a different tone, it's much more solemn/soulful/almost RnB, does really showcase Sananda's voice. Pretty comfortable 3, I don't think this album does anything that hadn't already been done, but Sananda has a great voice and there's definitely a few bangers on here. Honestly a pretty good album that I could happily listen to again - I just think the vocals are the only real draw so can't rate higher.

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

Terence Trent D'Arby is not a name that I was very familiar with before today. All I knew was that the D'Arby brothers in Stardust Crusaders were named after him. It's been a while since I last mentioned JoJo in a review, hasn't it? I'm so freaking excited for the Steel Ball Run anime to start. I sure hope Netflix doesn't release the series in batches again. What was I talking about? Oh yeah. This album's okay. Introducing the Hardline... is a pretty average 80s pop/soul album. In fact, it's very 80s, especially in the production. I don't really care for this album's production. When I listened to the album, I felt like the music was either too quiet or too loud. I could never quite get it in the right area. Not sure why that is. But yeah, the album sounds a little dated. The writing is okay. Nothing bad, but nothing outstanding. None of the songs really wowed me. The more popular songs like "Wishing Well" and "Sign Your Name" weren't bad at all, but I feel like there are better songs of their type that other artists like Prince had already made by this point. I can definitely tell that this guy, who I guess is now known as Sananda Maitreya, has some level of talent. He's not bad, and neither is this album. However, it doesn't really interest me a whole ton, and it definitely wasn't the most important album since Sgt. Pepper. What the fuck was he thinking with that comment? 3/5.

It’s like Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder had a child….i love it !!

There's talent here, but I got bored. Real bored.

diet mj

Funktioniert, rocky, groovy -> Terence

"Wishing Well" is still a great song, but there's a reason I'd never heard anything else by him.

Does nothing for me. Gave up on it.

I thought this was an interesting album, but at the same time not very memorable. Definitely has a Prince/80s pop sound that is fun, but without ever breaking through to being super catchy or impactful. Wishing Well was definitely a standout and I think I’ve heard it before. Otherwise I can’t say it blew me away. Top Songs: Wishing Well, Let’s Go Forward

Not for me

Dude is obviously talented, voice of an angel, wide knowledge of instruments, only to be messed up by a weird outlook on life and 80's "Disco" focused producers. Apparently he "intensely meditated in pain while Terence Trent D'Arby died and he forged a new soul" for himself. Hope he can meditate for some new souls that actually make great music. Oh and he also said this album was the greatest thing to happen after Sgt Pepper's, which just adds to his batshit crazy state i guess

Not in the mood.

He changed his stage name…he is now Sananda Maitreya

It was an alright listen, probably not something I'd come back to. But I did love the cover of Who's Lovin' You.

Strange album in that the two songs I knew from being released I actually enjoyed less than the ones that were new to me. Can you just change your name and all your album titles whenever you want?

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

Surprisingly good. 3.5.

Some day, maybe with professional help, I may get to the bottom of my strong aversion to 80's pop music. For now, I will acknowledge and respect this intense emotional reaction, without quite understanding it. I tried to maintain an open mind listening to this, but I actually find in doing so I am more irritated by it. Something about the "over singing" layered on-top of the super cheesy 80's drum sounds, paired with the general bravado that the artist truly believed with is one of the greatest albums of all time.... To each their own, I don't want to yuck anyone else's yum, but this album is very much not my taste in music.

I am surprised how much I enjoyed this album. The 80s production is incredibly dated at a few points and some of the songs are incredibly cheesy, but there are also some pretty great tracks on here. In particular, the opening track If You All Get to Heaven and the closing track Who’s Loving You both do the rocking soul thing pretty well. And the singing in As Yet Untitled was phenomenal

Slick Michael Jackson-ish soul with big 80s production and mechanical drums. A bit reminiscent of the Eurythmics. To me, it's as dull as dishwater.

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

First album of 2026 and it was unfortunately pretty mid.

What is this guy's name again?

Even if it was really well done, I wouldn't enjoy this much, as it's just not my sort of music. Also the 80s production is hard to ignore, making itself known by its sheer awfulness. I was surprised how many songs I knew from this album, but none of them were ones I looked back on fondly. Terence seems like a mix between Michael Jackson and Prince in places, but fails to excel. I'm going with two stars, slightly stingy, as much of it is workable, but it doesn't feel worthy of a full three stars from me.

Solid album, very much of its time.

Just no

Had a Michael Jackson meets Temptations feel.

(25/100)

Finger snapping, toe tapping, knee slapping music. Perfectly tolerable but not too memorable.

3 stars

Introducing The Hardline According to Sananda Maitreya – Sananda Maitreya I liked the way he wrote the name of the album, it encapsulates the whole record. Great vocals, some hits, it’s definitely a classic for that time. He ate that!!!

It was. an interesting funk and soul album. No track stood out to me aside from the opening track, but it was an interesting listen nonetheless.

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

Heard some songs from it before. He's got such a great voice and considering the album is from the late 80s it doesn't have any of the annoying late 80s pop quirks so that's a plus 3/5

-wait this actually isn’t bad so far i kinda like the first song -very much a style of 80s song i like -if you let me stay reminds me of another artist idk who though -okay wait i actually like wishing well -middle are all good enough that im enjoying passively listening but no standouts -as yet untitled a little boring -who’s loving you is chilll -overall i probably won’t listen again but if it came on it’d be good chill background music ya know

On first glance, I thought the title said "Introducing the Hairline" and I now refuse to unsee it. Anyway, I was familiar with a handful of tracks here, not least the opener "If You All Get to Heaven" and "I'll Never Turn My Back On You", but the rest of this was new to me. It's very 80s stylistically and in terms of its production values; chock full of snazzy, funky bass lines and quirky brass instrumentation, and it has that "futurist" vibe of the time largely owing to the synth work, which does date it somewhat, but not to any significantly detrimental effect for me. The vocals sit on just the right side of my threshold when it comes to soul - a nice light mezzo register, and not too show off-y as D'Arby seems to have a firm handle on what his capabilities are. His vocals don't dominate proceedings, allowing the instrumentation to shine alongside them. Comparing this to yesterday's offering 3+3, this also felt far more varied in terms of its approach to songwriting - between spacious pop balladeering and more up-tempo cuts, the album avoids blending into one homogenous blob unlike the latter. I do wonder when I'd sit down and actively reach for this again, but it's an enjoyable listen.

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.

I think the '80s production is doing a lot to carry songs without much of a tune. The vocals aren't impressing me too much either. Perhaps it's a little reductive to say, but if I want music like this but much better, I'm listening to Michael Jackson or Prince.

I liked this!

I didn’t particularly enjoy the music, and I find this guy to be quite eccentric based on his Wikipedia article. I don’t trust him.

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.

This is how i find out who sign your name is by. overall quite solid.

Terence Trent D'arby is one of those names I know, but I had no idea who it was. The Wikipedia review suggests this is a cultural moment I should be aware of. I think I only recognised "sign your name" and my feelings on that match the rest of the album. Man this is boring. Its not in a space I enjoy musically, it just happens and then it ends, my brain goes, oh good that's ended I can put on something good now. I'm somewhat baffled it was so popular. Ah well.

Well, Terence Trent D'Arby is strict all right.

*Introducing the Hardline* sounds like a polished artifact from the late ’80s: slick, funky, but weightless without ever feeling urgent or dangerous. Sananda Maitreya’s voice does the heavy lifting— turning weak songs into memorable moments. Some tracks feel oddly familiar, triggering hazy childhood memories of standing in front of the radio. In another universe, this album might have launched a new Michael Jackson. Instead, it lands as stylish but disposable ’80s pop: pleasant, nostalgic, and ultimately easy to forget.

Generic 80s. Made me think of a Temu Michael Jackson. Not worthy of this list.

Some great pop songs, and a strong voice. What more do you need?

It just seems like Mr. D'Arcy or Maitreya or whatever his name is now (Hey! It's like Prince.) heard Michael Jackson & Prince & said: "I can do that." With varying degrees of success. I hope he evolved beyond being poor man's MJ or Prince because his voice is good & it just sounds like poppy 80s soul. 2.5

I had honestly forgotten that this album ever existed. I remember when this came out to a lot of fanfare. He was going to be the next big thing but that never happened and the general underwhelming music on this album is why. Wishing Well is a nice song and Dance Little Sister is good but the rest of it is just kind of there. Underwhelming in the mid 80s and now it's just a faded memory

The production definitely feels very 80s at times, in ways that make it feel a bit dated, and the MJ influences are clear as day -- but Terence's vocal performance is raw and gripping, making it a fine debut album from the funk/soul/R&B singer.

Just reminded me Michael Jackson. Not bad.

His voice elevates this album to a whole new level.

wishing well, dance little sister, as yet untitled, who's loving you thought i would like this more, at least it finished strong

mid 3 Sounds a bit like MJ

"Step out your cool suit, snap on your wet boots, eat all your mushrooms". Who's lovin you is the best song on this album and it's not his

sounds very 80’s, a little dated

Sounds like the 80's

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

I was totally prepared to rate this a 1 going in, based on very limited exposure to the artist. But, after giving this a listen, I found it to be smooth, soulful and romantic(?). Not bad. Not my genre and a little inconsistent, but overall very solid.

Not an introduction I was seeking-out.

It was fun listening to "Wishing Well"; brings me back to when it was on the radio at the time. I thought as an album that it was all kind of samey, and since stuff like this isn't really my favorite genre I ended up skipping halfway through a number of the tracks. I give it a 3 - I'm not about to buy the record, but none of it would cause me to change to a different radio station.

Pretty alright, but a little long. High 3/5

Great soulful voice with polished production. Diet Michael Jackson on the mic.

He's a good singer, recognised more songs than I expected to. Sign Your Name is v good. Gets a bit too 80s at times.

A derivative, and generally uninteresting album. He sings way too high in the register which makes his voice sound at the breaking point much if the time. Most of the songs sound like bad Michael Jackson/Jackson 5 covers (horn sections and all). The slower ballads also weren't amazing, other than Sign Your Name which is a bop. If he had gone in more of a Sade direction with this I think it'd have been more successful. 2/5

his voice is nice but i'm really bored, got nothing else to say honestly. Highlights: Seven More Days, Rain, Who's Loving You ???

Standouts: If You Let Me Stay Seven More Days As Yet Untitled - A lyrics only track makes it rather memorable I've realised I have no idea how to talk about this kind of music. I found myself enjoying this way more than I expected. The more atmospheric songs are the usual highlights but I feel like the whole album was incredibly solid. Terence's vocals are really evocative of the vibe each individual song is going for. The instrumentation is very 80s but I don't think that's a particularly bad thing and Terence's vocals make up for all that anyway. I wanted to know what "The Hardline" was meant to refer to but couldn't find anything on the internet I was also confused on the difference between the titles on streaming and on this site and it turns out Terence changed his name in 2001 which is cool high 3 - low 4

It's production definitely puts it at a time and place, which I don't necessarily see is a crime. Things being made when they are. Initially thought it was going to be a strong listen and though don't think there was a drop off in songs, I personally got a little fatigued and started losing interest, which is just personally taste I guess. It’s ok, of it's time. Don't mind hearing a few tracks, especially the singles but 40 plus minutes just dragged a little. Side note, this was the guy stating he was Mozart esc. most important album since Sgt. Pepper? Nothing wrong with self confidence but it doesn't always age well. 3 Star

Holy 80s

Not bad

This is not my bag, but after 2 runs through i could see the value and the quality. Decent pop music and nice voice well hidden in lots of 80's cliche.

Was a slow start that got better on the back half, a rarity for anything that leans pop. The intro of "Dance Little Sister" was incredibly corny, so it's impressive that it could recover from there. "Let's Go Forward" was pretty catchy and probably my pick from the record. Love the chorus and the warm, plucky guitar that added a lot of color. Actually this album is sprinkled with good ideas, like the 'shoowop' 50's style chorus in "Sign Your Name". "As Yet Untitled" is bold enough to probably tip the scales on this one and make it a firm 3/5. But I do ultimately think people were a little too hungry for anything that resembled Prince, which is understandable. A lot of goodness that falls just short of greatness imo

Interesting. Good vibes, nice vocals. Don't really ever listen to lyrics so all-around pretty listenable.

An interesting blend of 80s worldbeat, rock, R&B, soul, blues, and pop. The vocals are the clear star here, but the music is consistently interesting and complex, despite the late 80s over-produced feel. The songs are undeniably catchy, and the emotion behind the vocals balances out the crisp production. While it's definitely of its time, the songwriting transcends the format and could easily be interpreted through a modern lens.

eh

I had this in my record collection, not sure why, I was never a great fan. Listening back I can see why I bought it. Its not half bad and he has a great voice.

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.

I had never heard of Terence before, but damn his voice is amazing. I kept subconsciously comparing him to Michael Jackson while listening, which says a lot in itself. I know nothing about the rest of TTD’s career, but the album was great.

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.

I’m seeing so much hate for 80’s production in these reviews. That’s so sad to see. To me, this is absolute comfort and peace. I had to play ‘Let’s go Forward’ like a dozen times after I finished the album, and I’ll definitely be getting this on vinyl. Not sure I like D’Arby’s hubris in saying this was better than Sgt. Pepper’s. This album couldn’t be more different. But this really does hit the spot in a less showy way than Pepper’s. My wife said, after we played this, that she wished we’d heard this before we were married so we could have played some of these songs at the wedding. I agree. This is true love music, as cheesy as that sounds.

80s R&B based pop in the style (if not the achievement) of Michael Jackson, this record has some clear highlights - mostly the overplayed hits such as "Wishing Well" and "Sign Your Name". The album tracks are a bit uneven, and the production throughout is extremely dated. Overall, it comes across as a record that doesn't successfully transcend where it came from, and as such remains an occasionally interesting and modestly engaging curio from the period.

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

Habilt men ostigt

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

Jodå, behagligt!

På väg mot 4 flera gånger men i slutändan landar jag nog på 3 ändå.

If you can listen around the clinical 80s production, it's pretty good. It has 5 songs I remember from the radio. That's a lot. I'm not the biggest fan, but I don't hate it. Favorite song: sign your name.

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

Idk I feel like this is really basic and predictable record. Terence has a great voice but I feel as if so many other people have done this before and better. Instrumentals are lack lustre and his voice and flow is the only thing holding it together. He was able to go from fun dancy song to song to play while it’s raining which I’ll give him credit for. He blended rock and soul seamlessly and quite well. My favourite song was Dance Little Sister. Although it wasn’t anything crazy I still did like it but I don’t think I’ll listen again. 7.2/10 3.6/5

Meh. Not bad by any means. Just not really my type of thing.

Goes unexplicably hard at times and monotonous and boring at times. Huge production and instrumentation creates a sonic experience. Akin to a black Steve Winwood. Unfortunately the 80's pop tropes are high in volume on this album. Theres almost no room to breathe or be creative, just late 80s contemporary. But the musicianship is high so i wont ding it too hard.

i liked the first track, but it was just kinda downhill from there. nearly everything after that was pretty boring, nothing incredibly interesting to me and the songs felt way longer than they had to be despite none of them actually being very long, if that makes sense. i did like 2 songs though so it's not horrible by any means

It was okay, reminded me of Michael jackson but didn't stick with me very hard and it took a while to finish, by the time it was over it slipped through my mind completely

Solid 80's

Bara allt í lagi

Án þess að gefa mér tíma til að tékka á því þá býst ég við að þetta hafi verið plata sem hafði smá áhrif á r&b, þó hún sé ekki fræg eða vinsæl. Áhugaverð plata.

For all its attempts to persuade me otherwise – some efforts entirely captivating; the gorgeous “As Yet Untitled” for example – Sananda Maitreya’s Hardline is a deeply horny record. It’s a specifically late-80s sort of randy, one that begins on this record or one like it and ends with “Like a Prayer” and Ghost. A horny that’s never full goth – but nonetheless works with similar tropes. The Eros of this record – the bounce of “If You Let Me Stay”, a totally ascendant Smokey Robinson cover – strikes a neat balance with the more Thanatos-flavoured elements. The result is a self-portrait in chiaroscuro; and a mirror onto which we may forever project our quasi-religious post-goth pop 80s horniness. Look, I don’t hate it.

I like the groove of it, it's very Michael Jackson, but I found quite a few of the choruses too repetitive and long winded. It feels like the kind of music that's great to dance to but not great to just sit and listen to. There were some unexpected harmonic changes in interludes/bridges that made me happy. I like the vocal harmonies in Sign Your Name, and the syncopation of "baby" in the chorus. The opening of As Yet Untitled was gorgeous, this caught my attention. This song pulled me in, highlight of the album for sure. And the transition to the last song was fun. Overall, the first part of the album was ok for me but the last few songs were better

Very much drawing inspiration from the King of Pop. Horn lines are delectable but I feel there is a sense of loss - too much trying to be the king of pop and individualistic character is removed from the pieces. Just looked it up - released in 1987 so perhaps not so much an influence but a direct competitor to Michael Jackson himself. Not sure how to feel about this album - the cohesiveness I feel is all over the place and nothing stands out to me specifically as Terence - but a tenor imitation of Jackson. To play in the shadows of a king is suffocating.

Not for me. I’ve never liked 80s instrument effects and production. I find it very cheesy and gimmicky. This album is very cheesy and gimmicky. Which I guess 80s was the beginning of the digital era so it’s all new sounds but there’s a successful, timeless way to do it, this album is absolutely not it. I will not ever listen to this album again to be completely honest. Compositionally, I didn’t find this album interesting, it also didn’t feel serious or genuine? Also, what’s with the off-key squelchy vocals? 1/5

This is the album you would get if you picked up a 1980s casio electric piano and wrote an entire album around its preset grooves and patches. Not a huge fan of the excessive hall verb, nor the synth patches that, by today's standards, sound cliche and predictable. With songwriting reminiscent of Michael Jackson, but lacking the expressive and polished performance that MJ perfected, you're left with the shadow of a very familiar and popular sound that I think most music lovers know to some degree, but feels lackluster in some way. I stop short of calling this 'temu MJ'. Ironic that probably the best song on the album is a cover song of Smokey Robinson's 'Who's loving you'. That being said, it seems in its cultural context this album did very well. Sounds to me like a bridge between the earlier sound of the 70s to the 90s. I imagine at the time its sound would be more unique and remarkable compared to today's standards. Highlights 'Dance little sister' 'Lets go forward'. Low lights 'If you all go to heaven' 'Rain'. Not my kind of style. But a good cultural artifact- my dad would probably love it.

Solid collection of R&B tunes, great singing all over

Minge music

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.

Not my type of music. Nice vocals. Generous 3.

Funky rock with a good voice. Perhaps not the most striking but reasonably exciting.

A very good album.

13/11/2025 I didn't expect to give this 5 stars when it came up, but i was pleasantly surprised. Spotify listeners: 930.8k

At first I was impressed, despite the horrible 80s-ness of it. Then I started to get a bit bored, but by the end I was sort of impressed again. I think this guy is talented, but it's just not my kind of music and I would never listen to it again.

Fantastic vocals and mediocre instrumentals. Enjoyed the 5'33" a capella track, which allowed for a more refined appreciation of the vocals.

Nice voice, good music, pretty chill, but not really my style.

its was ok but ehh i just dont vibe with it enough

It’s very 80’s, for its credit and its lack of like… uniqueness??? Nice listening experience and the vibes are cool but didnt really get too much special outta this

Cool album, cool concept, I feel like it is missing something. All of the hits sound distinctly like other songs, even if I don't exactly know what they are. His voice is nice, but not particularly special. The production is nice, because it is my favourite era of music. Maybe he will grow on me, but at this moment, it is alright.

Something about this album just didn't sit right with me. I feel like the production on the instruments could have been a little smoother. I also don't think D'Arby has the best voice; it's not bad at all, but there were moments where I was questioning it. Idk, the album was a bit all over the place. A true rating would be 2.5, but I gotta round down cause most of the albums I've rated a 3 are better than this.

Did not enjoy this one. Whole thing felt cheesy. It's trying so hard to be catchy and it's absolutely not. Singing style isn't my favorite either. L

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

The easiest 2 I've ever given.

If this album consisted of "As Yet Untitled" 11 times, I would still give it 5 stars. Some of the other songs are less exciting on their own, but his virtuosic voice elevates them.

It's certainly of its era. The production is good and there are elements I like, but it doesn't do a great deal for me.

He is obviously a talented singer and songwriter but the layers and layers of dated 1980s production make this album almost unlistenable. All I could think of how bad it sounds instead of the songs, the music themselves. This is a really generous 2 stars because otherwise I would rather give it 1 star.

2,5

wishing well is the best prince song of 1987…other than every song on sign o' the times.

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!!!!!!!!!!

I definitely appreciate the Prince vibes, and he has a wonderful voice. All that said, can't see myself coming back to this one much. Favorite track: Who's Loving You

Man th 80s

Meh. Very indifferent, sounds like any other late 80s/esrly 90s R&B record.

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.

Wishing Well was what I remember but also solid otherwise

He’s talented, no doubt, but the album is all over the place. Not quite as funky, emotional, sexy, or cool as his contemporaries.

Blind album and artist. Gave off Michael Jackson vibes but the album wasnt as strong. Walmart Michael jackson.

I enjoyed it.

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

This felt so much longer than 47 minutes. Absolutely not a fan of the 80’s production.

I LOVE this

Holy 80s! This is not soul, and it is not rock. It is 80s pop. And that's okay! Except actually it's not. Damn, I don't like this music. He has a nice voice and there are certainly some hits here, but woof man, this was a pretty lackluster listen. Fave tracks: - If You Let Me Stay - Wishing Well - Dance Little Sister - Seven More Days - As Yet Untitled

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

Dude recorded the “rain rain go away” song. But sign your name is a bop

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.

I understand why this album is on this list. I had never heard of the artist before and enjoyed my one listen. The accaplla track was surprisingly enjoyable and the last track really stood out to me. Overall, not my go-to genre or time period. Bias aside, 3 stars.

I went into this thinking it would be 1 star and instead this is one of the best albums I’ve heard on this entire list. This album is incredible pop music. You really need a tolerance for that late 80s sound but this is close to perfection

Singles are good, the rest of the album feels a little bit like filler

I almost quit on this one. I found it to be fairly by the numbers and I’m very busy in life right now, so I figured I had the gist of it and turned it off with only 2 songs left. I came back a few minutes later and felt guilty with myself for turning it off, and there’s a great a capella track before a decent Smoky Robinson cover. Bumped it up a star for me.

I've never actually listened to a full album by Terence Trent D'Arby, but every song I've heard of his I've really enjoyed. This album completely blew me away. "If You All Get To Heaven" is such an amazing opener. I listened to it on repeat a few times before finally moving to the next song, which was equally great. His cover of "Who's Loving You" is also exceptional and perfectly wrapped up the album. I was mostly familiar with the singles, which are great songs that I enjoyed, but the rest of the album was fantastic too. His voice is also amazing and elevated even the more lackluster songs. I did not expect to love this album as much as I did, but it was so good and deserves its spot on the list.

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.

1. heaven -0 2. ztay - 0 3. uuell - 0 4. Turn - 1 5. Dance -0 6. Seven - 1 7. Forward -1 8.rain - 1 9. Name - 0 10. Untitled -1.5 11. Loving -1 ONLY 1 DECENT ZONG , UUTF

Never knew this guy sang wishing well. Nice first album

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

A core staple of 90s jazz ballet teachers....no doubt

Reminded me of other artists at times, not least Prince on tracks like Wishing Well. But overall left me pretty cold.

A few classics but otherwise unremarkable. Fine to put on though, it is quite easy listening.

Will definitely go back to this

Not for me