Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pretty good! But sounds a LOT like Steve Winwood.

Great voice, I'd say R&B style

Really good! Loved the vocals.

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

A really great album with some classic tracks.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

кайфово

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

Nice

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

so am I cool now?

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

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

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

Michael Jackson and Journey had a child. 7/10

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

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

Brilliant

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

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

Respekt, gefällt mir. 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Very solid album! Thought I wasn’t going to like it and it had me locked in.

That is such a good album. Great voice, great use of choir. Give me more of it.

There were a lot of singles on this one. He has a great voice. Very good album.

Well performed, overall lovely music

Wow! Incredible debut

An incredible debut album with some excellent soul and funk R&B. I thoroughly enjoyed listening with only one real complaint: Many of the tracks get repetitive to the point of annoyance. It's personal preference but I feel like there was so much room to get creative that was missed.

Q magazine liked to offer up one word reviews to sum up an album back in the day. I recall 'sultry' being offered up for TTD's debut. I also remember mis-reading this at the time as 'salty.' Both descriptions do justice here. You forget how huge TTD was in 1987. What happened next is the more interesting story. But Introducing the Hardline remains great fun. There's a distinctive 80's production. It's very funky in places. The vocals are fantastic. A sultry, salty 4 stars.

Lots of songs I already knew!

A classic of its time. No suprises, no mystery, just solid good R&B. He never managed to repeat the quality of this recording, and slowly (or rather quickly) faded from sight.

I was surprised this album was on the list

Aww, made my day this. My sister had this album back in the day. What a debut. He had it all: talent, a fantastic voice, good looks. But I reckon nobody liked Terry D’Arby more than Terry D’Arby. His hubris did for him I think. And he went a bit bonkers. Shame. So much promise

Awesome 4.5

A little dated but still solidly entertaining. At its best when most influenced by Stevie Wonder. I've never listened to the whole album before and I'll definitely be back. 3.5 stars

I finally know who is author of "sign your name". Quite good, not everyday album but added few songs to vaes.

This is some kind of soul, pop, dance, funk hybrid. It works pretty good in most moments, yet I'm not too keen on the vocals. The album is soulful and catchy, it was kind of lightning caught in a bottle as he never really reached the same success later on. The opener is solid! 8 out of 10

It would be interesting to see where this guy could be if his ego hadn’t gotten the best of him. Unique voice and a lot of great songs.

Cool, clean 80s neo-soul. Some lovely warbles and a sexy new-age energy throughout. If I was a 40-year old woman with a penchant for crystal healing , D'Arby would set my soul alight. As it is, he gets a four.

A great voice, and many great songs. Sounds just a wee bit dated, but in a way that might be fairer to call "of its time". He was certainly a big fan of himself, but he was talented enough to back it up.

A great Prince mimic, even the dance moves. Arrogance weakened his later works although his third LP is underated and fantastic.

Some songs were very fun and some were very meh. Good ones sounded like a happy Michael Jackson

Favorites were "Dance Little Sister" and "Sign Your Name". Honorable mention to "As Yet Untitled"

A solid album, with some really lovely, soulful vocals by Terence Trent D'Arby. The production by Martyn Ware is really interesting. There's definitely this stylish, "new wave" or British pop kind of vibe to the music that made it sound really fresh at the time. The flip side of that is that some it sounds dated, but the overall quality of the album is inarguable. This was an excellent debut by an artist who should have been more successful. Fave Songs: Sign Your Name, Wishing Well, If You Let Me Stay, Who's Loving You, Dance Little Sister, I'll Never Turn My Back on You (Father's Words)

fucking crazy vocals. arrangements are glossy and punchy. classic 80’s sound without being cheesy and dated. the song writing is very strong. the acapella number at the end was absolutely beautiful. over all an incredible record. i won’t give it five just because he’s not quite as good as stevie or prince…

I really enjoyed the soul vocals over 80s pop production on this album. Standouts: Seven More Days; If You Let Me Stay.

vibezzz

Pretty good. Only knew him from Wishing Well previously. Beautiful voice.

One of the most amazing debut albums ever. So many great songs… what happened to him after this? Standouts: Wishing Well, If You Let Me Stay, Rain, Dance Little Sister, Sign Your Name, Who’s Loving You, If You All Get To Heaven. Wow. 4.5/5

Strong neostalgia

Quite good, only one bad track and a few classics. It's- a bit mainstream but a good listen

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

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

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

Pleasant surprise. Maybe not quite sgt pepper but good album

Veeeery good voice, coole 80s Tracks

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

Some pretty solid bangers

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

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

Beautiful

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

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

Enjoyed the album, good singing and funk

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

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

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

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

Solid

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

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

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

funkeeee cewlllllll

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

Liked it! He has a great voice

not mine but epochal

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

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

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

Really enjoyed it

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

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

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

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

Enjoyed it, has some good songs.

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

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

This was pretty nice.

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

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

Actually pretty good.

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

A very good album.

Thoroughly enjoyable..

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fanastic debut

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

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

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

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

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

Smooth, ret nice.

What a blast from the past. Great album

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

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

Nice and funky

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

👍

Good album, nice vocal performance and interesting lyrics. 8

Really good! A solid 8, would relisten

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

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

Some hits. Creative. Acapella

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

Pretty unique, but good.

8.5

Surprisingly good R&B+Pop album

Fantastic late 80s nostalgia

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

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

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.

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.

Enjoyed

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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.

Not my style, but I enjoyed it. ★★★

"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.

"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.

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.

Kul vibe

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

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

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.

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.

Was alright. Nice and chilled. Good voice.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Okay album with 2 hits.

Acho que provavelmente merecia que ouvisse mais uma vez ou duas

enjoyable but pretty derivative

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...

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

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

Good

3,5

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.

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

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

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

Dober

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.

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.

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

resina

Funky and smooth, very enjoyable

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.

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

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

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

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.

Ålreit

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

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.

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.

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

3.5

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

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.

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

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

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.

Hasn't really aged well

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.

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

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

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

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

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

Symphony or damn was better imho

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

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

Nice

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

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

Mid.

nice aber ka

interesting

6.5/10

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.

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.

2.5

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.

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

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

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

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.

Fine music, but not my thing.

Buen álbum. Aunque no repetiré, es bueno.

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.

Very eighties.

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

This cat has a great sound

Very good mor soul music

Never heard this before. Was pleasantly surprised.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

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

He changed his stage name…he is now Sananda Maitreya

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?

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