Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby

A unique and fantastic 80s slice of eclecticism.

Groaned when I saw this, halfway through, to be fair it's more enjoyable than I was expecting, but it's not going into rotation! Sign Your Name is annoying, Wishing Well is catchy alright. Terence (or Sananda, or whatever) can sing alright, but I don't want to listen to it thanks, I wanted it to end 15 minutes before it did.

I like "Sign Your Name". I blame nostalgia, but it's a nice, modest tune. The rest of this, including Wishing Well - the other one I had known - is not good. At all. The insane Sgt. Pepper nonsense and the Uuhh, I dreamt of a new name: SANANDA (Chakra & Crystal Healing, Orgone Towers) does not help. Embarassing.

It's good, but an entire album of music like this is not for me. I'd much rather these kinds of songs just mixed in with general listening.

Terence Trent D'Arby (or his real name Sananda Maitryea) definitely shows that he has a lot of talent with Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby. The music here is super relaxing and soothing but can get more energetic when the time calls for it. I also liked Terence's singing which kinda gave me Michael Jackson vibes (they look pretty similar too so that probably adds to it). My only real gripe with this album is the second to last song which has no real music which would be fine if it was a short song but it was 5 and a half minutes long. Other than that though, this was a pretty good album. Best Song: If You All Get To Heaven Worst Song: As Yet Untitled

A polished album with some classics. Not quite Sade level of dinner party music but not far off.

I liked Wishing Well.

Fantastic sounding album

sounds very 80's. Wishing Well is as catchy as always and is stuck in my head now. didn't realize he changed his name and even Spotify changed the name of the album.

Mmm ok? Siento que el disco me regañó por no escucharlo brincando en la calle

I really like Sananda’s voice. That’s the one thing I always remember taking away from the many times I heard Wishing Well on the radio. This being my first listen to the rest of the songs outside of the heavily rotated single I can see why he gets the one hit wonder title, not cause the songs aren’t good but more because the rest of the songs are more mature and less catchy. I enjoyed getting to hear these songs for the first time from a singer whose voice I was very familiar with due to radio saturation. 3.5

Hmm, I think you mean The Artist Formally Known as Terence Trent D'Arby. His momma called him D'Arby, Imma call him D'Arby. Well, thanks for getting Wishing Well stuck in my head. It has been about 30 years since I've heard it. He certainly has a set of pipes on him. If he composed all the music, I can definitely respect his game. The music and vocals are solid. It's a good album for what it is. I just wouldn't ride around listening to this. My favorite tune is I'll Never Turn My Back On You (Father's Words). Sign Your Name is dope. That would be my favorite "hit" from this album. As Yet Untitled is great, too. I love a cappella songs.

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

What the what? Sir Terrance Trent of D’arby? On this list? What next, Fine Young Cannibals? I'm pretty surprised to see this blast from the past here, but I only really know “Wishing Well,” so maybe there's some other cool stuff that I've been sleeping on. Okay, first two songs definitely sound like late '80s R&B, nothing too surprising. Then here comes “Wishing Well,” with its heavy drums and that doot-doot-deet, doodoot-deet, doot-doot deedoot-deet. What an earworm! It goes harder than it has any business to…but the lyrics are perplexing. The rest of the album yielded more R&B typical of the era–with lots of love songs; (the artist formerly known as) TTD is a romantic! I was reminded of a handful of other R&B artists of that time, so I'm not sure that anything was particularly groundbreaking here, but by the end of the album I had been won over. The last two songs especially seemed to showcase his vocals. He can sang! I wouldn't mind hearing this play in a grocery store.

I was still in Trinidad when I first heard Wishing Well. A catchy and interesting song with a cool lick that is memorable. I also remember Sign Your Name. I always thought he was just sort of a one or two hit wonder though. It's one of the those albums where upon listening to it I thought, 'ohhh so this is the other stuff he was doing in addition to the singles'. I am not sure I really see very much that is ground breaking or particularly special on this album. Terrence does have a really good voice though and a lot of control to do some of the vocal runs that he does on some of the songs. I could see how their might be a bit of a Michael Jackson comparison. The Darbs has a bit deeper of a tone of voice than MJ but similar vocal stylings...which really could just stem from James Brown,.who was a big influence on MJ, even though he was apparently very guarded about telling who is influences were. TTD even covers Who's Loving You, which MJ also did as a child. Good voice but the rest of the album didn't particularly grab me.

Probably the definitive 80's soul album.

We already had enough Michael Jackson albums on this list without adding in pound shop Michael Jackson knockoffs.

Meh

Few Albums have moved me like this one.

Some chilled songs

80s pop, sounds a bit like Prince. Knew quite a few songs already. Won't be listening again

Smooth as feck RnB

In Spotify wurde der Sänger mir als Sananda Maitreya angezeigt. Damit konnte ich gar nichts anfangen. Bis ich die Musik gehört habe. Aber auch die ist für mich nur 80er Jahre Durchschnitt.

Lovely timing to get this album the day after Terrence Trent D’Arby and the rest of the England squad make it to the Euros final.

It's a hard one to judge this as it's bound up with so many memories- good and bad. Everyone loved this guy and his music. I don't know what happened but for a brief time he had the world. It's so smooth and 80s but just so so so gooooood......... If you weren't there you'll hate this!

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

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

I'd heard good things but this one felt a bit generic - not bad, but not the first album I'd go to from this era for these vibes.

Pretty good album. I didn’t realize I had heard any of it until Sign Your Name. I also liked Dance Little Sister a lot, but overall I’m not sure why you wouldn’t listen to Michael Jackson instead

3. Didn’t like it as much as I did in 87. Sign Your Name is still pretty.

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

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

Man, 'If You All Get To Heaven' knocked me on my behind, I was so ready for the rest of the album if that was the tone it would follow. Very different in the end, at least in the way that it made me feel. Kind of a shame, but still a solid entry here.

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

This is a fantastic album.

Not my style at all.

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

I was never a 90's R&B fan, and that's still the case. But the songwriting and production of this album is worth listening to. Still wouldn't buy it, and I'll likely never listen to it again, but it was fine.

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

Yep. Stuck somewhere between Michael Jackson, Prince, and Lenny Kravitz. And by between I mean miles behind. Not even at the same table.

what a period piece to the 80s, wishing well feels like the song I recognize here

Alright I suppose

Not for me. 2/5

pretty good

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

This was ok.

Good start, but sadly declined fast. 2/5

Wishing Well is nostalgic and kinda fun, but there's just not much else going on in this album.

I liked it

This is really TOO 80s for me

Overall good album, didn’t really wow me but none of it was bad either. I feel like geezers would probably dog to this album. Fav tracks were wishing well, dance little sister, let’s go forward, and who’s loving you.

Not bad. Definitely some good rhythm and vocals but not my typical go to.

This one never really grabbed me. It’s okay I suppose tho. Fav Song: Wishing Well.

What a debut. Some amazing R&B here

A mix of pop and R&B. Sounds like an off brand Michael Jackson. I liked it but didn’t really get me like I wanted.

Kirpparien levyhyllyiltä tuttu. Ihan hieno soundi! 3/5

Tää oli kiva uus tuttavuus!

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

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

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

Apart from Wishing Well & Sign Your Name, which were both killer singles, I wasn’t familiar with this album. So I was happy to discover a bunch of other terrific trax, notably Dance Little Sister, I’ll Never Turn My Back On You, Rain & the beautiful accapella track, As Yet Untitled. And I’d always figured D’Arby was a low-rent Michael Jackson. How wrong.

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.

Mediocre album. Reading about this album was a bit wild as D'Arby said it was the most important album since SPLHCB. He's talented, but this is just 80s funk-pop, which I don't really care for. He's doing a bit of a Prince/MJ/etc. thing. **

💤

Entraînant, riche et texturé. Une voix qui rappelle Michael Jackson. Un peu daté dans ses arrangements, mais les thèmes abordés et les revendications demeurent d’actualité

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.

wish.com version of Michael Jackson

Vaguely remember these songs on the radio growing up. More panty droppers

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

Not a sound I enjoy.

Best Song: I'll Never Turn My Back On You. I liked the staccato delivery. Worst Song: Dance Little Sister. The Michael Jackson impersonation trying its hardest (and failing) here. Overall: This feels a bit like a poor man's Michael Jackson. It wasn't altogether unpleasant, but I also don't know when or why I would return to it. It's also full of a lot of really 80s production choices, that just sound a bit annoying now.

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.

Catchy at times but it felt rambling and unstructured.

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

This guy got played quite a bit back in the MTV days when they actually played music. I remember Wishing Well, but man something about that song annoys me. He has a strong, solid voice, but outside of Dance Little Sister, Who's Loving You and Sign Your Name, nothing really stood out for me. Dance Little Sister had to be James Brown inspired. Best song off the album for me. Had to look up and check if it was a Brown cover. Who's Loving You made me think of the old 60's R&B. I would have enjoyed this album much more if the album was more like these 2 songs. Nothing bad or made want to turn off, but nothing I really want to go back and revisit either. It was a nice listen, right down the middle for me. I'll go with a 3......... 3

3 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. (I swear I heard some HEE-hees), 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 this felt pretty non-distinct and unremarkable 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.

On the one hand, TTD is very talented, and knows how to compose a bop. On the other hand, the overly formulaic approach he takes wrings all the soul out of his songs. At the end of the day, I'ma sleep on this one.

smooth but boring

Gear: Meze 109 PRO Artwork: Als Thaddäus das Maximum seiner Schönheit erreicht hat, wird im Hintergrund das Intro zu der Arie „Votre toast, je peux vous le rendre“ aus Bizets Oper "Carmen" eingespielt. Mix: "Dat soll Rio sein? Dat han isch mir größer vorgestellt!" Musik: "Haben Sie manchmal Déjà-vus?" - "Ich glaube nicht, aber ich könnte ja in der Küche nachfragen." Wertung: 🪃🪃/5

3.5/10

The genres listed for this here and on Wikipedia are interesting, because to me it just sounds like adult contemporary. I'm not a big adult contemporary person but I thought this album was really good! I knew "Wishing Well" already. "Dance Little Sister" was the highlight for me. More of a 3.5.

Funky, prince/MJ vibes.

Could have died without listening to this album

Not my jam but not distasteful

This album has changed names as Terence now goes by a different name. Wishing Well is a really fun song. I like the little wind instrument sections in the middle. Dance Little Sister feels like a song I should be hearing on the dancefloor, not in my office chair. Besides a few exceptions, this album kind of felt like I'd listened to the same song ten times. It's not my favorite sound, and I probably wouldn't listen to it again. It feels like others have done this better (for me). 6/10

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

If Prince was a Pick-Up Artist. (If You Let Me Stay is a banger, though)

5/9/24. I was not familiar with this artist before today but I was really impressed with his singing ability! I also love how it goes against the grain of the typical 80s sound. I need to listen to more of his work and will revisit this one.

The exception of me hating Smooth music, Dance Little Sisters, sign Your Name and Wishing Well are smoother than melted butter but still I enjoyed them. 1000 times better than Maxwell . So 3 stars, the maximum for this type of music.

Great R&B

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

It's interesting that Spotify has changed the album cover title to TTD's new name, but here it has not. Strange that there are also 2 versions listed in Spotify, but there really does not seem to be a difference between them. There were a couple of tracks that oozed 80s, ("Rain," "Sign Your Name") that had such a cheesy drum machine sound on it that it took me out of it. Still, "Wishing Well" is still a hummable tune and I'll give him that.

D'Arby or Maitreya, as he goes by now, has a great voice. It can be guttural or high-pitched. He can do so much with it. But I'm not sure he's as good a lyricist. Some of the songs felt a bit hokey (just listen to the opening lines of Let's Go Forward or Dance Little Sister). And very dated - classic albums are timeless but this album's time is clearly the 80's. Wishing Well is such a fun little tune (a deserved hit) but it is so 80's. I don't think any other songs get close to being that memorable. As Yet Untitled is very mature (stripped down and all vocals, decent lyrics) and Who's Loving You is an energetic remake, but neither is as catchy. This album was ok.

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.

I enjoyed this listen, mostly because anyone that doesn't butcher a Smokey Robinson classic is alright with me.

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.

It feels like two things are happening in this album, neither of which are very good. One: he is trying to make music less synth and drum machine heavy, and more gospel-like. Admirable, but does feel generally like going against the grain for the sake of it, as this stuff comes off as just as generic as the music it's trying to avoid. Two: Terence, now Sananda, is doing his best "not Michael Jackson" impression. BY that I mean, he sounds just like Jackson at multiple points, but often goes into ranges outside of Jackson's usual location purely to bring as little attention to it as possible, but it's hard not to spot. That makes me feel that despite this album trying to give off a vibe of the second, err, third, err, fourth coming of soul, it really just wants to be famous, no matter the means. I don't know this for certain, but it certainly gives off that feeling, and hey, I'm all for generic 80s soul if you do it right, but you gotta wear that generic sound on your sleeve, or you'll just be the one looking weird in a crowd. It has some decent tracks on it, and most of it is forgettable, but inoffensive, but I would struggle to sell an individual this record on any means other than maybe his voice, but even that feels fake. It tries its best to avoid the plastic sound of the 80s, and only comes off feeling like a different brand of fake. Alright, but certainly fake, and no amount of frankly terrible breathy pure vocal tracks are gotta fix that. Skip As Yet Untitled to save yourself from the most uncomfortable six minutes of your life.

cool

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

Definitely hear the Prince and Micheal Jackson vibes. The 80's production is for sure there too. Those snyths are undeniable from that era. I Read that Terence played a bunch of instruments on songs. I always admire someone who plays multiple instruments. I enjoyed what I listened to for sure. This was definitely something I could of grew up on. A album my mom probably spun when she cleaned the house. As much as I enjoyed what I heard it's not something I would seek out again, but if it pops up on shuffle. It can stay on. It's a vibe.

It's all about the one song, and just didn't connect with the rest.

I thought the singer sounded familiar and then BOOM, a song took me right back to my days working at Rite Aid Pharmacy!

Kinda Michael Jackson with not as much unique delivery? One or two fun songs but I had a hard time recognizing the genius he claimed, or at least the notability reviewers do.

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

I didn't like this when it came out and it hasn't gotten any better for me. It was a slog to get through. Wishing Well is the best song and then it's a steep drop off from there.

Boring

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.

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

There were very big expectations of Terence Trent D’Arby that never really panned out for some reason. Great voice, definite “it” factor…not sure if he was a victim of poor management or just decided to wild out instead. I had a poster of him on my dorm wall in college and still enjoyed this, although it sounds pretty dated.

Album 363 of 1001 Terence Trent D'Arby - Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby Rating : 3.5 / 5 Technically, its a pretty good album. Good production, decent songs, decent performance. I can appreciate what he has put together here but it doesn't resonate fully with me. I imagine he liked it enough for us all.

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

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.

Some interesting songs at the start but I was losing interest by the end of the album.

hard to say whether this is funky pop or poppy funk. either way wish it was better. definitely some michael jackson influences it’s just pretty boring overall

I remember when this came out, Wishing Well was a decent sized hit, and he was sold as being from London which is more exotic than the real story... I thought about giving it a four because his vocals are strong, but ultimately it's not all that creative or groundbreaking.

80s-era R&B is pretty low on the list of things that I want to listen to most days. But I had hoped that, as a Brit, Terence would bring something new and interesting to the genre. He did not. The whole thing sounded exactly as you would expect any 80s-era R&B album to sound. I suppose, if that's your jam, this is a great representation of it. But, for me, it was just lame and samey. Nothing of note, nothing outstanding, and nothing that merits its inclusion on this list.

I can hear that this is good music, but it doesn't do anything for me. Go figure. I got bored about halfway and turned it off. Having heard most of this, I think he'd have been well served to slow things down and let the grooves simmer more effectively. The effort feels rushed to me, maybe that's why I don't resonate with it at all. Ah well......a girl can't like everything.

kinda fun

A bit too pop-y for me but nothing to really dislike

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.

Стандартные негритянские соул и рнб песнопения 90х. Припрослушивании возникает ассоциация что смотришь фильм из 90х где негитянский хор поёт в церкви.

This is a great album but I doubt I'd listen to it again. Everything late 80's/early 90's music should be IMO.

Meh

Perfect example of production ruining an album. Too much 80s cheese on here. His voice is great and obviously inspired by James Brown. If this was recorded in the 70s it would’ve been a lot better.

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

I enjoyed this album more than I thought I would. A surprising listen.

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.

Very 80s Best Song: N/A Worst Song: Rain

I didn't need to know the hardline

Wishing well was great, love the arrangement and his voice. To me, it was a better pop album than sign’o the times…

To echo what others said, I thought he was more spoken word soul man but obviously not. I enjoyed it. He was massive for a very particular moment in time so maybe another album will come up as I’m probably not going to listen otherwise though.

I liked this much more than I thought. I thought he was some overly smooth soul guy but there's a bit more bite to his vocals than that. I couldn't have told you any songs before this but I recognised Wishing Well and Sign Your Name having heard them and not known they were him.

Smoother and more skillful than its mouthful of a title would suggest, this is a nice soul-centric LP with the spotlight firmly focused on D'Arby's powerful vox. The writing is a bit worn (no surprises in the instrumentation or tracks here), but there's a beautiful sense of artistry and genuine emotion that makes this an engaging listen.

Bruh, skip

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

Did not like it in '87 - still don't like it in 2024. He looks too Milli-Vanilli in Wishing Well.

Wishing well 5 stars sign your name 4 stars Who’s loving you 3.5 stars Rest of album, meh.

кайфово

Хз почему, но вторая половина альбома просто мимо. Первая прикольная

A fun blast of 80s cheese - fwompy bass, disco guitars, unabashed synths laying down some funky pop.A great voice.delivers a strong vocal performance and some catchy hits. But it's basically a Stevie Wonder / Michael Jackson / Prince photocopy, so why not just listen to the real deal? Favorites: who's loving you? Wishing well

Pretty cool, feels like it stands out more from other pop a little.

It’s very soul almost gospel -Sounds like it belongs on a bad movie soundtrack -it’s neither bad nor great for me personally -I don’t dislike this, wouldn’t run to turn it off but not seeking it out, I’m missing the “so what” or what is ground breaking about it -Im really torn between a 2 or 3 rating, because it is objectively good, it’s just not striking anything with me as an album

Honestly this just sounds like pretty standard pop rock album made by someone who is a little better traveled than your average musician. There is a lot of unique instrumentation in this album and it add some whimsey to a couple of these songs that I found pretty fun. He's got a great voice, the horns and synth are nice but I find it to be pretty par for the course for the decade. I like it, but I don't know if there is anything that puts it above a standard bearer of the genre like MJ or sets it apart from a lot else coming out at the time other than really strong vocals.

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

In the cross section of music that sounds so 80s but is also good If I ever throw a 80s party I have some good songs for it.

Jesus, what a bore

Ikone der 80er...

2.5/5. Meh, kind of boring. Also kind of weird.

6 / 10 Pop tipo Michael Jackson. Inevitable comparar, bueno pero no es ÉL.

90s moody garbage, couldn’t finish-not bad or unpleasant just nothing interesting enough to keep going -2.5/5

parece alguien bastante espeso como para cambiarse el nombre, y no está tan mal

I had never heard of this before. Good album, I thought the mixing was great.

Très funky, agréable à écouter.

Introducing the Hardline... was an incredibly successful album. Within days of its release, it sold a million copies. Terence Trent D'Arby's mix of pop, soul, R&B, and rock made for great late-80's pop. His work could be seen as a funkier Michael Jackson, or a more grounded version of Prince. His songs have great range, developed arrangements, and catchy pop melodies that had widespread appeal. This album is very much a product of the 80's, and Trent D'Arby remains a fixture of music of that time. He met with very little commercial or critical success after this, his first album. The limitations of his career reflect the limitations of this work. This album is product of the eighties, and seems very dated in retrospect.

The hits were familiar. The rest was different.

Big nostalgia hit here. All the ballady bits of Michael Jackson with some memorable percussion.

This was an interesting album, like an early 90's pop album but came out much earlier. I could have sworn I've heard Wishing Well before, too.

Really not much for me to grab onto here. This guy has a completely new name now (Sananda Maitreya), not sure what impact that had on the music. I can't say I really understand the inclusion of this one. It's in a space between R&B and pop to me, a bit funky here and there but mostly a vocal showcase is my impression, and the vocals aren't all that impressive, the music isn't very showstopping. It sets a mood, sure, but so do a lot of better albums. The one thing I really liked was hearing a quick vocal melody that I was certain had been sampled (three notes on "As Yet Untitled" that reminded me of the instrumental underlying Drake's "Laugh Now Cry Later") but I think I was ultimately incorrect. My apologies to you Mr. D'Arby/Maitreya, but I've no interest in keeping this album around. Favorite tracks: Let's Go Forward, As Yet Untitled. Album art: Just a picture of the guy, looking very somber and sulky. It's honestly not a bad portrait shot, but it moves me as little as the music does. 2.5/5

certainly had its moments, but was long and bit repetitive and very 80s

It's one of those moments when your album generator updates, you throw it on and think "really? I had to hear this before I die?"

Very dated sounding with that reverb-heavy drum sound and slick sounding production that doesn't appeal to me at all. Back when this was released, I heard a couple of songs and didn't feel I had to hear more. Fast forward, 37 years later listening to the whole album with fresh ears, I can tolerate it. It's decent 80's R & B pop, but reminds me the 80's had so much better music than this that interested me then and now.

It was fine

Pretty average pop music. Pretty average song writing. Wishing well slaps but the rest is forgettable.6/10

Oh so good!

I know this guy's talented, and the songwriting isn't bad, but man I wish 80's production like this could just be wiped from the earth never to be heard again. Honestly takes any existing credibility to a song and just fucks it up once I heard those stupid-ass gated drums and cheesy synths. As other users said, who the fuck thought we'd come back to this and think it was actually well done? Talent like this deserves better, and at this point in this list I've had it with the 80s BS, I'm not playing nice anymore. 1/5.

Nice

It had some fun moment but overall I didn't love a lot of the lyrics, and his vocals aren't my favorite (they aren't bad! I just don't find the tone my favorite). To me this album was very reminiscent of the 80s and maybe Michael Jackson on an initial listen, especially the earlier songs. I think it might have been the vocals, not sure if that was the popular style at the time or not or just a coincidence. I personally wouldn't listen to this again

Meh. 80s music at its core.

I loved this album. His voice reminded me of Micheal Jackson but had a raw and earthy quality that made me love the album. It was so groovy and I was content whilst listening. 3.5/5

Ok, again not my thing. I do like his most popular songs but the other songs are not great. Maybe b/c I was listening to a remastered album was not as good I don't know.

Not my style, a more clean Prince. I get that the activist lyrics may have appealed to the right audience at the right time. Now it sounds like a 90s GAP commercial

The first track is pretty good, but it went downhill hard and fast.

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

so am I cool now?

A collection of songs, a couple of which I know . I like more from an album.

If I was just rating based on the vocal performance then this would be one of the easiest 5s I’ve ever given. Unfortunately the songs themselves are often quite bland and drag on in places. The big standout is the ludicrously beautiful As Yet Untitled

Good opening and opening song. There is potential here but overall the album does not click for me. I like parts of this quite a bit but it also includes parts that I entirely do not like. Great voice. For example "Sign your name" lyrically and musically just isn't interesting to me. The same with "Rain". There is a sense to me that this pulls together a lot of tropes musically and lyrically but does not really do anything truly new and interesting with them. Rain, butterfly tears, returning -- lyrical vagueness in a poetical form. There is a breadth of materials here pulled from a previous history of music -- but it has not been assimilated and joined into something truly his own.

Solid. Michael Jackson inspired.

Silky Smooth

3.5 Well done and cohesive. Not my jam, but I can see it being someone else’s jam. Wishing well is a strong pop song, As yet untitled is beautiful

lots of social commentary. some funk.

Decent voice, soulful though not exactly OV Wright. Some 80s pop cheesiness to production and arrangement. Songs vary between were-everywhere-in-the-80s to the pretty ordinary. Not my thing. 2.5*

when gen z asks what music in the 80s sounded like, i’ll play them this album

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

groovy, good energy, cool instrumentation

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!

I did not like this at all. I don’t like Prince and I don’t like MJ, this album felt like mixture of both. It’s was like stepping on dog shit and cleaning it off to only step on more. 2/10

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

This guy wants to be Michael Jackson soooo bad. If Michael went down the road of R&B/Soul instead of pop. He’s got a great voice but it gets a bit tiresom hearing the same vocal progressions on pretty much every song. The instrumentals were kind of just there and didn’t really elevate his singing, not that it needed to be but left me wanting more from each song. Not my genre of music generally but I can appreciate the talent. 6/10

Listened to the whole thing - kind of gave me a Stevie Wonder vibe, but not nearly as appealing to me as Stevie. Worth a listen I suppose, but not for me.

Nothing objectionable here but nothing spectacular either. It's pretty straightforward 80s pop/R&B. As an album. it is not something I would ever seek out to listen to, but some of the singles are pretty decent I guess.

yea this guy can sing. its fine if RNB is what you want.

Good, but in all honesty, there's really not much here that stands out.

It’s like listening to a cheap knock off version of Prince. I’m sure he’s very talented, but I don’t hear anything original or why it was so celebrated in the UK on release. Pass. Listen again: no Purchase for my collection: no Favourite Song: didn’t pay attention

Every song sounds like the ending of Ghostbusters 2 where they're inside the Statue of Liberty. Not a fan.

MEH. This dude is a talented singer, I'll give him that. But, it reminds me of diet, spoiled, Michael Jackson.

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.

Ehh not that good.

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

Again one of those albums, that really hit something when it came out, but now sounds dated, and a bit boring

Ok

Thoughts before listening: I have heard of Terence Trent D'Arby but I am not sure that I would know any of his songs. He is definitely mentioned a lot as an example of a certain type of 80s/90s artist, but I am not really sure what his sound will be. I am thinking artsy R&B with elements of alt rock included. Review: I was pretty spot on with my guess. This sounds like a more serious, less playful Prince. I can hear Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder in these songs as well. The album is okay although not typically the type of music I would listen to. I don't love the 80s style production that makes a lot of the backing music sound manufactured and inauthentic. Apparently Wishing Well was a big hit while Sign Your Name has the most Spotify listens, but I have never heard either before. My favorite songs are "Dance Little Sister" and "I'll Never Turn My Back on You" which both utilize a 70s Stevie Wonder style sound. This is a 2-star album to me. Its certainly not bad, but just isn't really my style.

Didn't hold my attention at all.

If this guy was half as good as he thinks he is he'd be the best artist of all time. This is over the top in the wrong ways and missing any substance. The amount of artists who are miles ahead of him who he is ripping off is wild. The song Let's Go Forward felt like it was 45 minutes.

I tried to find something I liked about this but I couldn't. The music sounds like karaoke music and I don't think the vocals are anything special. I feel like there is better music before and after this in which the music just has more soul, more funk.

Are we listening to the same music??? 1.6

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

Mostly inoffensive except the penultimate track with its nearly 6 minutes of acapella. Highlight: Wishing Well

Up until the last three tracks, I'd probably have believed you if you told me this was a mid tier 80s Phil Collins album. That last stretch though is pure fire. Sign Your Name and As Yet Untitled are both dark and eerie in different ways, then a lovely soul banger to see you home. It's a high three stars... Could have been a low 4

Not for me. Not terrible music, it doesn't make me angry, but I do not dig it.

sounds kinda doodoo, old in a bad way

Respekt, gefällt mir. 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I fucking hate 80’s production. The chime-y keyboards, the shit sounding drums drenched in reverb. It’s amazing how dated and of-their-time these songs sound because of awful production choices. I don’t know how artists listened to the records they were making back then and thought, “yes, this will be timeless…the coats of synthetic sheen we’re applying to our records will surely sound just as good 30 years from now as it does today.” Records like this don’t sound like they were made by humans. They sound like they were manufactured in a factory…like it’s not music, it’s a product made of plastic. I can’t divorce my feelings about 80’s production from the actual music. 2 stars, because there is probably a pretty good record buried underneath all the bullshit here.

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

I knew one song pretty well: "Sign Your Name" which I like (reminds me of Sade). I was somewhat familiar with "Wishing Well" and it's OK. I also liked the harmonies in "As Yet Untitled". But a lot of the rest of the album wasn't my style. It has a solidly 80's sound that I now find a little annoying. And at times the vocals were too much for me.

Not sure what I expected, but this was better than what I expected. More of an album, and not just some singles and filler.

Glad to be reminded this exists.

Prunce

Not my cup of tea.

Best song by far was a Jackson 5 cover

Listened Before? No I've definitely heard Wishing Well before, but I cannot place it. Super catchy vocal delivery with an earworm of a backing instrumental. Had me nodding along NGL. Dance Little Sister is a dancefloor jam. Has harmonization that reminds of Huey Lewis and the News along with some funky bass and soulful saxophone. This album was more entertaining that I was expecting following the intro track. I don't usually go in for R&B, but this was an enjoyable listen with a few standouts that got me bobbing along. Solid 3 / 5. Added to Library? No Songs Added to Playlists:

Had to find this one of Youtube, which I don't normally love. However, I liked watching some of videos. Terence had some superstar energy with the hair and the dance moves. Dance Little Sister was my favorite. Let's Go Forward was solid too. His voice is good and has a good range, but nothing about this album really encapsulated me.

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

2 songs in and I don’t really give a shit about this so far. Wishing Well is kinda catchy. Couple more songs and meh. There ls some good instrumentals on the songs but nothing that grabs me at all. Just has a lot of the 80s sound I don’t like. Rain has some solid synths. Overall I don’t see myself coming back to any of these tunes. Was kinda close to a 1

Bien. Varios megahits: If You Let Me Stay, I'll Never Turn My Back on You (Father's Words), I'll Never Turn My Back on You (Father's Words)

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

Really enjoyed every track actually!

*Listening Note* This is available on Spotify but the artist has changed his name: Senanda Meitraya. The album was a smooth bump in the late 80s.

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

Enjoyable album but falls a bit short. The 80s production hasn’t all aged greatStill, a nice listen

Okay

"birds never look into the sun before the day is gone" I'm not sure what I expected out of this album, but I knew it probably wasn't going to be my favorite album from the recent history, and it wasn't. Very soul-y, and there are even tinges of what I would call influence from Michael Jackson, which I enjoyed, but overall, although I'm sure this album is a top 5 for those who enjoy this specific genre, it wasn't written for me (literally and figuratively). I often reference the amount of 'plays' a certain track has on spotify to gauge how well my personal tastes match that of the rest of the population. My favorite track was T8- "Rain," which has the second fewest plays out of any song on the album, is funkier, and has a cool, (egyptian-esque?) electronic synth in the back with a nice bass line (playlist). Lots of passion and clear talent in this album, but it didnt speak to me. This is probably blasphemy in certain communities but... 2/5

"Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby," released in 1987, showcases Terence Trent D'Arby's undeniable talent and charisma. With hits like "Wishing Well" and "Sign Your Name," D'Arby blends soul, R&B, and rock influences. His vocals are impressive, and the album's production is polished. However, at times, the ambitious fusion of genres feels a bit forced, and the album can come across as stylistically scattered. While it's a strong debut with notable moments, the overall cohesiveness could be improved. "Introducing the Hardline" merits a respectable 3/5 for its individual strengths but somewhat inconsistent execution.

There were a couple of songs I enjoyed. I'll Never Turn My Back On You had a nice, bouncy rhythm, and the last song (Who's Loving You) had a good Motown feel to it. Otherwise, I didn't much care for it. I hate the artificial, inorganic drum sound. 2 stars.

Well performed, overall lovely music

Listened to this while playing Aeon's End with my partner against the Carapace Queen. We finally won! I have never heard of this artist but my partner knew several of the songs. It was enjoyable R&B, some super impressive vocals throughout. I particularly enjoyed the mostly a cappella piece towards the end. A solid 3.

Easy listening. I liked wishing well.

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

Not for me. 1/5

Meh just a average album

It’s fine, not really for me

Better than I remember

Really enjoyed it!

Sesame Street does 80s funk rock. Too groovy for me I fear

Loses a star for thinking he’s comparable to MJ,Prince,Beatles. This album isn’t even Eddie Murphy level. But it’s ok.

Some of the instrumentals were really cool, but overall I didn't like it a ton

i found this album mostly okay somewhat annoying

This was definitely okay. It has a few bangers. Some of the production didnt do a lot for me though

Great singer, many of the songs are not that great though

Kult at Martyn Ware va med å produsera albumet, men hjalp ikkje så veldig

Lovely voice, splendidly produced, ultimately unappealing.

Pleasant but got more boring as it went on

Bit like a budget Michael Jackson. 3/10

Wow! Incredible debut

I'm not sure why this was so notable. It expressed some vulnerable feelings, that was true, but the production didn't seem anything special.

Whoo boy, what to say about this one? Vocally, it's impressive. Terence goes out of his way to belt almost every note, aside from a few tracks where it goes, stylistically, more R&B. It wears on you after a while. The production is that late 80s/early 90s sound that I just never got in to, so another mark against it. I think this might escape my graveyard if it was shorter, and if the songs cut off after a little while, but it just wants to show off so. badly.

[Ben Kenobi voice] "That is a name I've not heard in a long time." TTD was a BFD in the late 80s. Wishing Well was everywhere and people genuinely thought he was the next Prince. Mind you, Prince was still making pretty good records at this point. According to his wikipedia page, he: (1) compared this record to Sgt. Pepper's (LOL) (2) did a massive faceplant with his second album (3) is still making music under a completely different name I liked some of the songs on here, especially the more Quiet Storm-sounding stuff. I can see myself re-visiting this at some point.

Let's Go Forward

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

Bien. Varios megahits: If You Let Me Stay, I'll Never Turn My Back on You (Father's Words), I'll Never Turn My Back on You (Father's Words).

This was ok.

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.

3/5 - Beautiful album

Terence can sing, if only he could make better songs to sing, the only song I enjoyed from this album was a cover.

No dance music will ever be good for me

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

Sappy, poppy soul. Not my thing at all. Whatever year this was made, I would imagine it sounds very much like the type of record that was being made that year.

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.

Una rolita chida, buena voz, no lo volvería a escuchar.

Surprisingly good music. I knew TTD from my youth but never liked his sound and never really got the vibe either. Too smooth. Now, though, this smoothness really works for me.

Lots of songs I already knew!

I don’t like Prince’s production. I think that his production of instruments falls flat, it all sounds a bit hollow, a bit too muddy, a bit too artificial. I love everything else about Prince’s music, the instrumentation, the songwriting, the voice. Prince is one of the great artists of the late 20th century, of all time. It’s just a shame that his production sounds so relatively weak. Meanwhile, on the other side of the world. We have an R&B singer and songwriter, with a divine voice and just a classic sense of cool, regarding everything from his look to his songwriting. No, it isn’t Prince. It is Terence Trent D’Arby. This album is a masterpiece. It has everything, great music, great songwriting, great vocals. There is hardly anything on this album that could not be described as great. I came up with the Prince introduction because I thought it would be a fun way of mocking the album for it’s similarity to Prince, if it turned out to be bad. But it didn’t. Which is probably a massive dunk on me as a music critic. But I don’t see this as a negative. This is inspired by Prince, no doubt, but because of that it is still really, really good music. Possibly even better than Prince, because the production is better. It’s really a shame that the guy seems to have fallen off. Based on the music on his Debit it feels as if Trent D’Arby really should have taken off more. Bit at least we have Introducing The Hardline, which really is perfect

If the most deluded person you knew made an album it would sound like this. This is a self-serious Prince/MJ knockoff who just cannot avoid the cartoonist and ridiculous aspects of the genre. Every single goofy aspect of funk/soul/rock in the 80's slapped together. I do not understand why this is on this list of classic albums.

Very jammy. The bass line and recorders on Wishing Well are so delightfully silly. Terence's voice is great and the high point of every song. Tracks like Let's Go Forward where he's really letting loose and belting it sound phenomenal. All in all, I'm not a fan of this type of music, but this album had a lot of charm, even with some less than stellar tracks like "If You All Get to Heaven". "Who's Loving You" is a great way to close out the album. Kind of wish more tracks featured sax. Doubt I'll listen to it again anytime soon, but I'm glad I did.

Not really what I'm into but the guy has an amazing voice and writes decent songs. A few I liked quite well. Also interesting that he was a member of INXS for a brief time.

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

Never heard of before. Extremely relaxing and artful.

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

The hits are remarkable as the rest stays mediocre. Also not my type of muzak.

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

Still waiting to be blown away by one of these album recommendations, but this is probably my favourite so far ! 'If you let me stay' is really catchy, I can feel that song getting stuck in my head already.. Finding parts of it , such as the non stop repetition, to be quite uninteresting (like the kind of music they play on radio stations for elderly people), but I'm still enjoying his voice and some of the more upbeat songs like 'Dance little sister' . I had never heard of him before listening but I don't feel like I was missing anything..

Meh

The Hardline is that it’s a pretty good album, according to myself that is.

Very 80s. I can see how people would've dug it at the time but it's just aged really poorly, and without the nostalgia connection it isn't really my thing. Dude has a good voice though.

Awesome 4.5

In this album has some high points, but for the most part, it felt like a very dated album. Clearly, Terrence has a beautiful voice, and really, that carried most songs. 6/10.

it's nice near the start but the sheer sound of 80s music starts to take over as it progresses in a bad way. the last song is good though.