1004. Spandau Ballet / True. 1983. 3.5/5

Perhaps one has to be a true child of the 1980’s decade to fully appreciate Spandau Ballet’s third album. Or even to like it. Or to love it. Because it has everything that firmly anchors it to that period of music. You get the full saxophone treatment here, mixed with the keyboards, piano and other percussion, along with the solid drums, bass and guitar that hold the additional pieces together. There is no rock and roll here, instead a harmonic mix of new wave and R&B caresses its way through the speakers in a way that is strangely alluring.

Given the way my taste in music diverged and hardened quite conclusively after 1985, some may find it difficult to believe that I still enjoy this album. When it was released however, my love of music was mostly dictated to what I heard on the radio, and back in 1983 these style of song that dominates this album was what was being mixed in with the synth pop that was infiltrating the airwaves. While I never owned a copy of this album at the time, friends of our family had it on vinyl and was often the go-to album when we went to their house for get-togethers, and so I did hear it quite often. Eventually I had a taped cassette version that was played when there was nothing on the radio or the mood came upon me. It was a different side of music from that of the other bands I had found at that time, which included Queen, The Police and Midnight Oil.
In today’s world of course, what this album brings with it is nostalgia, and the memories of the time it was released, which for me was the dominant part of Year 8 and 9 in high school. That remains one of the great joys of music, that you can not only enjoy it for enjoyment’s sake but for the memories it can revive. And that is one of the major drawing cards this album retains for me today, the memories it brings back of that time.
As for the songs themselves, some rise above others and some do even more than that. “Foundation” for instance is so very 1980’s, driven along by the keys and synth and probably too much of Gary Kemp’s backing vocals which dominate what could be termed the chorus of the song. It’s not that he can’t sing, but when you listen to Spandau Ballet what you are listening for is Tony Hadley’s amazing voice. He is the voice of Spandau Ballet, and so “Foundation” becomes a slightly less exciting so because of the shared vocals (and yeah, it is slightly annoying as well). “Code of Love” does tend to drag out a little too long without making much headway. Other songs such as “Heaven is a Secret”, Communication” and “Pleasure” all hold their best qualities in tow, moving along at a good tempo and giving the band members their opportunity to be heard in the mix.
The two superstar tracks of course are “Gold” and the title track “True”. This is where the band is at its best. Tony’s vocals are front and centre, and the sax is a major part without dominating. The faster build up and jaunt of “Gold” settles nicely with the slower pace and more commercially pleasing sound of “True”. That these two songs both come at the conclusion of Side A and Side B of the album also fits perfectly into the framing.

Almost 35 years on, True still stands as a testament to Spandau Ballet’s importance to the British pop scene in the early 1980’s. And despite my standard musical listening since this album’s release being in an entirely different ballpark, I still think this is an excellent easy-listening album that is worth your attention.

Rating:  “After the rush has gone I hope you find a little more time, remember we were partners in crime”.  3.5/5