The 1981 Listening Post - Spandau Ballet - Journeys to Glory

 Spandau Ballet - Journeys to Glory

#114

By Julia Talbot

Spandau Ballet

March 6 1981

Journeys to Glory

Genre: New Romantic, meh

Allen’s Rating: 2 out of 5

Julia’s Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Highlights:

To Cut a Long Story Short

Musclebound

The New Romantic musical style was a short lived and not particularly celebrated style of music that served to glue glam rock, punk with a hint of northern/blue eyed soul thrown in (and then thrown out) to EDM and other synth and computerized music - and more ostentatious forms of musical and visual expressionism in later years. The term was coined by the British record producer Richard James Burgess, who is credited as the person invented the SDSV drum synthesizer and a pioneer in working with synthesizers, computers and sampling. None of these things are particularly elemental to the first album he produced, Spandau Ballet’s Journeys to Glory. 

The album itself, while important to the continuum of both the band and the musical styles it represents, it not a particularly compelling listen. Spandau Ballet is best known in America for their number one hit: True and subsequent hits Gold and Through the Barricades. For most of us, that is kind of the beginning, middle and end of what we know about the band. Listening to this album did not compel me to dig a whole lot deeper – well I did anyway, but I didn’t find anything much to report out on. From a historical perspective Journeys to Glory is worth a listen- if only for context.  It is a great example of a certain kind of music and listening to it and the two Spandau Ballet albums that followed is a great pocket history on the musical styles that were rapidly churning through British (and ultimately American) music.

So what is it to actually listen to this album? I must admit to not being a big fan of the new romantic style – it’s too pop-y and quite frankly even the best of it I find to be uninspired and kind of shallow (maybe that is the point though). After several listens, I decided that the best songs on this album are Musclebound and To Cut a Long Story Short, both of which made it into the top ten on the UK charts. However, in general, I found the songs to be largely anonymous if not forgettable. The musicianship is completely solid, the singing strong and the production value is even but overall, it is an album to listen to when you aren’t paying attention. It will not get the party going, however I did do a lot of raking leaves to it and that worked out pretty well. 

https://open.spotify.com/album/1ytJ03C0RlfYdEDkFZ37aZ?si=-7CqCV3dRBWJ-hhn4DOILg

The 1986 Listening Post - Spandau Ballet - Through the Barricades

Spandau Ballet - Through the Barricades

#292/1417

July 14 1986

Spandau Ballet

Through the Barricades

Genre: Rock

4.25 out of 5

Highlights:

Cross the Line

Through the Barricades

Crunchy guitars? 

Like, really crunchy? 

Somehow, while trying to turn themselves into Bon Jovi, Spandau Ballet missed and turns into Toto. With a schmaltz singer at the helm and…saxophones. 

But, I don’t…haaaate it. I actually like the harder rocking “Cross the Line” and I can actually picture late era Elvis giving “Man in Chains” a go. It’s soul yes, but more fun. The production/arrangements bring a lot. It’s the record Wham! was trying to make but couldn’t. 

Fuck it. I liked this record a lot more than most. 

https://music.apple.com/us/album/through-the-barricades-remastered/1264012530

The 1984 Listening Post - Spandau Ballet - Parade

Spandau Ballet - Parade

#162

June 26 1984

Spandau Ballet

Parade

3.5 out of 5

Highlights:

I’ll Fly for You

Nature of the Beast

Is it just me or is this the Chicago of Spandau Ballet records? Or the KC and the Sunshine Band of New Wave? This is disco, right? How did they sell us this as New Romantic New Wave??

There’s a nifty bit of energy in the opener and  they musical acumen of the Kemps et al nearly push “Highly Strung” into recommended territory. Nearly. 

Spandau Ballet has perfected this retro-modern swinging-cool sound to the point where it has actually become a bit toothless. If it was a thing back then, they would have had a residency in Las Vegas. Or been the house band for a late night talk show. 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/parade-remastered/722319373

The 1983 Listening Post - Spandau Ballet - True

Spandau Ballet - True

Is this George Michael?
How did an AOR easy listening lounge act penetrate the MTV generation? My guess it’s cuz the name is so subversive cuz this band should be called “The Smooth Jazz Humperdink Five”.
Following in the swinging 60s vein that Fun Boy 3 was playing in at the same time, True is infectious and hard to toss into the dustbin.
Thing is...it's really listenable. I mean, I like this a LOT more than I had expected or wanted to.

February 28, 1983
Spandau Ballet
True
4 Stars

Highlights:
Communication
Lifeline
Gold
True