Spandau Ballet:Greatest Hits

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That small coterie of early-'80s Britpop bands who were part of the New Romantic movement--a dressed-up and dance-oriented response to punk rock--have largely been dismissed as pretty boys whose affinity for hairspray and trend mongering outweighs their talent. And while there's some truth in that, it's largely an unfair characterization. As evidence, check out this collection from Spandau Ballet, who began life as the overly photogenic house band (love that eye patch) for London's Blitz club and went on to international fame with pop-soul crooners like "True" and "Gold." But the band was more interesting on earlier tracks like "To Cut a Long Story Short," which suggest that brothers Gary and Martin Kemp could come up with a slightly smoother take on the intentionally stilted funk of cronies A Certain Ratio. In the unlikely event that pop revisionists ever give the New Romantics their due, Spandau Ballet will be at the head of the queue. --Bill Forman

Spandau Ballet:Greatest Hits,Spandau Ballet,EMI Special Markets,New Romantic,New Wave,Pop,Pop/Rock,Rock,Rock/Pop

Spandau Ballet:Greatest Hits

Average customer rating:

They Dressed Well...
Rescue Me!
Fabulous Music
I just heard it today..loved ALL of it!
Shine On, Spandau Ballet

Spandau Ballet:Greatest Hits
Spandau Ballet
Manufacturer: EMI Special Products
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

New Wave | New Wave & Post-Punk | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Alternative Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 Pop | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B000002SXN
Release Date: 1995-03-21

Tracks:

True
Paint Me Down
Lifeline
Gold
Only When You Leave
Round And Round
Highly Strung
To Cut A Long Story Short
I'll Fly For You
Communication

Amazon.com

That small coterie of early-'80s Britpop bands who were part of the New Romantic movement--a dressed-up and dance-oriented response to punk rock--have largely been dismissed as pretty boys whose affinity for hairspray and trend mongering outweighs their talent. And while there's some truth in that, it's largely an unfair characterization. As evidence, check out this collection from Spandau Ballet, who began life as the overly photogenic house band (love that eye patch) for London's Blitz club and went on to international fame with pop-soul crooners like "True" and "Gold." But the band was more interesting on earlier tracks like "To Cut a Long Story Short," which suggest that brothers Gary and Martin Kemp could come up with a slightly smoother take on the intentionally stilted funk of cronies A Certain Ratio. In the unlikely event that pop revisionists ever give the New Romantics their due, Spandau Ballet will be at the head of the queue. --Bill Forman

Customer Reviews:

They Dressed Well..........2007-01-15

Gold...Only When You Leave Love these two songs. I always thought S.B. was soooo cool.

Rescue Me!.......2006-09-11

Years ago Robert Chirstgau inspired a generation of pithy rock critics. Before our current zeitgeist of political correctness gave backhand slaps to our choices of rhetoric one forgotten reviewer's memorable take of Spandau Ballet's song "True" has stuck in my head forever: "All I can think of when I hear this song is two fags kissing on a dance floor." Transcending that now discredited expression one still wonders how this breathy stand out single has stood the test of time so long, and remains their best work in comparison to their mediocre and forgettable other offerings. This is music for which the MUZAK orchestrations are an improvement. Mercifully those who were already on a trajectory to the Lay-Z-Boy and Cadillac set of the "rock" music new Romantic movement departed to the soft-rock stations that now pollute our dying airwaves. Inspiring data point: "True" was released the same year as the Angry Samoans "They Saved Hitler's Cock." The Deus Ex Machina or three cord thrash has rescued us all.

Fabulous Music.......2005-09-10

There is not one song on the CD that I do not like. I listen to it every day. Good quality, value for money and a CD must have.

I just heard it today..loved ALL of it!.......2004-09-20

I just saw this album and bought it! This group was far more than just the mega hit True. This whole album sounded good--all 10 songs are very well done pop songs! Even Spandau Ballet rocked on some guitar heavy rockers like Highly Strung and To Cut a Long Story Short, Paint Me Down and Communication. Only When You Leave still sounds fabulous as well as their more famous True in 2004. I'll Fly For You is like the companion to True with its own jazzy meets pop vibe. It sounds pretty too. On some of the uptempo songs, they kind of sound like Culture Club, especially on Only When You Leave. The album is very '80s in its sound and musical landscapes (makes me feel like I'm in South Carolina, Georgia or sunny Florida), but sounds so fresh and never outdated now. This was a group that took it and ran with it creatively with their success in the '80s and I think that they compiled a good compilation in its 42 minute span.

Shine On, Spandau Ballet.......2001-06-09

I am not sure how many people know the real history behind the name of the group - apparently there was this war criminal who spent his last days in prison, and eventually went crazy. He would pace the cell endlessly, and that too in a rather strange fashion. The guards jokingly called it "Spadau Ballet", combining the name of the prison and the strange gait of the crazy General. There is nothing to laugh about this album, though. Pure gold, with deep, meaningful lyrics ("True" springs to mind). The others are excellent too, but would take some time to grow on you. Once they do, you'll like them all the same way. Happy listening :-)

Average customer rating:

Cool Rock
Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes , Thompson Twins , Christopher Cross , Ashford & Simpson , REO Speedwagon , Marty Balin , Vangelis , Little River Band , Cutting Crew , and Mr. Mister
Manufacturer: Mystic Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000MZW3VC

Product Description

Mystic Music presents COOL ROCK. 2 CD set released in 1995 with some of the best hits from the 80's. AS SEEN ON T.V. Disc 1 1. UP HERE YOU BELONG JOE CROCKER&JENNIFER WAMES 2. ALWAYS SOMETHING THERE TO REMIND ME NAKED EYES 3. LEAN ON ME CLUB NOUVEAU 4. HOLD ME NOW THOMPSON TWINS 5. DON'T FORGET ME (WHEN I'M GONE) GLASS TIGER 6. LOVE T.K.O. TEDDY PENDERGRASS 7. JOANNA KOOL&THE GANG 8. THINK OF LAURA CHRISTOPHER CROSS 9. I THINK WE'RE ALONE NOW TIFFANY 10. BELIEVE IT OR NOT JOEY SCARBURY 11. IT MUST HAVE BEEN LOVE ROXETTE 12. TIME(CLOCK OF THE HEART) CULTURE CLUB 13. SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER THE MOTELS 14. SHE'S A BEAUTY THE TUBES 15. SOLID ASHFORD & SIMPSON 16. NEVER GONNA LET YOU GO SERGIO MENDES 17. HOLD ON WILSON PHILIPS 18. BIGGEST PART OF ME AMBROSIA DISC 2 1. AFRICA TOTO 2. CAN'T FIGHT THIS FEELING REO SPEEDWAGON 3. LADY IN RED CHRIS DEBURGH 4. PRIVATE DANCER TINA TURNER 5. (I JUST) DIED IN YOUR ARMS CUTTING CREW 6. MISSING YOU JOHN WAITE 7. COOL CHANGE LITTLE RIVER BAND 8. NEVER SURRENDER COREY HART 9. CALL ME BLONDIE 10. TRUE SPANDAU BALLET 11. ATLANTA LADY (SOMETHING ABOUT YOU) MARTY BALIN 12. BROKEN WINGS MR. MISTER 13. CHARIOTS OF FIRE VANGELIS 14. I CAN DREAM ABOUT YOU DAN HARTMAN 15. LOVE WILL LEAD YOU BACK TAYLOR DAYNE 16. BABY, COME TO ME JAMES INGRAM&PATTI AUSTIN 17. LET'S STAY TOGETHER AL GREEN