True (Spandau Ballet album)

True is the third studio album by the English new wave band Spandau Ballet. It was released on 4 March 1983 on Chrysalis Records. While Spandau Ballet's first two albums earned them European popularity, True made them worldwide stars and was heavily influenced by jazz, soul and R&B. It reached number 1 on the UK Albums Chart,[3] the Top 20 on the US Billboard 200, and charted in numerous other countries around the world. The title track spent four weeks at number 1 in the UK Singles Chart and went to number 4 on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was also Spandau Ballet's first album to be recorded outside of London (at Compass Point Studios in the Bahamas).

True
Studio album by
Released4 March 1983
RecordedOctober–November 1982
StudioCompass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas
GenrePop, new wave
Length35:36
LabelChrysalis
ProducerSteve Jolley, Tony Swain
Spandau Ballet chronology
Diamond
(1982)
True
(1983)
Parade
(1984)
Alternative album cover
20th Anniversary edition
Singles from True
  1. "Lifeline"
    Released: 17 September 1982
  2. "Communication"
    Released: 27 January 1983
  3. "True"
    Released: 15 April 1983
  4. "Gold"
    Released: 5 August 1983
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[2]

Other singles from the album included "Gold" (a no. 2 UK hit and a Top 30 hit in the US), "Lifeline", "Communication", and "Pleasure". Later album releases by the band never equalled the success of True.

A remastered version of "True" was released on 3 July 2003 to commemorate its 20th anniversary. It was re-released as a single CD with the original eight tracks along with the music video for "Gold" and some home video footage of the band. The original 8-track album was also issued on the high-resolution super audio CD format as a Hybrid SACD (in stereo only). In 2008, the album was given away free with copies of the Daily Mail newspaper.[4] In June 2010, a special edition was released on 2 CDs and DVD as part of the 2010 Spandau Ballet reissues series, featuring remastered 12" remixes and B-sides, plus a live concert.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Gary Kemp.

No.TitleLength
1."Pleasure"3:35
2."Communication"3:40
3."Code of Love"5:11
4."Gold"4:51
5."Lifeline"3:36
6."Heaven Is a Secret"4:27
7."Foundation"4:08
8."True"6:30
True 2003 edition (bonus tracks)
No.TitleLength
9."Home Video Footage" (multimedia) 
10."Gold" (music video) 
True 2010 edition (bonus disc)
No.TitleLength
1."Lifeline" (7" short dub)3:37
2."Communication" (7" edited club version)2:44
3."Gold" (12" version)7:14
4."Lifeline" (12" version)5:26
5."Communication" (12" version)4:28
6."Lifeline" (12" dub)5:17
7."True" (2002 version)6:42
8."Gold" (instrumental)2:44
9."Lifeline" (acappella)2:02
10."True" (instrumental)5:36
11."Code of Love" (Live At Sadler's Wells, 1 May 1983)5:39
12."The Freeze" (Live At Sadler's Wells, 1 May 1983)2:16
13."Glow" (Live At Sadler's Wells, 1 May 1983)3:42
14."Heaven Is A Secret" (Live At Sadler's Wells, 1 May 1983)4:51

Personnel

Spandau Ballet

Additional musician

  • Jess Bailey – keyboards

Production

  • Spandau Ballet – producers
  • Steve Jolley – producer
  • Tony Swain – producer, engineer
  • Richard Lengyel – assistant engineer
  • Tim Young – mastering
  • David Band – art direction, illustration
  • Lynn Goldsmith – photography
  • Stephen Horsfall – typography
  • Steve Dagger – management
  • Mixed at Red Bus Studios (London, UK).
  • Mastered at CBS Studios (London, UK).

Charts

Chart (1983/4) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[5] 4
Canada 8
New Zealand (RIANZ) 1
United Kingdom (Official Charts Company)[3] 1
US Billboard 200 19

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Germany (BVMI)[6] Gold 250,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[7] Platinum 100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[8] Platinum 15,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[9] Gold 50,000^
Sweden (GLF)[10] Gold 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[11] Platinum 300,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. LeRoy, Dan. "True – Spandau Ballet". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  2. Evans, Paul (2004). "Spandau Ballet". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 764. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  3. "True". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  4. "Spandau Ballet – True". discogs.com. Retrieved 18 September 2011. This CD was given away free with the Saturday edition of British national newspaper, The Daily Mail.
  5. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 286. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  6. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Spandau Ballet; 'True')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  7. "Dutch album certifications – Spandau Ballet – True" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 20 September 2019. Enter True in the "Artiest of titel" box.
  8. "New Zealand album certifications – Spandau Ballet – True". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  9. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  10. "Mike Watts, Mike Allen with Lars Olof-Helen (Sonet, Sweden) Presenting Gold Albums for "True" to Spandau Ballet Very Early Morning…" (PDF). Music & Media. 25 June 1984. p. 17. Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  11. "British album certifications – Spandau Ballet – True". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 20 September 2019. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type True in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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