14 May 1983
Continuing our drive through the badlands of ’80s power ballads: ‘True’ by Spandau Ballet shows us that any song can be a power ballad if you bellow it loudly enough. Tony Hadley really goes full foghorn for the big moments, the first of which is literally the word “SOUND!”, while the quieter early exchanges are skimmed over in the manner of someone aching to get to the punchline of a long-winded joke.
It’s a pity, because ‘True’ is not really a power ballad at all; there’s a well-written and thoughtful attempt at coffee-table soul under all that bellowing. The lyrics get unfairly maligned, perhaps because Hadley’s sand-blasting over-exposes what are essentially brittle fragments, but “seaside arms” is a Nabokov reference and the nod to Marvin Gaye is a hint at what Gary Kemp may have been aiming for: smooth and glossy, yes, but also heartfelt. Hadley is fine for cheesy belters like ‘Gold’ but here he really and unfortunately is the wrong person for the job.
