Search - T'Pau :: Promise

A Lost Classic

Danaphile | San Francisco, CA USA | 07/31/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Track listing:



1. Soul Destruction

2. Whenever You Need Me

3. Walk On Air

4. Made Of Money

5. Hold On To Love

6. Strange Place

7. One Direction

8. Only A Heartbeat

9. The Promise

10. A Place In My Heart

11. Man And Woman

12. Purity



For diehard music fans, there's probably nothing more frustrating than seeing a great album handled poorly by the record company. I, for one, hate to sit by and watch as they release an album's weaker material and then neglect to release any of the best songs when the lesser ones perform poorly on the charts, assuming that they chart at all. There are so many albums that have songs that are radio-friendly and perfectly commercial enough to release as singles, but somehow, call it what you will, they get ignored or neglected or just plain lost in the shuffle.



T'pau's The Promise had great promise itself, boasting what were arguably the band's best songs, at least in terms of commercial potential. The first mistake, however, that cost them the chance of repeating the phenomenal success that their debut album saw in the UK and easily surpassing its modest success stateside, was the poor choice of song order. Then, solidifying the album's fate, Charisma executives made some lazy choices as to which singles to release since there seems to be an unwritten rule out there in record company land that says the best tracks on an album are always close to the beginning.



Track 2, "Whenever You Need Me," would not have been my choice for the first song to release, although it did make it to number 16 in the UK and was definitely equal to anything on their first album. Track 3, "Walk On Air," however, is merely good filler. As the second single, it only reached number 62 in the UK, and the last two singles from the album, "Soul Destruction" (track 1, of course) and "Only A Heartbeat," missed the chart completely. The "Promise" album was the last for T'pau (as a band, anyway), which I'm guessing was due, at least in part, to this decline in chart performance.



The only reason I'm even hearing this album now for the first time is because of VH1 Classic. I had "Heart And Soul" on a collection of songs by various artists for many years and didn't know any other songs that would warrant looking around for a greatest hits album or anything, but then I started seeing the video for "Bridge Of Spies" on VH1 Classic and had to have it on CD. I was so impressed with their first album that I bought their second album "Rage" and this third one immediately.



If you found "Rage" to be something of a letdown after their strong debut (as I did), don't let that keep you from hearing "The Promise," which has much stronger material, albeit poorly sequenced. If I were deciding the chronological order of the tracks, I'd be putting the best and most lyrically accessible songs up front precisely because of the formulaic choices the executives at Charisma made (which most record company folks would make). My first four singles/tracks would be:



1. A Place In My Heart. Something about this song reminds me of Roxette's "Fading Like A Flower (Every Time You Leave)," except the hooks are even more amazing here. Unlike "Whenever You Need Me," the beat is consistent throughout, and the lyrics are simple and direct so as not to turn off the youngsters. Whoever thought it was a good idea to bury this gem well into the last half of the CD should have his or her head examined. Of the many brilliant songs that I've ever stumbled across by accident, this one is quite possibly my favorite.



2. The Promise. Again we have great hooks and a romantic theme that many will appreciate. This one is about as loud as this album gets, which may be a relief to anyone who found the debut album a little too cranked up for their taste. This is another lost treasure that should have made it to radio.



3. Whenever You Need Me. This one bounces right through the first few bars so effortlessly that it's no wonder that it was chosen to be the first single, but the verses slow things down a bit and sort of stifle the momentum, unlike on the above two that plug along without a care in the world. The chorus does pick things up again, however, and once again the hooks are irresistible.



4. Hold On To Love. This is a gorgeous ballad that also has the straightforward makings of a hit. Alas, it wound up as another lost opportunity.



"Only A Heartbeat" and "Strange Place" are just as amazing as these four I've described, although not as commercial. "Man And Woman" and "One Direction" are also memorable. This is not one of those albums that has songs that you want to skip past because they aren't any good or, even worse, get on your nerves.



Anyone who has enjoyed either of T'pau's first two albums should make the effort to get a hold of "The Promise." The greatest hits collection that Disky put out has six of my favorites here on it, but you should really have this entire album. If you wind up loving any of these songs as much as I do, you'll want the lyrics that come with the CD, if only to thrill at the craft that went into writing such delightful pop treasures. Those who missed this one when it first came out should at the very least add it to their wish list so that it doesn't get overlooked again.



"

Wow! what a gem

J. T. Wilkes | Hoboken, NJ | 10/24/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Found this one in the discount bin and I am so shocked at how good it is. Read the first review for a detail description of songs. Not just a pop trash ablum, all the songs are different and strong. 'Purity' and Man & Woman' are a couple of faves that are at the end of the cd. Very good cd, not just for fans."

A lost classic

Danaphile | San Francisco, CA USA | 01/14/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Track listing:



1. Soul Destruction

2. Whenever You Need Me

3. Walk On Air

4. Made Of Money

5. Hold On To Love

6. Strange Place

7. One Direction

8. Only A Heartbeat

9. The Promise

10. A Place In My Heart

11. Man And Woman

12. Purity



For diehard music fans, there's probably nothing more frustrating than seeing a great album handled poorly by the record company. I, for one, hate to sit by and watch as they release an album's weaker material and then neglect to release any of the best songs when the lesser ones perform poorly on the charts, assuming that they chart at all. There are so many albums that have songs that are radio-friendly and perfectly commercial enough to release as singles, but somehow, call it what you will, they get ignored or neglected or just plain lost in the shuffle.



T'pau's The Promise had great promise itself, boasting what were arguably the band's best songs, at least in terms of commercial potential. The first mistake, however, that cost them the chance of repeating the phenomenal success that their debut album saw in the UK and easily surpassing its modest success stateside, was the poor choice of song order. Then, solidifying the album's fate, Charisma executives made some lazy choices as to which singles to release since there seems to be an unwritten rule out there in record company land that says the best tracks on an album are always close to the beginning.



Track 2, "Whenever You Need Me," would not have been my choice for the first song to release, although it did make it to number 16 in the UK and was definitely equal to anything on their first album. Track 3, "Walk On Air," however, is merely good filler. As the second single, it only reached number 62 in the UK, and the last two singles from the album, "Soul Destruction" (track 1, of course) and "Only A Heartbeat," missed the chart completely. The "Promise" album was the last for T'pau (as a band, anyway), which I'm guessing was due, at least in part, to this decline in chart performance.



The only reason I'm even hearing this album now for the first time is because of VH1 Classic. I had "Heart And Soul" on a collection of songs by various artists for many years and didn't know any other songs that would warrant looking around for a greatest hits album or anything, but then I started seeing the video for "Bridge Of Spies" on VH1 Classic and had to have it on CD. I was so impressed with their first album that I bought their second album "Rage" and this third one immediately.



If you found "Rage" to be something of a letdown after their strong debut (as I did), don't let that keep you from hearing "The Promise," which has much stronger material, albeit poorly sequenced. If I were deciding the chronological order of the tracks, I'd be putting the best and most lyrically accessible songs up front precisely because of the formulaic choices the executives at Charisma made (which most record company folks would make). My first four singles/tracks would be:



1. A Place In My Heart. Something about this song reminds me of Roxette's "Fading Like A Flower (Every Time You Leave)," except the hooks are even more amazing here. Unlike "Whenever You Need Me," the beat is consistent throughout, and the lyrics are simple and direct so as not to turn off the youngsters. Whoever thought it was a good idea to bury this gem well into the last half of the CD should have his or her head examined. Of the many brilliant songs that I've ever stumbled across by accident, this one is quite possibly my favorite.



2. The Promise. Again we have great hooks and a romantic theme that many will appreciate. This one is about as loud as this album gets, which may be a relief to anyone who found the debut album a little too cranked up for their taste. This is another lost treasure that should have made it to radio.



3. Whenever You Need Me. This one bounces right through the first few bars so effortlessly that it's no wonder that it was chosen to be the first single, but the verses slow things down a bit and sort of stifle the momentum, unlike on the above two that plug along without a care in the world. The chorus does pick things up again, however, and once again the hooks are irresistible.



4. Hold On To Love. This is a gorgeous ballad that also has the straightforward makings of a hit. Alas, it wound up as another lost opportunity.



"Only A Heartbeat" and "Strange Place" are just as amazing as these four I've described, although not as commercial. "Man And Woman" and "One Direction" are also memorable. This is not one of those albums that has songs that you want to skip past because they aren't any good or, even worse, get on your nerves.



Anyone who has enjoyed either of T'pau's first two albums should make the effort to get a hold of "The Promise." The greatest hits collection that Disky put out has six of my favorites here on it, but you should really have this entire album. If you wind up loving any of these songs as much as I do, you'll want the lyrics that come with the CD, if only to thrill at the craft that went into writing such delightful pop treasures. Those who missed this one when it first came out should at the very least add it to their wish list so that it doesn't get overlooked again."