Spandau Ballet
Diamond

THE REVIEW

That the '80s were an amalgamation of overflowing and often mismatched ideas is no mystery. They are certainly the years of MTV pop and the transformation of old rock dinosaurs towards more commercial and palatable sounds, but they are also the period in which New Wave was taking its last steps and many of its exponents had by then fully established themselves. The first part of the decade is definitely much more interesting from a musical standpoint compared to the less enticing second half, which was decidedly too influenced by economic aspects. The much-maligned Spandau Ballet are part of these early years, victims like Duran Duran of a rapid musical categorization that saw them as exponents of romantic music for young girls. The New-Romantic movement is more complex, and a prepackaged definition is certainly not enough to define it, and with time perhaps the genre will be studied more thoroughly. 

"Diamond" is the second release from the British group, published in 1982. Compared to the rougher beginnings of "Journeys To Glory" from the year before, the Kemp brothers' new record introduces new funky sounds with extensive use of horns, this turn is manifested in the opening track "Chant No. 1". The entire first side A follows the same line set by the beginning, with songs where the main component remains the rhythm and there is a great emphasis on instrumental parts which are now much less minimal and more refined, even Hadley’s singing sounds like an additional instrument. "Paint Me Down" and "Instiction" cannot be categorized as mere pop songs; they are based on a careful exploration despite the group not seeking complex melodies and they remain within well-defined boundaries. The B side, opened by the simpler and more immediate track "She Loved Like Diamond", evokes paths previously traveled by Japan, a group of fundamental inspiration also for Duran Duran. Soft and delicate tracks, "Innocence And Science" with its oriental tones is very beautiful, as is the closing of "Missionary". 

The following year will see the release of "Gold" and "True" and a much more pop and polished sound, but the first two works of this group deserve a listen because they are surely not exceptional products but not to be thrown into the waste bin too quickly based on easy prejudices.