Album: The Story: The Very Best of
Artist: Spandau Ballet
2014 Chrysalis Records Ltd.
CD: 2564622789

Strings arranged by Nick Ingman (17-19)
Produced by Richard James Burgess (1-5), Steve Jolley/Tony Swain/Spandau Ballet (6-13), Gary Langan/Spandau Ballet (14, 15), Danton Supple (16), Trevor Horn (17-19)
Artwork & design: Village Green
Band photo: Scarlet Page
Liner notes: Robert Elms

Tracks:
1. "To Cut a Long Story Story Short" [G Kemp] (3:22)
2. "The Freeze" [G Kemp] (3:33)
3. "Musclebound" [G Kemp] (3:58)2
4. "Chant No. 1" [G Kemp] (4:09)
5. "Instinction" [G Kemp] (3:36)
6. "Lifeline" [G Kemp] (3:35)1
7. "Communication" [G Kemp] (3:41)
8. "True" [G Kemp] (5:40)
9. "Gold" [G Kemp] (3:54)1
10. "Only When You Leave" [G Kemp] (5:11)
11. "I'll Fly for You" [G Kemp] (5:37)
12. "Highly Strung" [G Kemp] (4:12)
13. "Round and Round" [G Kemp] (4:34)
14. "Fight for Ourselves" [G Kemp] (4:23)
15. "Through the Barracades" [G Kemp] (5:23)
16. "Once More" [G Kemp/Norman] (4:09)
17. "This is the Love" [G Kemp] (3:45)2
18. "Steal" [G Kemp] (4:28)
19. "Soul Boy" [Hadley] (3:48)


Notes (****): This complilation doesn't give any performer credits. Wikipedia gives the following for the album:

John Keeble: drums, percussion, backing vocals
Gary Kemp: lead guitar, keyboards, synthesizers, piano, backing vocals
Martin Kemp: bass guitar, guitar, backing vocals
Steve Norman: saxophone, guitar, percussion, keyboards, backing vocals
Tony Hadley: lead vocals, keyboards, synthesizers, percussion

The album made #8 in the UK (and made Gold), #13 in New Zealand, #22 in Australia, #24 in Italy, #26 in Ireland, #54 in Spain, #102 in Flanders (Belgium) and #281 in Japan.

(1-3) are from Journeys to Glory (1981). (4-5) are from Diamond (1982). (6-9) are from True (1983). (10-13) are from Parade (1984). (14-15) are from Through the Barricades (1986). (16) is from Once More (2009). For us, the interest is in the final tracks, which were newly recorded for this release and produced by Horn. Spandau Ballet were very familiar to me, as someone who grew up in the 1980s in the UK, and I think these three tracks successfully capture the Spandau Ballet style, but you can also hear that sheen of a Trevor Horn production.

Horn had previously worked with the band briefly, remixing and partly re-recording the song "Instinction" for its single release (in 1982). I think the version of the song included here is the original album version, before Horn got involved. (HP, 31 Jan 2024)

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