Don't know what made me decide the pull out this dusty cd over the weekend- haven't listend to it in at least 15 years but wow. This one has really aged well and jams all the way through. Some songs are too long by 15-30 seconds but not a weak joint on the entire album, which (I forgot) is solid as hell.

I've been watchin his performances on youtube.

Amazing man

I consider it a classic myself. That was my "go to" tape when I used to travel by car a lot. And you're right. I used to just let it play. For me it displays his writing and voice immaculately.

luv4u said:

I've been watchin his performances on youtube.

Amazing man

So have I. He has an amazing voice. I love Symphony or Damn.

I really loved Introducing the Hardline, Neither Fish nor Flesh, Symphony or Damn. Vibrator has a few good tracks on it. Didn't care for Wildcard and everything after.

I bought Introducing the Hardline as it came out, such a brilliant collection of outstanding singles and some more.

So i bought 'Fish' blindly as it came out. Such a dissapointment. I tried to get into it, it just didn't work and never played it again.

Needless to say I even didn't bother listening to anything what came after, though I know and do like Delicate (even though it drags a bit, like several Kravitz songs do), but not enough to get that spark again.

I have said this before - I think TTD is as good as Prince and or alot of musicians that have many more album sales etc .

I first heard TTD in europe - before he was popular in the states ... so when I came back to the states and "raved" about him in 1987 - all my friends thought i was 'mr music' .... when in fact .... it was just that I had heard him so much in Europe for months before ...

His second album is one I think that takes getting used to ... but if you listen a few times ... it is a great sophomore album ... and what TTD wanted to do (it did get great reviews and "you will pay tomorrow for what you do today " is still my 'go to ' song about the Trump administration - but i do digress) .

The other albums I thought were amazing too - Symphony or Damn and Vibrator were right up there in terms of amazing and i wore them out .

When he went the "sananda" route - I went to see him in NYC ... LOVED that album too . Chris Rock and Janet Jackson were in a small club in NYC and it was amaziing to see . TTD/Sananda just made a decision that he didnt want to be part of the "rat race of holly wood /music industry " and opted for a family and kids and doing his own thing .... thats what i take from it ...

I too admit that I have not gotten totally into the new music he has done ... there are some hidden gems I think ... but ... in defense of him - i have not listened to enough of the stuff all the way through and given it a few listens ... I have caught a few youtube concert events ... and always thought it would be cool to have a "sananda festival " in the US etc .

luv4u said:

I've been watchin his performances on youtube.

Amazing man

His stint with INXS post-Michael's death was pretty great. It's on YouTube.

kpowers said:

Wildcard is betta.

i find that i go back to Symphony or Damn the most, but tons of great stuff by him throughout his career under either moniker. saw him at a small club in Detroit when that album came out! great night!

[Edited 10/11/19 19:56pm]

I do think Symphony or Damn is a great album . Maybe his best .

"Let her down easy" was SUCH an amazing song! Remember the morphing in the video with Des'ree?

You find yourself shovelling shit with a rusty jack-handle queen of a broken spade

2freaky4church1 said:

Wildcard is betta.

Only the Joker would think Wildcard is better

Cloudbuster said:

You find yourself shovelling shit with a rusty jack-handle queen of a broken spade

-

Brilliant! I've always felt that his songwriting was overlooked. As Prince said, "The man is a poet."

-

"You must turn the page."

one of the best CDs of the 90's

Ah TTD, the Pop Poet. I own the first two LPs, looking for Symphony Or Damn on vinyl at a reasonable price. What Sananda should consider is remastering his old performances from The Hardline days, he was an amazing song and dance man at his start.

Seasons is one of the greatest soul ballads. Good luck and health to him and his people.

[Edited 10/11/19 13:13pm]

ColAngus said:

I have said this before - I think TTD is as good as Prince and or alot of musicians that have many more album sales etc .

I first heard TTD in europe - before he was popular in the states ... so when I came back to the states and "raved" about him in 1987 - all my friends thought i was 'mr music' .... when in fact .... it was just that I had heard him so much in Europe for months before ...

His second album is one I think that takes getting used to ... but if you listen a few times ... it is a great sophomore album ... and what TTD wanted to do (it did get great reviews and "you will pay tomorrow for what you do today " is still my 'go to ' song about the Trump administration - but i do digress) .

The other albums I thought were amazing too - Symphony or Damn and Vibrator were right up there in terms of amazing and i wore them out .

When he went the "sananda" route - I went to see him in NYC ... LOVED that album too . Chris Rock and Janet Jackson were in a small club in NYC and it was amaziing to see . TTD/Sananda just made a decision that he didnt want to be part of the "rat race of holly wood /music industry " and opted for a family and kids and doing his own thing .... thats what i take from it ...

I too admit that I have not gotten totally into the new music he has done ... there are some hidden gems I think ... but ... in defense of him - i have not listened to enough of the stuff all the way through and given it a few listens ... I have caught a few youtube concert events ... and always thought it would be cool to have a "sananda festival " in the US etc .

Aside from him being as good as Prince, I agree with this lock stock. I think the fact that he has decided to produce and record everything by himself has dramatically hurt the likability of his recent output.


His voice is from the Gods. But his musicianship is, average, if I'm being generous. I think the reason his first five albums are golden is because he was surrounded by top shelf musicians, taking his songs to a greater plain.


Now - most of what he creates is flat, lifeless arrangements of songs that could be so much better if he was surrounded by an all star cast.


Not necessarily meant as a sharp critique. I think it's fanstastic that he's an artist's artist doing things his own way. But the songs unquestionably suffer the process.....

I've always liked Sananda just as well as TTD and Prince. He's changed his production values from the golden-olden days of his career origin, and simplified the sound. I listen to Sananda regularly and understand that his different approach has seaparaed him a bit from some of his old crowd. I for one enjoy his new radiance. The idea that there are people around who appreciate Symphony or Damn telegraphs that he has more potential appreciative audience left to connect to his later works--ever still the poet with good humor and sincerity.

*

His voice kind of comes and goes these days--those big voices can sometimes be challenging to maintain. He's been touring the Italian festival circuit for the last couple years with his bigger band The Sugar Plum Phaeroahs (sp), but some of those shows are really brilliant and he's been singing some of the Symphony or Damn songs. I say find a way to enjoy him while he's still active.

Germanegro said:

I've always liked Sananda just as well as TTD and Prince. He's changed his production values from the golden-olden days of his career origin, and simplified the sound. I listen to Sananda regularly and understand that his different approach has seaparaed him a bit from some of his old crowd. I for one enjoy his new radiance. The idea that there are people around who appreciate Symphony or Damn telegraphs that he has more potential appreciative audience left to connect to his later works--ever still the poet with good humor and sincerity.

*

His voice kind of comes and goes these days--those big voices can sometimes be challenging to maintain. He's been touring the Italian festival circuit for the last couple years with his bigger band The Sugar Plum Phaeroahs (sp), but some of those shows are really brilliant and he's been singing some of the Symphony or Damn songs. I say find a way to enjoy him while he's still active.

Does he still perform any Hardline songs?

Symphony or Damn is irrefutable proof that his creativity is inexhaustible and equal to that of his peers. In fact, his entire body of work is incredible.

CoolMF said:

I LOVE this album.

I was and still am a huge fan of his first album...then like many, he lost me with that 2nd one (which I have grown to appreciate) so I held off picking up Symphony or Damn for a bit. But heard Are You Happy? from a friends CD mix he gave me for my bday and I went and immediately picked the CD up and fell in love with the whole thing immediately.

It's easily my fave from him. BUT Wildcard and Vibrator are both very good as well.

Aside from him being as good as Prince, I agree with this lock stock. I think the fact that he has decided to produce and record everything by himself has dramatically hurt the likability of his recent output.


His voice is from the Gods. But his musicianship is, average, if I'm being generous. I think the reason his first five albums are golden is because he was surrounded by top shelf musicians, taking his songs to a greater plain.


Now - most of what he creates is flat, lifeless arrangements of songs that could be so much better if he was surrounded by an all star cast.


Not necessarily meant as a sharp critique. I think it's fanstastic that he's an artist's artist doing things his own way. But the songs unquestionably suffer the process..

You and I agree on alot ! - I have said it many times - he has the voice I wish i had !

2x said:

Aside from him being as good as Prince, I agree with this lock stock. I think the fact that he has decided to produce and record everything by himself has dramatically hurt the likability of his recent output.


His voice is from the Gods. But his musicianship is, average, if I'm being generous. I think the reason his first five albums are golden is because he was surrounded by top shelf musicians, taking his songs to a greater plain.


Now - most of what he creates is flat, lifeless arrangements of songs that could be so much better if he was surrounded by an all star cast.


Not necessarily meant as a sharp critique. I think it's fanstastic that he's an artist's artist doing things his own way. But the songs unquestionably suffer the process..

You and I agree on alot ! - I have said it many times - he has the voice I wish i had !

I agree.

His output as Sananda Maitreya proves that he was never a multi-instrumentalist comparable to Prince, despite him being marketed that way in the early days. I'm glad that you brought up the arrangements - it's not just that he has obvious limitations as a guitarist, keyboard player and a drummer (especially as a drummer), but the arrangements are bland, do not utilize space in an effective manner and makes the songs come off as much weaker than what they could be.

Then again, he does come off a bit crazy in the interviews these days, like he'd suffer from cognitive problems when he starts rambling, so maybe that contributes to the whole thing.

[Edited 10/20/19 9:30am]

Fenwick said:

ColAngus said:

I have said this before - I think TTD is as good as Prince and or alot of musicians that have many more album sales etc .

I first heard TTD in europe - before he was popular in the states ... so when I came back to the states and "raved" about him in 1987 - all my friends thought i was 'mr music' .... when in fact .... it was just that I had heard him so much in Europe for months before ...

His second album is one I think that takes getting used to ... but if you listen a few times ... it is a great sophomore album ... and what TTD wanted to do (it did get great reviews and "you will pay tomorrow for what you do today " is still my 'go to ' song about the Trump administration - but i do digress) .

The other albums I thought were amazing too - Symphony or Damn and Vibrator were right up there in terms of amazing and i wore them out .

When he went the "sananda" route - I went to see him in NYC ... LOVED that album too . Chris Rock and Janet Jackson were in a small club in NYC and it was amaziing to see . TTD/Sananda just made a decision that he didnt want to be part of the "rat race of holly wood /music industry " and opted for a family and kids and doing his own thing .... thats what i take from it ...

I too admit that I have not gotten totally into the new music he has done ... there are some hidden gems I think ... but ... in defense of him - i have not listened to enough of the stuff all the way through and given it a few listens ... I have caught a few youtube concert events ... and always thought it would be cool to have a "sananda festival " in the US etc .

Aside from him being as good as Prince, I agree with this lock stock. I think the fact that he has decided to produce and record everything by himself has dramatically hurt the likability of his recent output.


His voice is from the Gods. But his musicianship is, average, if I'm being generous. I think the reason his first five albums are golden is because he was surrounded by top shelf musicians, taking his songs to a greater plain.


Now - most of what he creates is flat, lifeless arrangements of songs that could be so much better if he was surrounded by an all star cast.


Not necessarily meant as a sharp critique. I think it's fanstastic that he's an artist's artist doing things his own way. But the songs unquestionably suffer the process.....

so u think his later output with better production and band members would make the songs better????

It's cool to read the opinons of the studio ghouls, prickly audiophiles, and armchair arrangers--they're meaningful in their own self-contained ways--but all interested in essentially interesting musical entertainment can go to Sananda's website https://www.sanandamaitreya.com/ to see what's in store, or any of the other streaming platforms to check out Sananda's sounds. They're organic and cool.

*

Honestly, when you hear him perform his "Symphony or Damn" songs with his band today along with what he's also doing right now, the result is pretty seamless--even in with his older trio, the Nudge, Nudge--just saying!

CoolMF said:

...but not a weak joint on the entire album, which (I forgot) is solid as hell.

In my opinion all this earlier work (4 albums) are inspired masterpieces. The albums would still blow people away if they were released today to fresh ears.

He lost me completely though. There has been nothing in the newer work that has even come close, despite all the talk of being free from the suits.

tump said: