True Spirit is the debut solo album by American singer and musician Carleen Anderson, released in 1994. The album includes four UK Top 40 singles: "Nervous Breakdown" (No. 27), "Mama Said" (No. 26), "True Spirit" (No. 24) and "Let It Last" (No. 16).[6]
| True Spirit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 6, 1994[1] | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Label |
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| Producer |
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| Carleen Anderson chronology | ||||
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| Singles from True Spirit | ||||
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [7] |
The Guardian noted that "big ballads like 'Only One for Me' and 'Secrets', all strings and heavy breathing, are so pompous that even this fine singer can only coast along."[8]
In a retrospective review for AllMusic, Tom Demalon describes Anderson's voice as "warm" and "soulful" and that the album "succeeds in drawing on older R&B vibes and making them sound fresh." He went on to say that the lyrics are "literate and sophisticated", adding that "True Spirit is a gorgeous album that constantly draws in the listener, both musically and spiritually."[7]
Track listing
editAll tracks written by Carleen Anderson, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "True Spirit" | 4:40 | |
| 2. | "Morning Love" | 5:36 | |
| 3. | "Mama Said" |
| 4:07 |
| 4. | "Ain't Givin' up on You" |
| 4:24 |
| 5. | "Only One for Me" | 4:36 | |
| 6. | "Nervous Breakdown" | 7:34 | |
| 7. | "Secrets" | 4:35 | |
| 8. | "Let It Last" |
| 4:54 |
| 9. | "Feet Wet Up" | 4:34 | |
| 10. | "Welcome to Changes" | 3:19 | |
| 11. | "Ian Green's Groove Conclusion" | Green | 1:37 |
Personnel
edit- Carleen Anderson – arranger, primary artist, vocals
- Amanda Drummond – strings
- Ian Green – arranger, instrumentation, mixing, producer
- Martin "Max" Heyes – mixing
- Nigel Hitchcock – alto and tenor sax
- Stephen Hussey – strings
- Norman Jay – handclapping
- Brendan Lynch – glockenspiel, handclapping, producer, synthesizer
- Marco Nelson – bass
- Mark E. Nevin – arranger, guitar, handclapping, mellotron
- Jake Rea – strings
- Timothy Russell – engineer
- Steve Sidwell – trumpet
- Michael Talbot – keyboards
- Crispin Taylor – drums
Charts and certifications
editWeekly charts
edit| Chart (1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums Chart[6] | 12 |
Certifications
edit| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (BPI)[9] | Silver | 60,000^ |
|
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
edit- ^ "Album Releases". Music Week. June 4, 1994. p. 20.
- ^ "Single Releases". Music Week. January 29, 1994. p. 25.
- ^ "Single Releases". Music Week. May 14, 1994. p. 27.
- ^ "Single Releases". Music Week. July 30, 1994. p. 25.
- ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. December 24, 1994. p. 31.
- ^ a b "Carleen Anderson Full Official Chart History". Official Charts. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
- ^ a b "True Spirit Carleen Anderson". AllMusic. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
- ^ Sullivan, Caroline (June 3, 1994). "Pop/rock". Features. The Guardian.
- ^ "British album certifications – Carleen Anderson – True Spirit". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 25, 2018.