True Confessions (album)

True Confessions is the third studio album by British group Bananarama. It was released on 14 July 1986 by London Records. The majority of the album was produced by Tony Swain and Steve Jolley (who produced Bananarama's eponymous second album), with the exception of "Venus" and "More Than Physical". The latter, given a garage remix for its single version, was Bananarama's first songwriting collaboration with the Stock Aitken Waterman (SAW) production team.

The album contains the group's most commercially successful single to date, a cover version of Shocking Blue's 1969 song "Venus", which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. True Confessions reached number 46 on the UK Albums Chart and number 15 on the US Billboard 200, becoming the group's highest-charting album on the latter chart.

The fourth single, "A Trick of the Night" was written by Jolley and Swain and re-recorded and remixed by SAW for release in the UK.

In contrast to the two dance-oriented songs produced by SAW, the majority of the songs produced by Jolley and Swain tend towards rock-based, serious-minded pop. The lyrical content addresses overcoming obstacles in relationships ("Ready or Not", "Promised Land") and tackles social issues, such as the anti-drug stance on "Hooked on Love". Two ballads are included: the aforementioned "A Trick of the Night", which is a cautionary ballad about a male friend trying to survive on city streets, and the jazzy, sophisto-pop track "Dance With a Stranger".

Critical reception
Jerry Smith, reviewer of British music newspaper Music Week, wrote a warm and positive review of the album. He wrote: "They're rather good notice how they're always five minutes ahead of high street fashion, so maybe it's their suitability as teen role models that's kept them afloat on a tide of paper thin melodies far so long. Fashionable targets they may be, but their latest hit single says they still know what their public wants." In a review published in Record Mirror, Lesley O'Toole was less enthusiastic, stating that the album, despite its title, come "as no revelation whatsoever. Yet another slab of formula Bananas sees the girls executing cooing harmonies and fey storylines – all about as heavyweight as a mosquito, though marginally less bothersome". Tom Hibbert of Smash Hits praised the album as being "undeniably, convincingly listenable" and "a proper pop "album"", adding that Bananarama "make "intriguing" pop – and can even sustain the charm across an entire LP".

Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of True Confessions.

Bananarama

 * Keren Woodward
 * Sara Dallin
 * Siobhan Fahey

Additional musicians

 * Tony Swain – keyboards (tracks 1–5, 7–9, 11)
 * Steve Jolley – guitar (tracks 1–5, 7–9, 11)
 * Keith Thomas – saxophone (tracks 1–5, 7–9, 11)
 * Matt Aitken – guitar (track 6); keyboards (track 10)
 * Mike Stock – keyboards (tracks 6, 10)
 * Gary Hughes – keyboards (track 6)
 * Drum Machine – drums (tracks 6, 10)
 * Andy Stennett – keyboards (track 10)

Technical

 * Tony Swain – production (tracks 1–5, 7–9, 11)
 * Steve Jolley – production (tracks 1–5, 7–9, 11)
 * Stock Aitken Waterman – production (tracks 6, 10)
 * Richard Lengyel – recording engineering
 * Chips – engineering assistance
 * Paul Batchelor – engineering assistance
 * Tim Young – mastering (at CBS Studios, London)

Artwork

 * Dennis Cockell – tattoos design
 * Martin Brading – photography
 * Peter Barrett – sleeve design