A$# 049 T'Pau | Bridge Of Spies

T’Pau released their debut album, Bridge Of Spies, in 1987, and I was drawn to their music the moment I heard it. BOS is a fine example of 80s power pop that has aged well.

Plus, you’ve gotta love a group who take their name from a Star Trek character. In case you didn’t know, T’Pau is a powerful Vulcan leader who is a distant relative of Spock, who appears in Amok Time, one of my personal top 10 episodes of The Original Series. (She was played by Celia Lovsky. A younger T’Pau makes a couple of appearance in the sequel series Enterprise, played by Kara Zediker.)

The core of the group were vocalist Carol Decker and rhythm guitarist Ron Rogers, who wrote all the songs. The first single was the album opener, Heart And Soul. Carol’s sultry vocals draw the listener in right away:

Something in the moonlight catches my eye
The shadow of a lover goes dancing by
Looking for a little bit of love to grow, so
Give me love, give me heart and soul

Also appealing are the solid rhythm section from drummer Tom Burgess and bassist Paul Jackson. Michael Chetwood’s synth and keyboards plus Taj Wyjgowski’s lead guitar are also well done.

The songs explore a range of emotions and relationships, like I Will Be With You, Friends Like These, Sex Talk and the title song, which may be a metaphor for betrayal, deception and liberation in matters of the heart. Monkey House is the rockiest song of the bunch, and features some great guitar work. The strongest elements of all the tracks is Carol’s great singing.

But the real standout song for me is China In Your Hand. It starts with pizzicato string sounds on synth and then brings in a single piano. The song then builds into a fuller sound that meshes well with Carol’s vocal delivery. The song is about the fragility of the dreams.

It was a theme she had
On a scheme he had
Told in a foreign land
To take life on earth
To the second birth
And the man was in command
It was a flight on the wings
Of a young girl's dreams
That flew too far away
And we could make the monster live again

Oh hands move and heart beat on
Now life will return in this electric storm
A prophecy for a fantasy
The curse of a vivid mind

Don't push too far
Your dreams are china in your hand
Don't wish too hard
Because they may come true
And you can't help them
You don't know what you might
Have set upon yourself
China in your hand

Or maybe it's about Frankenstein and his monster. Anyway, I found the song very inspiring back in early 1987 and early 1988.

T’Pau were never really able to repeat the success of their debut album on this side of the pond. (Note: In the US, the album was simply called T’Pau.) They had some better luck in the UK. In recent years, Carol has returned with a new line-up of the group. Try to find a copy of Bridge Of Spies if you can.

Track listing:
1. Heart And Soul
2. I Will Be With You
3. China In Your Hand
4. Friends Like These
5. Sex Talk
6. Bridge Of Spies
7. Monkey House
8. Valentine
9. Thank You For Goodbye
10. You Give Up
11. China In Your Hand (Reprise)