Following the major success of his debut,
Terence Trent d'Arby made the always-difficult sophomore effort more difficult. In addition to the brash declarations that preceded his first record,
d'Arby made ultimately self-sabotaging demands upon his label, concerning
Neither Fish nor Flesh's promotion and release (to coincide with the competitive Christmas market). The challenging nature of the album didn't help matters.
Neither Fish nor Flesh is a sprawling, overly ambitious work that incorporates Middle Eastern flavorings and even more of a gospel influence into his gritty mix of rock, R&B, and funk. Lyrically,
d'Arby's pretensions run a bit wild, but the man does possess a voice that is a force to be reckoned with. Songs like the rousing, soulful "I'll Be Alright" and the sexy "To Know Someone Deeply Is to Know Someone Softly" are masterful. Other highlights include the breezy, Motown vibe of "Billy Don't Fall" (a song actually about AIDS) and the skeletal, fiery "This Side of Love."
Neither Fish nor Flesh crashed upon release, but the album remains a compelling, if flawed, effort from a musician that is one of the more baffling unfulfilled talents of his time. ~ Tom Demalon