Raoul And The Kings Of Spain
The Guardian (London): October 27, 1995
by Caroline Sullivan
©1995 Guardian Newspapers Ltd.

According to Roland Orzabal, who has run TFF since the departure of Curt Smith, this is a back-to-basics album. But his idea of 'basics' is any other outfit's idea of fantastic ornateness - Raoul . . . is informed by washes of guitar, keyboard and Hammond organ, the whole thing as lush as a state-of-the-art studio could render it. It's impressive in the way that Canary Wharf is impressive, but numbers like Sorry, reputedly a love song, don't yield much emotion. The pared-down Los Reyes Catolicos is one of the few that achieves the intensity of passion for which Orzabal strived.