Soldier of Love
Soldier of Love
- Sultry, Dynamic, Jazzy, Steamy
- elegantly soulful
Known for their one of a kind timeless sound, Sade has enjoyed phenomenal success both internationally and stateside throughout the span of their twenty-five year career. The highly anticipated new body of work SOLDIER OF LOVE features 10 new songs including the latest single, “Soldier Of Love”.
Rating: 
(out of 271 reviews)
List Price: $ 13.98
Price: $ 6.99
RIP Amy Winehouse Tribute Memorial Rehab Music T-Shirt | US $12.11 End Date: Sunday May-20-2012 6:22:00 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $12.11 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
| US $12.11 End Date: Sunday May-20-2012 6:22:00 PDT Buy It Now for only: US $12.11 Buy it now | Add to watch list |
Review by fritto misto cum jazz for Soldier of Love
Rating:
After almost a decade of absence – 25 years into her career – the elegant soul /jazz siren is back with “Soldier Of Love”.
The new album sees Sade reunited with the same musicians (Stuart Matthewman, Paul Denman and Andrew Hale) who performed on her 1984 debut “Diamond Life”, which became the classic yuppie dinner party soundtrack. It catapulted her to the forefront of the 1980s soul jazz scene and spawned the singles “Smooth Operator” and “Your Love is King”.
But despite the success of “Diamond Life” and her follow-up albums – selling a total of 50m records worldwide – Sade has shunned the limelight and has lived in “self-exile”, including stints in Spain and Jamaica.
Now 50, she remains one of the most iconic female vocalists alive – partly because of the stylish image she fostered in the fashion-conscious Eighties.
The title song is the least Sade-like track here – with its metallic, shiny, marching band-style drum beats not far from trip hop/Tricky territory, it’s the toughest-sounding thing she’s ever done, though the lyric posits the idea of the relationship as battleground.
The track is a bit of a revelation – a rich, atmospheric pop symphony with, as the title suggests, a military theme. What’s impressive is how fully-realised that theme is, from the marching band percussion to the cadence call-style hooks, the guitar riffs that ape the sound of gunfire to Sade crooning lines like “I’ve lost the use of my heart”.
The remaining nine tracks can’t quite match it for shock value.
They glide by elegantly, registering subtle variations.
My highligts: “Baby Father”, a gentle reggae-tinged confection apparently extolling the constancy of paternal love. It’s in marked contrast to the wounded bittersweetness and the overall melancholy of the remainder of the tracklist: the feel-good beat will have you shaking your booty.
It all gets a little too cosy on “In Another Time”, a waltz-time slog where a saxophone and string quartet provide an orchestral extravaganza. Pure magic.
“Be That Easy”: Sade’s soaring hypnotic voice leaves listeners in a zombie-like trance.
As usual, the album is immaculately produced, and Sade oozes class and sophistication, although seemingly offering variations on a single theme. Recorded at Peter Gabriel’s Real World studio, this album “illustrates the dilemma of the long-term artist: whether to alienate fans with a radical departure or risk the charge of repetition”. – Paul Lester
All in all, it’s a pleasant and sonic balm, which will make her fans immensely happy, even if there’s nothing quite adventurous, rare, powerful and intelligently written as the title track may imply and suggest.
Enjoy!
The album debuts at # 1 of the Billboard Top 200 Albums and at # 1 of the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and at # 1 of the Billboard Top Canadian Albums.
Issue date: February 27, 2010
Review by Sergio Lynn Eddie for Soldier of Love
Rating:
In a day and age when you turn on the radio and hear some of the most untalented people you’ve never heard of, it is so refreshing to hear some real music. This is what Sade does. They always give real music. The songs are slow, yes, but they all have a story behind them. This is nice and mellow music. The songs are wonderful. “In Another Time” is gorgeous. I love that song. Same with “The Moon and the Sky”. ” Skin” is a good track with a nice groove and a nice MJ reference in it. If you are a Sade fan, this is a good CD. If you are new to Sade, this is still a good CD. Try it and you will see. Plus Sade’s voice is still as exotic and sexy as ever.
Review by Jeffrey J. Shell for Soldier of Love
Rating:
One of my favorite artist ever and so I expect alot. If this wasnt Sade, I would rate this album 2 stars. A couple quality songs, however, whats up with the drum machine? In addition, way too many harmonies. Her voice is still too good to have someone else tainting it in the background. Gone are the days that you grab your chick, put her new album in, and simply press play. This album would be acceptable if the 10 year absence was only a 2 year one.
Review by Charles for Soldier of Love
Rating:
As much as I love Sade, I have to be objective and say that I was dissapointed with this album. The first four songs are strong but the rest of the album is only average (by her standards). That’s not to say these other songs aren’t any good, it’s just that they all seem to have a similar tempo/mood and they end up just blending into one another with no real stand-out tracks. A couple more catchy, up tempo songs, preferably with drums instead of a drum machine, would have made for a stronger, more balanced album that measures up to her earlier work.
Review by Apodaca for Soldier of Love
Rating:
I have been looking forward to this release for a long time now and it was worth the wait. Sade has come along way in her song writing abilities and it shows on each new release. While some may prefer some of her earlier work because its a bit more ‘catchy’, it now sometimes sounds a bit artificial/synthetic in style and arrangement compared to her recent releases. Her lyrics in her last two albums have a deeper message in my opinion. As for the music, I love how this lady can incorporate DEEP bass into her music – no one does it better in my opinion. This album may not appeal for those fans still stuck in the past but Soldier Of Love is still a five star album.