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113 of 137 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Immaculately produced, mellow, sonic balm for your soul., February 9, 2010
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
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29 of 38 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A voice of calm in the madness of today's music, February 17, 2010
Maybe it's the lack of musicality and depth in today's music that makes this album see light years ahead of anything released recently. I will admit to being a life long fan, but I don't believe you can question what Sade brings to the music world.
I've listened to this release in it's entirety since it was available.. played it in the car, in the Ipod and on the home theater to make sure I heard everything that could be heard. And I can say confidently that this another in a long series of great music. It's not Diamond Life or Lovers Rock, but it can't be - this is Sade after nearly 30 years of making music on their terms. And I think that's the key - how many artists in today's music scene can tell their label - You'll get the music when I'm ready to give it to you.
I think the other thing to note here, in most of the reviews this album is being compared to their other albums. Which could suggest that they have very few peers - we are comparing Sade to Sade. Each of the albums sticks out for a specific reason, you were going through something and that album was a comfort during that time. So judging Soldier of Love against Pride or Love Deluxe almost seems a waste. You have to take this album in this space today...
Now for the album
The album flows well, each song into the next. You can press play and walk away, no need to skip songs or pick and choose. Immediate standouts are "Moon & the Sky", "Be that easy", "Morning Bird".
"In Another time" in my opinion is one of the best arrangements I've heard since "Is it a Crime". The vocals, the melody - the placement of the piano, the strings along with the sax and bass build this song in a way - that most artists would want to study. This is what music is supposed to sound like. And the lyrics - she could be singing to any of the young and upcoming R&B singers, explaining how in time - it will fall in place. There are a few songs that require a patient ear, but that's good - if you've ever listened to Coltrane you know that patience is usually rewarded in a major way.
The title track is brilliant in the same way "Cherish" or "Flow" were brilliant. You can hear the band expirementing in sounds that aren't typical for them and yet it comes off almost effortless. I won't bother to compare this album to any other albums released by R&B singers recently ( if Anita Baker decides to release an album than we can compare ) - it does no one any justice, but it does highlight what is missing... music that's made for the express purpose of being good and a pleasure to hear. Not to satisfy contractual obligations or build a big enough buzz to get endorsement deals.
You could be disappointed in this ablum, but that would likely mean that you had a specific sound in your head and were thrown when you didn't hear it. I'm convinced this album will continue in the same tradition as her entire catalogue, it will go on for decades bringing smiles and tears to millions of folks. And isn't that what we expect from our music?
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36 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Having listened to Sade since 1984..., February 9, 2010
So glad to see another release from Sade...hard to believe that I have new music by her on my ipod after 10 years. After Lovers Rock I was hoping her next album would shy away from the heavy handed percussive 'time keeping' that ran through many of the tracks. That said my favorite Sade songs deal with love, such as 'Stronger Than Pride' and 'Like A Tattoo' so I was also hoping for a few slow burn ballads about love and heartache. The production on this album is much lighter here and "In Another Time' is wonderful there is even some great sax work and the album ends with 'The Safest Place' which will remind you of 'Pearls'-- my only criticism would be the lyrics--sometimes they dont reveal as much as you would like them to and that this is not the romantic follow up to Love Deluxe that I have waited for, but still enjoyable and I am happy that we finally have new music.
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,was produced by Sade 
