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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A "Promise" Fulfilled., July 15, 2003
Listening to a Sade album is like wearing an Armani suit: it's stylish and impeccably tailored, but it won't look foolish in six months. In other words, the band's music is elegant yet able to survive passing trends and fads. Their second release, "Promise," may be the best. Fusing jazz and pop with a dash of r&b, "Promise" is the personal journey of a broken heart and a bruised soul. It bleeds with emotion, and it captivates the listener through its refined and understated grace. Sade Adu won't go down as a singer with tremendous range, but she sure uses the best of what she's got. We can both hear and feel Sade's longing in the excellent opener "Is it a Crime," in which Ms. Adu can't seem to shake the man who once loved her. She also runs the gamut of emotions from affection ("The Sweetest Taboo") to longing ("Maureen") and pain ("War of the Hearts"). But the track that makes me stop EVERYTHING is the have-your-Kleenex-ready breakup number "You're Not the Man." With the assistance of Stuart Matthewman's pained saxophone, Sade wakes up and realizes that she no longer can connect with the man she loved for so long. I think this may be my favorite Sade song ever. "Promise" is simply a work of class done to near-perfection. In fact, Sade is one of the reasons why I can't warm up to jazz pop upstarts like Norah Jones. The latter singer is an able, but unexceptional, singer whose material suffers from milquetoast production and too many contrivances. But Sade gives you the real deal, straight from the gut. "Promise" still has the juice after all these years and it comes highly recommended. It's one of the best records money can buy.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A classic and her Best CD, October 31, 2000
Promise is my favorite of Sade's CDs and the one that I listen to on a regular basis -- 14 years later! I don't even skip tracks, I just hit play and let the music flow until there's nothing left. This is great mood music with a combination of torch songs, a couple of uptempo cuts and a fantastic, and underrated, instrumental.It's hard for me to pick a favorite track because they are all good, still there are a couple of standouts. "Is it a Crime" is the ultimate torch song about a love that you can't shake. May I never be so afflicted. Whew! "Jezebel" is a haunting number about a beautiful call girl who 'wasn't born with a silver spoon in her mouth.' "You're not the Man," takes to task a lover who has become a disappointment. The one instrumental on this CD ,"Punchdrunk," is sexy and languid. I don't want to sit here and list all of the tracks, but it's no exaggeration to call them all great. Sade combines lyrics, delivery and arrangements to produce a polished final product. The end result is timeless music that we can all enjoy for years to come.
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17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Soul of a Vulnerable Yet Strong Woman, May 3, 2002
Sade's "Diamond Life" was a brilliant introduction to this smooth, sultry songstress and her group. "Promise", her second album, accentuates her femininity. Here, you have a woman who fell in love, who got hurt, and who pulls herself up to continue. This album has a cohesiveness I seldom sense. Rather than just a collection of songs, there is a development of a theme here, and the songs blend together into a whole.Musically, this is imminently satisfying with the elements that make Sade Adu's vocals and the group's instrumental backing distinctive. As in their initial album, the group is given space by the vocalist to exercise it's own voice. This is an emotional set, one with which many women can empathize as Sade portrays the hurt coming from a love that goes sour, and yet at the end shows the strength so that she can get on with her life. It's a set which helps men understand what the woman is going through during such a period. Some of the songs stand better on their own than others. The opening song, "Is It A Crime", certainly is a strong one as are her hit, "The Sweetest Taboo" and "War of the Hearts". These three set the stage for the entire album. "You're Not the Man", while not as notable musically, does wring a sensitive person's heart as she expresses how the man seems at the end of the affair. "Jezebel" has a touch of bitterness. "Mr. Wrong" is a bit of a filler, but fits in nicely before the instrumental "Punch Drunk". And this instrumental is a great jazz number, hardly likely to be one's favorite cut or anything like that, but it plays a role in the mood of the whole set. "Never As Good As The First Time" was another hit for her, but in the context of the entire album takes on deeper meaning. "Fear" is a darker song typifying the aftermath of the woman's hurt. And then, thankfully, Sade lightens up as a woman coming up from the depths with "Tar Baby" and "Maureen". This is a CD to listen to with lights down low, to really listen to alone, or to share with a compatriot spirit. This CD can be a great listening experience for those who are really tuned in to smooth and yet meaningful music. However, if you are one who wants a hard driving beat, loud and brassy vocals, this isn't for you. Also, if you are one who just listens to a new CD once and instantly judges whether or not you will ever give it a second spin...no, I don't think I'd recommend it. But for those appreciative of true singing, of evocative world beats, of jazz that comes naturally from the hearts of the performers, chances are you'll prize this.
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