Sade - Soldier Of Love Review

Soldier Of Love

Sade

Release Date: 8th Feb, 2010
Label: Sony
Genre: Soul

More relaxed soul/jazz fusion from Sade Adu and her band, these ten tracks make up the band’s sixth album since forming in 1983. While they retain the smooth sound they have become synonymous with (including perhaps their most recognisable track ‘Your Love Is King’), it’s been given a 21st century feel thanks to some neat and tidy production. The title track, with its elements of military drums is certainly strong, but other songs such as the emotive ‘Morning Bird’, with its gentle piano backing, could almost have been written for other strong female singers like Annie Lennox or Corinne Bailey-Rae. ‘Be That Easy’ is another silky, laid back joy, and bowing out with the softly sung ‘The Safest Place’, this is definitely one album for curing those hangover blues on a Sunday morning.

Reviewed by Pete Muscutt

About The Artist

Sade

Sade (pronounced "shah-day") is a Grammy-winning, world-famous group, who has achieved success in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. Their music features elements of jazz, funk, soul and rnb. Sade was formed in 1982, when members of a Latino-soul band Pride — Sade Adu, (real name Helen Folasade Adu - born 16 January 1959 in Ibadan, Nigeria) Stuart Matthewman and Paul Spencer Denman — together with Paul Cook formed a splinter group and began to write their own material. Later, in 1983, Andrew Hale joined Sade. In 1984 Paul Cook left the band. Sade, named for the moniker of their lead singer, made their debut in December 1982 at Ronnie Scott's Club in London, England, in support of Pride. Sade Adu is the daughter of a Nigerian father and an English mother. After her mother returned to England, Sade grew up on the North End of London. Developing a good singing voice in her teens, Sade worked part-time jobs in and outside of the music business. She listened to Ray Charles, Nina Simone, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, and Billie Holliday. Sade studied fashion design at St. Martin’s School of Art in London while also doing some modeling on the side. Around 1980, she started singing harmony with a latin funk group called Arriva. One of the more popular numbers that the group would perform was a Sade original co-written with bandmember Ray St. John, “Smooth Operator,” that would later become Sade’s first stateside hit. The following year she joined the eight-piece funk band Pride as a background singer. The band included future Sade band members guitarist/saxophonist Stuart Matthewman (a key player in ’90s urban soul singer Maxwell’s success) and bassist Paul Denman. The concept of the group was that there could shoot-offs. In essence, a few members within the main group Pride formed mini-groups that would be the opening act. Pride did a lot of shows around London, stirring up record company interest. Initially, the labels wanted to only sign Sade, while the group members wanted a deal for the whole band. After a year, the other band members told Sade, Matthewman, and Denman to go ahead and sign a deal. Adding keyboardist Andrew Hale, the group signed to the U.K. division of Epic Records. In May 1983 Sade performed at Danceteria Club in New York, NY, United States. It was the first US Sade show. They received more attention from the media and record companies and separated finally. On 18 October 1983 Sade Adu signed with Epic Records. The rest of the band signed in 1984. All Sade albums were released through this label. Her debut album, Diamond Life (with overall production by Robin Millar), went Top Ten in the U.K. in late 1984. January 1985 saw the album released on CBS’ Portrait label and by spring it went platinum off the strength of the Top Ten singles “Smooth Operator” and “Hang on to Your Love.” Her second album, Promise (November 1985), featured “Never As Good As the First Time” and arguably her signature song, “The Sweetest Taboo,” which stayed on the U.S. pop charts for six months. Sade was so popular that some radio stations reinstated the ’70s practice of playing album tracks, adding “Is It a Crime” and “Tar Baby” to their play lists. In 1986, Sade won a Grammy for Best New Artist. Sade’s third album was 1988’s Stronger Than Pride and featured her first number one soul single “Paradise,” “Nothing Can Come Between Us,” and “Keep Looking.” A new Sade album didn’t appear for four years. 1992’s Love Deluxe continued the unbroken streak of multi-platinum Sade albums, spinning off the hits “No Ordinary Love,” “Feel No Pain,” and “Pearls.” While the album’s producer Mike Pela, Matthewman, Denman, and Hale have gone on to other projects. The new millennium did spark a new scene for Sade. She issued Lovers Rock in fall 2000 and incoporated more mainstream elements than ever before. Debut single “By Your Side” was also a hit among radio and adult-contemporary listerners. The following summer, Sade embarked on her first tour in more than a decade, selling out countless dates across America. In early 2002, she celebrated the success of the tour by releasing her first ever live album and DVD, Lovers Live. Sade made a great contribution to development of modern music. They dismantled many of the old music business ways and quite promptly became a fully functioning autonomous unit with a firm grip on every aspect of the recording process. Sade is first and foremost a live act. Sade Adu said in one of her interviews: "When we play I know that the people love the music. I can feel it." Throughout their history, Sade have always attracted a diverse, multi-racial audience who are drawn by the band's open-minded approach to music. "And that's the best thing we've achieved." Soldier of Love, Sade's first official studio album since the multi-platinum release of Lovers Rock in 2000, was released on 8th February, 2010. Sade is also two piece stoner rock from Prague, Czech republic. Released one MC.

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50 Comments

  1. EricValeev 03 Feb 2012

    Morning Bird <3

  2. miamigirlie 03 Jan 2012

    ....still ALIIIIVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeee

  3. Zach216 27 Dec 2011

    this album is off the hook !!! [2]

  4. ViDLuv 15 Jul 2011

    Cant wait to see her next week!

  5. Jackie_jax 28 May 2011

    seen her in concert last week ... she is evolving!

  6. G-one123 08 May 2011

    this album is off the hook !!!

  7. mario_rb87 10 Feb 2011

    Sade, una artista con una de las voces mas hermosas sencilla Pero elegante! Unos de los mejores discos del 2010 definitivamente!!

  8. SljapkoLokvic 10 Jan 2011

    Ја сам војник љубави! :) <3

  9. Lyndalyn 08 Jan 2011

    SADE IS gorgeous, soulful, genius, sexy, wise, cool, seductive, strong, and, da baddes female artist EVER!!! I LOVE EVERYTHING she does, not 1 trac less than AWESOME not EVER!!!

  10. juplon 30 Dec 2010

    album of the year !!!

  11. Rontambo 06 Nov 2010

    I'm gonna have to buy a protective suit cuz, " The Moon and The Sky " + " Soldier Of Love " are radio-active HOT !

  12. 23dingen 13 Oct 2010

    Beautiful powerful album! Great for bodybalance...

  13. Miron2004 30 Jul 2010

    Very nice

  14. fuzzzfusion 25 Jul 2010

    Its NOT her best, but its good :)

  15. oliviapm 10 Jun 2010

    amei o cd novo dela....escuto direto....

  16. qqjoy 03 Jun 2010

    much love! big up!

  17. ColourMetalJo 23 Apr 2010

    Love this album! Every song represent different music genre n' it's great! Her voice is beautiful!

  18. Avr0ra 19 Apr 2010

    The Moon and The Sky seems to be my favourite from this album...

  19. Mary838 19 Mar 2010

    Welcome back Sade!! :)

  20. KMTema24 19 Mar 2010

    Beautiful album!!!

  21. Marxism1 19 Mar 2010

    <3

  22. Mike_Anthony 18 Mar 2010

    Really digging the new CD... :)

  23. ShaniaEve 08 Mar 2010

    Nice CD! Great Music...SADE forever!!!

  24. moculta 01 Mar 2010

    Ganz ehrlich..??..........das wurde aber auch Zeit !! Einfach super !! Großartig............................!!

  25. zapatosgrandes 26 Feb 2010

    i LOVE the whole cd. it's like embracing a long lost friend. welcome back dearly beloved...

  26. Kelrah 25 Feb 2010

    wow...that's amazing....

  27. Kelrah 25 Feb 2010

    all that of course!

  28. ParkChanWook 25 Feb 2010

    SADE I LOVE YOU!!!

  29. Kaaaaaaaaa 22 Feb 2010

    Waow! <3 Rien à jeter! Chaque morceaux a son charme, ça valait le coup d'attendre 10 ans! Merci!

  30. omri47 21 Feb 2010

    Great!

  31. herbhappy 19 Feb 2010

    gr8

  32. ShaniaEve 18 Feb 2010

    Great album...very good!

  33. ladybuggin66 18 Feb 2010

    Welcome back, girl! You're very much needed back in music.

  34. noiresque 18 Feb 2010

    The wait is over.

  35. bluenique 17 Feb 2010

    Always worth the wait.

  36. A9999A 16 Feb 2010

    love

  37. abucool10 15 Feb 2010

    love sade

  38. AxelKasten 14 Feb 2010

    An unspectacular and pretty mediocre comeback.What did she do in the last 10 years ? Exceptions:Babyfather and Long Road !!!

  39. ecksman 12 Feb 2010

    come to LA ... hollywood bowl. please!

  40. oaseeyou 11 Feb 2010

    Very very nice

  41. uosiu77 10 Feb 2010

    "Soldier of Love" - genialne :) moja recenzja płyty: http://recenzent.blox.pl/2010/02/Sade-Soldier-of-Love-recenzja.html (I'm sorry, but it's only in Polish)

  42. jisha78 09 Feb 2010

    I really hope she tours

  43. murrrra 09 Feb 2010

    this is very beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  44. nemo215 08 Feb 2010

    fantastic album, what a great voice

  45. SasukeJJ 06 Feb 2010

    Very niiice!!

  46. PablolitaScobar 05 Feb 2010

    Today 's Christmas or Easter or both for R&B /Soul.

  47. TiRaMiSuSi 05 Feb 2010

    (¯`v´¯)

  48. kmonoarfa 02 Feb 2010

    awesomeeee!!

  49. peternen 02 Feb 2010

    Great music, but not so good video.

  50. controlfreaq 01 Feb 2010

    i'm so happy :)

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