Last night, Sony hosted an album listening party for the legendary Sade. Her new album, Solider of Love, is her first studio record in ten years.  Sony showed a never before seen, 22-minute video of creating the album and making the video for “Solider of Love.” The notoriously reclusive Sade actually spoke — which is something she rarely does in public!  In her deep but soft voice Sade said, “I didn’t want to be a singer, I ended up being a singer.” She continued, “I never had aspirations that some singers have — that’s why I’m quiet, uncomfortable with fame.”  To be so uncomfortable she is certainly one of the most adored artists of all time — over 50 million albums sold, multiple Grammy winner and all of her albums have reached the top 10 on the Billboard chart.

Here is a preview of the 10 tracks on Sade’s new album, which are all written or co-written by her, totaling around 45 minutes or so.

1. “The Moon and the Sky”
The song starts with guitar strings and after a few seconds goes right into those deep base lines and heavy drums that she (and her band) is known for. She pours out lyrics like, “You are the one who got me started, you could’ve let me love anyone but I only wanted you.”  From the beginning, you notice Sade still has a knack for taking simple words and making them awesomely poetic. The chorus says, “You’ll always know the reason why we couldn’t have the moon and the sky,” yet she continues the love will not let her lover go. The song rises with intricate instrumentation and Sade reaching her higher register. It’s a perfectly melodic tune, setting the mood for the full album.

2. “Solider of Love”
The first single!

3.  “Morning Bird”
From the first few notes on the piano you know it’s going to be classic Sade in the vain of “Like a Tattoo.” “Morning Bird” is haunting but still angelic.  “How could you? You are the morning bird who sang me into life…”  She cries in the painful ballad, unexpectedly reaching for the notes that will probably sound amazing live. “You are the blood of me, harvest of my dreams.” If Billie Holiday were alive today this would be the type of song she would sing. Only complaint is the song is too short!

4. “Babyfather”
An up-tempo and radio-friendly track, rumored to be the second single. This song has an island feel with what seems to be either a sample from Bob Marley or one of the Marley sons adding background vocals. The fun track tells the story of a woman who spots a young man at a bus stop and sees him as the father of her child (I think — you know Sade gets a lil’ symbolic sometimes!). The lyrics are hard to make out but it says something to the effect of “Your daddy knows you’re a fling” and backgrounds chanting, “Your daddy don’t come with a lifetime guarantee.”  Cute and an enjoyable listen.

5. “Long Hard Road”
Another effortless track, fitting with its guitar and strings, she says, “Here I could stay but I keep moving on… there’s a long hard road ahead.” Probably the simplest melody, but “Long Hard Road” continues Sade’s journey of being a warrior of love. A track like this makes you wonder if Sade is in love, going through a heartbreak — where is she channeling this from? Another short one, clocking in around three minutes.

6. “Be That Easy”
Sade’s music is transcendental, crossing so many genres and in this track there is a country twang tossed up with some blues. The bass line gives “Be That Easy” its soul and the beat almost feels hypnotic. She says, “It couldn’t be that easy, it had to be much harder…” Not much to add, easy to listen to and the song sweetly ends with whistling.

7. “Bring Me Home”
Every song is nearly perfect lyrically, but “Bring Me Home” is probably the most brilliant words on the entire album. She talks feeling far from God, to be taken and she will not fight, “The small step I need to take is a mountain, stretched out like a lazy dog. Send me to slaughter… ” The drum is like a heartbeat with a trance-like guitar, channeling the trip hop sound of the UK.

8. “In Another Time”
Similar to a ballad from the 60s, this track almost has a doo-wop feel complete with a bluesy horn solo. Vocally, Sade’s best performance with memorable lyrics like, “In another time girl, your tears won’t leave a trace. In another time girl, in another place.” Of course Sade emotes in every song, but like “Morning Bird” this one feels more personal than the rest.

9. “Skin”
Most of the tracks have raw instruments but “Skin” has a little more production or special effects. Not necessarily classic Sade, but still very modern and the most R&B-type track. I can easily see some DJs remixing this one.

10. “The Safest Place”
If the track wasn’t so short, I would say it’s the best song on the album — I wish she would’ve given me a seven-minute epic in this track. Simple instruments, but a catchy melody with lyrics that say, “In my heart your love has found the safest hiding place, inside is a field and trees and a lake.  Around is a wall no one from hell could break.” She stresses, “My heart has been a lonely warrior.”

Overall, Solider of Love is classic Sade and will grab all of her fans. The Nigerian beauty can do no wrong, but doesn’t just rely on her legacy when releasing music. It’s clear she delivers her sound with love. I predict this album will be a huge success for Sade. I only wish the songs were longer and she had more than 10 tracks!

Are you looking forward to Sade’s new album?

TAGS: Sade

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