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85 of 87 found the following review helpful:
 Seven year itch pays offNov 14, 2000
By John Jones
"Musician"
Aside from one of the most erratic recording schedules in pop history, Sade has spent her career being known and revered for her indisputably original sound. Imitators have come and gone, and countless artists site her as an influence (as controversial as it sounds, she is as important and unique to R&B as the Beatles were to rock), but in the end there is only one Sade, with a voice as warm as an island breeze and grooves as fluid as an ocean's tide. And thankfully, a seven-year hiatus after 1993's "Love Deluxe" hasn't dulled those sensibilities, either: the comeback record "Lovers Rock" proves itself exceedingly worthy of a place in her musical legacy.Make no mistake; Sade is no more conscious of musical trends than she ever was. She still favors sparse but insistent rhythms, still sings with a deceptively simple seduction, and is still backed up by the same musicians (keyboardist Andrew Hale, guitarist Stuart Matthewman, and bassist Paul Denman). These elements make the first track (and single), "By Your Side," instantly familiar, for all its melodic understatement and flowing beats. A sort of cross between 60's rock and soul, the song is classic Sade all the way. But be prepared to raise an eyebrow elsewhere on the record; "Flow" offers a surprising taste of hip-hop folk, while "King of Sorrow" pairs up traditional Spanish influences with a warm wah-wah guitar. The smooth, destined-for-radio "Somebody Already Broke My Heart" adds a dose of modern soul, while "Every Word" even finds Ms. Adu dabbling in a dose of rock. Another important aspect of trying new ideas is knowing when to let them end, and impressively, the reggae pop of "All About Our Love" and the swinging lullaby of "The Sweetest Gift" both clock in under three minutes and still sound like perfectly complete ideas. The production on "Slave Song" is another triumph, as the surreal percussion and keyboard effects are the perfect compliment to a lyric that tells a narrative most of us can barely even imagine; the end result is appropriately haunting. Another effective moment comes on the socially-conscious "Immigrant," which once again proves that less is more: giving examples of the humiliation a man of color endures in the face of prejudice, a simple line like "to even the toughest among us/that would be too much" sums things up so clearly and eloquently, the lyric gets its point with all the force of an expletive-laden rap song. But the album's most irresistible moment, however, is more familiar but no less impressive: the sensual samba of the title track supports a sparse, lushly-chorded keyboard line and intricate guitar highlights, all topped off with Sade's unique poetry ("I am in the wilderness/you are in the music in the man's car next to me") and a distorted spoken section thrown in for good measure. The track represents everything a Sade fan looks for in one of her songs. Then again, for all its musical uniqueness, gentle experimentation and stylistic maturity, "Lovers Rock" represents everything a Sade fan looks for in one of her albums. She's still a smooth operator indeed.
50 of 50 found the following review helpful:
Sade "Rocks" SolidNov 20, 2000
Nobody makes pain feel as good as Sade. Since her 1984 debut, the oh so sensual chanteuse Sade Adu and her moody groovers Stuart Matthewman (on guitar and sax), Andrew Hale (keyboards) and Paul Spencer Denman (bass) have made a successful career out of their exotic, down-tempo odes to love and loss. In the eight years since they released their last studio album, Love Deluxe, Sade has, if anything, gotten sultrier. And with today's marketplace dominated by hyperperky teen pop, she returns as the Anti-Britney. (sorry Brit) With a sound that's strikingly real for these digitized times, Lovers Rock doesn't look only at the rocky side of romance. The disc-opening single, "By Your Side," with its arrangement laying bare, a simple yet poignant lyric, is positively uplifting. Even such sad songs as "King of Sorrow," "Somebody Already Broke My Heart" and the achingly beautiful ballad "It's Only Love That Gets You Through" attest to the adage that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. And with Sade, the melancholy makes for some mesmerizing music.
46 of 46 found the following review helpful:
Solid as a RockNov 20, 2000
By ILL MA
For every emotion and mood there is a song goddess. For the broken hearted street sista "catchin hell" there's Mary J. Blige, for the jazzed out romantic, there's Anita Baker, for the outspoken, take-no-mess diva, there's Aretha Franklin, for the conscious groove there's Erykah Badu and Jill Scott, and of course for the rainy nights of isolated individuals or on and off again lovers just the same, there's always been Sade. And she is back. Lover's Rock picks up where Love Deluxe left off, with Sade's melting, haunting vocals over smooth, beautiful tracks that ignite passion, pain, and everything in between. "By Your Side" opens this passage into the soul and with each song, it cuts deeper and deeper. This is classic Sade but it's also Sade's who has grown lyrically and musically. She delivers the gospel of the heart. The moodiness of the mind. And the mysteries of the spirit all in one. Creating an endless experience. An album that'll be played as much as you played Love Deluxe and Love is Stronger Than Pride. No one brings the passion to music like Sade. She's like the remedy to your loneliness, the counselor to your difficult relationship, and the sermon to your dreams. Rock on.
23 of 23 found the following review helpful:
Sade is backDec 09, 2000
By Robert G Yokoyama
Sade is back big time with Lovers Rock. She sounds great throughout this CD. By Your Side is a wonderful song about all the things that a person should receive in a relationship like encouragement, support, and tenderness. All About Our Love is another good song about the affrimation of love between 2 people. Lovers Rock is a great song about how the power of music can become a source of strength during tough times. Sade deals with deeper themes on the song Slave Song. It is a powerful song about maintaining a sense of optimism that future generations won't have to endure the suffering slaves have gone through. I love the beat of the drums on this song. Somebody Already Broke Heart is about a yearning from someone wanting to be treated with kindness and tenderness after a painful breakup. You will enjoy this CD.
28 of 29 found the following review helpful:
Sade RocksDec 31, 2000
I was hesitant to buy this cd because of some negative reviews I'd seen, but I am so glad I went ahead and purchased it. This is a more mature Sade, both emotionally and musically. The music is spare, it lets her voice and emotion come through unfettered, and Sade has a lot to say. She is happy, she knows that life sends it's own problems, but she has her lover's rock, and that is enough. Sade has gone through a lot of changes in her life, but she has found a place to rest from the storms. This is the first Sade cd I actually sat through and didn't get bored with her voice or what she has to say. This is not a work for those used to the Mya's, Monica's or Brandy's of the world, but for those who have come through teen angst to the other side, to adulthood, and adult love and all that it brings. Love how she has matured and taken us with her.
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