Tuesday, December 28, 2010: Sade - Soldier Of Love

10 years is a long time to wait. For anything.

Anything, but especially a new album. I wouldn't wait a week for most artists.

Sade, however, is an artist who is worth the wait.

After releasing Lover's Rock in 2000, supreme soulstress Sade took a bit of hiatus. Well, a decade, actually. But here in 2010, she came back to conquer the world as a Soldier Of Love, and we all should raise our hands in thankful surrender.

On Christmas Eve I blogged about Whitney Houston. Sade also broke through in the 80's, but was a completely different artist. It's crazy, but the easiest comparison I can make between the two is this; if Whitney Houston was all about major chords, Sade was all about minor chords.

Now, that may or may not make sense to you. Hell, it may not even be that accurate, but I'm pretty sure it sums up the spirit of the divide between these two epic talents. Sade was played on radio stations that played "soft jazz" or call themselves "adult contemporary", whatever the hell that means. But, just like Whitney transcended pop music, Sade transcended those narrow classifications.

The reality is Sade was never really about jazz. Sade was, and still is, at her core, a soul singer.

But not soul they way you know soul, the way people associate that word simply with Stax and Volt 45's. No, Sade was a soul singer purely because of her voice, that voice, those shades of darkness and tones that were effortlessly crafted for each song.

God, I love Sade. And, for me, this new album is as good as anything she's done.

This is one of those songs where one or two listens just is not enough. I implore you, gentle reader, to get this album, press "repeat" and submerse yourselves in one of the best albums released in 2010.

Enjoy.