By shelz.
It had been nearly a decade since we heard anything from Sade Adu. Then a few months ago rumors of a comeback started taking shape. For those fans who had been embittered by the wait times on projects by folks returning from hiatus that seemed to either creep into existence at a snails pace (see Chinese Democracy) or not materialize at all (see Detox), cynicism set in. However, the rest of us hoped not only that she would deliver on that promise, but she would deliver something we wouldn’t incessantly complain about.
10 years out of the mix is a long time and there tends to be two categories that someone who takes that long of a break fits in to upon their return. They either present what they feel is updated material which in reality is a silly, contrived spin on some new fangled trend (see Naughty By Nature.) Or they stick to the tried and true and produce something outdated (see EPMD). It takes a keen ear to split the difference and from listening to Sade’s first release from her latest LP, she has done exactly that.
Given, there seems to be a resurgence of songs equating love to war, so “Soldier of Love” is far from an original concept. Yet, Sade and her Sweetback brethren do some really interesting things with this track. The jazzy undertones the band normally provided have been replaced by a rock vibe. Denman and Matthewman are still on the strings and the open atmospheric musical canvas is splattered with their bass and guitar in spurts. The drum also comes in and out as the instruments take turns moving across the song.
Sade’s voice is as cool and powerful as ever. The ease with which she delivers her lyrics is still there as she explains how her faith has been rocked but not broken. Her world and heart have been turned inside out, but she perseveres because she’s a soldier. She goes on to explain that even though she’s been hurt, she still waits patiently for true love to come her way. The song is signature Sade melancholy but funky enough to get a head nod or two out of her fans.
The beauty of this song is how Sade and crew manages to create something very similar to their signature sound while updating it enough so it doesn’t sound stale. The tinges of synth assistance are there but not overwhelming. Sade’s sonic androgyny and morose delivery are as haunting as ever. So if this is a sign of what is to come in early 2010 when the album drops, her fans are definitely in for a treat.
Sade-Soldier of Love Soldier Of Love
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It’s a refreshing change from what’s out there now. Looking forward to her album.
I love how she managed to stay true to her original sound while producing something just a tad different…Sade’s style is definitely something that’s missing from the music industry. I’m glad she’s coming back – I cannot wait!