Diamond Life - Sade

Advantages: Smooth and mellow
Disadvantages: A very samey kind of smooth and mellow

..."cocktail bar" music, she recorded Diamond Life in late 1983 ready for assault on the burgeoning "yuppie" scene of the 80's. Needless to say the Filofax and brick-like "mobile" phone brigade bought it in their droves. So did the soul boys and girls up and down the country as a soundtrack for a little bit of white-towelling socked late night loving! Go Darren and Tracey! WHAT'S THE TRACKLISTING? 1. Smooth Operator 2. Your Love Is King 3. Hang ...
...third of the way through Diamond Life, that you realise that Sade is not going to exert herself vocally, there's going to be no lung-busting here. If you're looking for 80s soul's answer to Courtney Love or Jocelyn Brown - forget it. The vocals are creamy, smooth and whispered. This song displays a nice line in slinky piano grooviness about four minutes in. Which is nice. Mark: 3/5 4. When Am I Gonna Make A Living (3:32) This is my favourite track ... Read review

Advantages: Relaxing, passionate tunes
Disadvantages: A little too short

...stage with their debut release, Diamond Life. -- Smooth operator – A song that should hopefully not need many introductions. It was the group’s first major release and was also the one that gave them recognition in the States. It has quite a summery and sultry sound and is making a statement about a certain class of man, usually to be found in a lot of the venues that Sade performed in in the early days; the smooth loving, smooth living ...
...feet then left them high and dry. This one is still played on radio today and is definitely a classic tune. co-written by Sade and her guitarist/boyfriend of the time, It is a fine collaboration. -- Your love is king – A classy and laid back ballad that is also a song many of you will have come across. It’s quite a clever concept this one, that personifies love and gives it regal status: “Your love is king, crown you with my heart, ... Read review

Advantages: Chill is set at maximum
Disadvantages: You might chill out too much

Apparently, it's not fashionable to like Sade. Whenever this album has been seen in my collection, people usually raise an eyebrow. Dunno why. This was Sade's first album, and I happen to really like it. For those unfamiliar with her, she possess a deep, smokey voice that sounds as though it's one step up from Paul Robeson's (ask your Grandmother). The songs demonstrate her silky tones, and that she really can hit the occasional top note too. If ...
...been recorded in a basement jazz den, then this is yer boy! Very smoochy. Very sexy. "Your Love Is King" and "Smooth Operator" were chart hits in the early 80's, and the slow jazzy style was in deep contrast to the other sounds of that decade. Most of the other tracks fall into the category of sexy blues/jazz, that wouldn't go amiss in any setting where seduction is anticipated. "Sweet as Cherry Pie" and "Why can't we live together" are about as ... Read review

Advantages: Sultry sexy music,easy listening and a great distinctive voice
Disadvantages: only 9 tracks

...Sade Adu was an artist that I always associate strongly with the eighties but the music was not eighties. Of Nigerian descent she and her band managed to fuse together American and Eurpean jazz grooves with African rhythms.With her sultry looks and distinctive cool exotic voice she burst on to the scene in 1985 with 'Diamond Life' , an album that perhaps she never managed to surpass. 'Smooth Operator' with its languid beat was perhaps a flag bearing single for the album.Lazy and Summery and with a great sax solo in the middle it parodies the eighties yuppie man with a great lyric 'his eyes are like angels but his heart is cold'. 'Your Love Is King' was another single and has a similarly laid back bass groove.Its a lazy song but with a great melody.The lyrics can be read in two ways but I firmly believe this song... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Stunning Vocals / Music with Very Emotional and Heartfelt Lyrics
Disadvantages: Probably a bit too short

...debut, simply called, Distant Dreamer. Its a brilliant closing track, and builds up to a wonderful crescendo, with another haunting vocal performance from Duffy, and a credit to the whole production team and the Band themselves, you just want more after listening to this classic song. Shame it had to end in fact, and perhaps my only criticism of this CD, its far too short for a talent ed artist like Duffy, but it is her debut, so perhaps we can forgive her. Oddly, for me the hit single Mercy, is one of the weakest links on here, but perhaps that is because the other tracks are so powerful and meaningful, I can't fault the musicianship on here though. Overall, a totally stunning debut CD, and one I think will remain in most peoples collection for a long time. It reminds me of the the first time I heard the stunning " Diamond Life... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Some of the tracks are quite good
Disadvantages: Lots of mediocrity, a few very bad tracks

...of these is "Feeling U, Feeling Me", an interlude which sploshes out a bit of Herbie Hancock, brews up some of Miles' "Bitches Brew", seasons it with a touch of John McLaughlin and then splatters Keys' fantastic voice on top (one thing: Hancock, Davis and McLaughlin are all there in spirit and soul only). "Samsonite Man" feels like Sade at the peak of Diamond Life while "When You Love Someone" drops off slightly. What can be extrapolated from this evidence and the fineries of "Songs In A-Minor" is that Alicia Keys is someone who performs best on soul. Although hip-hop led to her popularity, and some tracks (like "Fallin'" from A-minor) use her hip-hop sensibilities to their best, for me "Diary of Alicia Keys" proves that her talent lies in soul. Hip-hop got her to where she is now. Soul is what can take her forward. And this album has some quite fine... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful