Love Deluxe [Remastered] - Sade

...Deluxe' her concept album on love in its many guises. Not a love album by any means,these songs are not wishy washy sugary songs that once heard are soon forgotten, they are much stronger than that. With this album you have all the components of Sade's previous studio albums. The voice is sultry and smokey and retains a fragility which is touching at times. What is also evident throughout the album is the class of the songs ,never as catchy as on ...
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'I Couldn't Love You More' is a traditional love song. Again bass driven and atmospheric she speaks of perfect love when you are left with no other needs than desire for that special person. Strong lyrically she says' If everyone in the world could give me what I wanted I wouldn't want for more than I have' .Being madly in love at the moment this lyric really means something to me.

'Like A Tatoo' is an acoustic track and ... more

The sumptuous Sade returned in 1992 with 'Love Deluxe' her concept album on love in its many guises. Not a love album by any means,these songs are not wishy washy sugary songs that once heard are soon forgotten, they are much stronger than that. With this album you have all the components of Sade's previous studio albums. The voice is sultry and smokey and retains a fragility which is touching at times. What is also evident throughout the album is the class of the songs ,never as catchy as on 'Diamond Life' but undoubtedly more mature and shows the artist as a grown woman.

'No Ordinary Love' is a track 7 minutes long. The soundtrack to 'Indecent Proposal' it got much airplay in its shortened form. This song typifies the album, it is a mature song that grows on you. It has an R 'n' B feel to it and has like the majority of songs on 'Love Deluxe' a strong mesmerising bassline. Atmospheric and brooding and sung crstal clear it is a beautiful track.

'Feel No Pain' again begins with a kicking bassline that sets the rhythm for this song. The song is about unemployment and the feeling of helplessness this can breed and talks of the healing properties of music. If afetr the listening to this song you can get this bassline out of your head you are a stronger person than me.

'I Couldn't Love You More' is a traditional love song. Again bass driven and atmospheric she speaks of perfect love when you are left with no other needs than desire for that special person. Strong lyrically she says' If everyone in the world could give me what I wanted I wouldn't want for more than I have' .Being madly in love at the moment this lyric really means something to me.

'Like A Tatoo' is an acoustic track and Sade's voice is as strong as ever on here. Her voice is sultry smooth on this track and the lyrics are poetic 'like the scar of age written all over my face the war is still raging inside of me.I still feel the chill as I reveal my shame to you'.

'Kiss Of Life' is pure joy. A very upbeat song and speaks of the miracle of finding love 'there must have been an angel by my side something heavenly led me to you'. Perhaps the catchiest song on here with a great sax solo in the middle Sade has rarely sounded happier and is a song that I love playing when I am happy.

'Cherish The Day' was a single and has a very early drum and bass feel to it. I have to say I think it is the weakest track on the album. It never really gets going and has no real melodic hook or a rhytm to really captivate you and get you into the song. At 5 minutes plus it is also too long.

'Pearls' is a strong song. When ths album was originally out I did not like it but now see it in a different light. It is sparse in arrangement and this allows Sade's voice to take the song where she wants as it is undoubtedly from the heart. It is about a woman in Somalia who spends the day under a boiling hot sun to find pearls to sell to feed her little girl. The song speaks of love but of how this is not much of an existence whilst there is hope her daughter will survive and have a better life one day. Lyrically it is astute.

'Bullet Proof Soul' has always been my favourite song on 'Love Delux'. A mature song driven by a sexy bass line and and saprse sax and keyboard. A love song but not a positive one, one where you already know the outcome is not going to be positive even while you are still in the relationship.'I know the end before the storys been told,its not that complicated but you're gonna need a bullet proof soul'.

'Mermaid' is an instrumental. It is a slow track and brings the album to a pleasant end even if perhaps a slightly lazy end.

'Love Delux' is a strong album, a mature album which shows Sdaes songwriting skills as these were all self penned with the band. never afraid to record long atmosheric songs,this album works very well. If you like jazz/pop this album is for you and this album looking back seems remarkably ahead of its time. Like most Sade albums it can be aquires cheaply and if you want late night music to sooth you to sleep and to leave a feel good factor you won't do far wrong with this purchase.  

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