GROOVES: Sade
Like many grown bootied women I know, I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve had a major crush on Sade since her 1984 debut. Needless to say, I could NOT wait for February 8th to arrive. On Tuesday night I happily skipped out of my office to Giant Step’s Listening Party at the Royalton and then made a b-line for Best Buy early on Wednesday morning to cop her new joint, Soldier of Love– her first album since 2000’s dub-groove smash Lovers Rock. And lemme tell you Helen Folasade Adu or “Shard” as her homies call her, did not disappoint. The mystique, music and the moments connected to Sade and her songs create magic. Black magic baby.
The Mystique: I think what really appeals to me about Sade is the mystery of Sade. She doesn’t put her business out there for the paparazzi and her fans to pick and prod at like some flea market bin of old clothes. But every now and then she breaks out from behind the shadows to reveal a lil more about the woman who is a mother, a lover and a gardening aficionado. Here are three interviews that I love:
UK Times Online: “Being a mother is the biggest and hardest job I’ve ever undertaken. I’m not complaining, but I’ve never had a nanny. For years after she was born I put Ila to bed every night. As soon as she arrived she became the centre of my life.”
theHotness: “It’s easier being a woman because you’re not considered a threat the way black men are considered a threat. My brother would get stopped in his car and get called a black bastard. You have to know you’re better than that and rise above the person.”
NY Times: “(In the studio) it is almost like a church, because you’re going to that room, you know your purpose, you know what you’re going to do in there, and you don’t have to take anything in with you that you don’t want to take in there.”
The Music: Two of my faves from SOL~
In Another Time – Saunters and sways with the moodiness of an old Etta James record. The dillydally of the piano, ease of strings and the drag of horn collude with Sade’s somber vocals to form a bluesy yet empowering concoction that intoxicates with testimonies of life after heartbreak and better lovin’ days ahead: “Darling I want to let you know your tears will not leave a trace/ In another time/ In another place.”
The Moon and The Sky: Yearning, nostalgic and romantic. This is the joint you put on when it’s raining outside and you’re laying in bed reminiscing about past love. Light some incense, pour the wine and pull the sheets up tight cause this song is a lonely lullaby.
The Moment: Beautiful. Classic.
Nice! Thanks for the links. Sade is the woman. Holding it down still with elegance and grace. Age ain’t nuthin but a number.
First, thanks for your kind comment on my review, Nicole.
Yeah, I think we are both attracted to her precisely because the intensity with which she guards her privacy is such a compelling piece of her overall public persona. She’s not a recluse like Betty Davis, but I got the sense from the Times piece that except for the somgwriting and recording, all of this being a star thing is very hard for her. It just makes her a fascinating figure, especially after you factor in the music.
Anyway, glad to read your take on the album. Keep up the good work!