Sade - Soldier of Love

“Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken… to love is to be vulnerable.”
– CS Lewis

Sade Adu’s ability to appeal to such a wide audience comes from her willingness to be vulnerable and abandonment while addressing relationships. Her music consistently offers a stripped down, yet sophisticated exploration of the intricacies of love, both the beautiful aspects and the heart-dismantling elements, presenting each in a way that provides comfort and compassion. Put it simply, Sade makes us feel like we’re not alone. Her writing dissects real emotions, her voice rich and evocative, and when presented alongside the production of longtime collaborator Mike Pela, the finished product comes off feeling like a strong hug from a close friend.

Although coming nearly a decade after Lovers Rock, Sade’s sixth studio album, Soldier of Love picks up right where she left off. The production may be a bit more eclectic than previous efforts, but the sensuality and honesty that Sade fans have come to adore and expect stay intact.

Sade addresses multiple dynamics of love and sex within the ten tracks on Soldier of Love. The album’s title song and first single promotes the willingness to persevere through pain for love, as Sade states, “I’m at the borderline of my faith/I’m at the hinterland of my devotion/In the frontline of this battle of mine/But I’m still alive.” Sade attempts to provide comfort to a woman struggling with the emotions of a relationship coming to an end on, “In Another Time,” singing, “Darling, I just want you to know/Your tears won’t leave a trace/In another time girl, in another time.”

The production provided on this project by Mike Pela is incredible. Utilizing primarily a keyboard, guitar, and small touches of horns and percussion, he’s able to lay the appropriate foundation of mood, yet keep Sade’s seductive alto voice right at the forefront where it belongs.

Sade possesses an elegance and intimacy that translates into her music and separates her from most soul artists. There’s nothing monumentally different from Soldier of Love to Sade’s previous releases, which if you ask nearly anybody, is a good thing.