Audio Pinot Noir

You can appreciate that which is rare, yet full of quality. For any fan of rich, unhurried, 'unbranded' brilliance, Soldier of Love, is an album you really ought to check out.

I knew she was going to be releasing a new project this year, but only recently did I stumble upon the air play of "Soldier of Love" on one of the local R&B stations. What a pleasant surprise that transported me back to the evocative realm that only her music can conjure up.

Sade has thankfully returned after a 10 year absence from Lover's Rock (preceded from a 10 year break between Love Deluxe). The new album features the distinctively soulful timbre of Sade, with an added aggressive tone not heard on earlier albums.

I'm certainly not nostalgic by any stretch, but the return of the lovely pairing of Sade and her accompaniment ensemble, Sweetback, headed by Stuart Matthewman (of Cottonbelly solo-acclaim), is something any music lover can appreciate.

Okay, so I really just have an unending crush on the 51 year old singer....but I am looking forward to a likely US tour (as I missed the last one in 2000), which I'm sure will top the best performance I've witnessed (Prince, 2003, Cedar Rapids,IA).....and I've seen plenty (John Haitt, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Van halen, Buddy Guy, even Tenacious D, etc).

The tracks orbit around the distinctive styling of previous works. There is just enough pensive melancholy and mellifluous artistry to provide the listener comfort of the Sade they've grown to love (long hard road, skin, the safest place, the moon and the sky), but enough fresh divergence to explore other musical stylings (babyfather, in another time, be that easy). This isn't your obnoxious American Idol soul, this is wonderful music tracks whispered over by the voice of a mature and reflective lover.

This will be a very good year....