Review Roundup: Sade - 'Soldier of Love'

After a decade away from the spotlight, Sade returns with Soldier of Love, the British band’s sixth studio album, in stores everywhere tomorrow. Did the critics welcome Sade back with open arms? Find out below.

Entertainment Weekly: On songs like the space-folky “Long Hard Road” and the reggae-scented “Babyfather,” Sade exhales peerlessly while the boys behind her fluff one heck of a sonic pillow. A

Los Angeles Times: Perhaps disgust with being branded as terminally relaxing inspired the title track of Sade’s latest studio release. “Soldier of Love” is unique in its confrontational tone, but it connects to the other best tracks on this album, which employ minimalism and the rules of cool to carefully reconstruct various musical styles. 3.5 out of 4

The Boston Globe: Sade’s new album does not color outside the lines of her shopworn blueprint. Like its predecessors, it mimics the rhythms of a new relationship—it’s up one minute and down the next, loving in places and wounded in others—and it’s a rich and rewarding album, but only after multiple listens.

Chicago Tribune: Soldier of Love presents Sade as a genre unto herself; after 25 years, she remains alluring and subtly rewarding, while still keeping the listener at a safe distance, as if she had even deeper secrets to guard. 3 out of 4

Chicago Sun-Times: Sade may not be giving us anything radically new, but it’s a pleasure just to have her back doing what she’s always done so well. 3 out of 4

The Wall Street Journal: Soldier of Love doesn’t pander to current trends. It presents itself and allows us to nestle in. Once we do, it seems like only yesterday that we last welcomed these old friends.

Rap-Up’s Favorite Tracks: “Soldier of Love,” “Babyfather,” “Be That Easy”