Reviewer: Lee

Biases: Did I mention Sade's like, my wife...but doesn't know it...

People Who Should Dig It: People who dig artists can deliver songs of sorrow like Billie Holliday, Portishead, Sade fans, and those who may be going through a rocky relationship

People Who Should Approach With Caution: Those who may be going through a rocky relationship.

People Who Should Stay Away: Those who may be going through a rocky relationship (lets face it...You either love or hate Sade, there's no in between).

The Breakdown: Not since Billie Hiliday, has there been someone who could deliver a sad song with such intimacy, passion, and dedication...until Sade. I mean this album encompasses so mush pain, yet it celebrates growth and love. Sure, it has classic tracks like "Is it a Crime", and "Jezebel", which attacks the very fiber of some womanly esteem issues. But the album also celebrates passion and love on songs like "Sweetest Taboo" and "Never as Good as the First Time". However, one of the most uncelebrated Sade tracks is (track 3) "War of the Hearts". How this song never made her greatest hits collection is beyond me, but, this track is definately in my top three Sade songs. This song starts off with hauntingly fragile instrumentation, and is officially underway when Sade belts out, "I could aim/But I could not fire/Got the bullets to spare to kill/This desire". She goes on to ask, "Who's calling the shots/One of us/Must make the peace/To have/Or to have not/The fire has got to cease". This classic album, which followed up her celebrated debut "Diamond Life", is another feat of elegance and beauty. Not only is there wonderful lyricism, but the production is still tight, relevant, significant, and sound after more than fifteen years. In fact, Mobb Deep sampled another favorite of mine, "Fear" (track 9), on their last album. This album has it all if you're looking for a good album from the eighties, if you don't own it, then shame on you.