Reviews (page 12 of 13)
Album's not even done and it's just not for me. I'd heard Sade was well-regarded critically, and had really hoped for more - repeated listens aren't going to change my opinion of some milquetoast soft rock.
#172. Spotify says there are 13 million people listening to this character every month. 13 million. Monthly. What the fuck? Who is purposefully listening to this shit? 2/5: not great
Not for me
Sultry jazz/R&B
I liked 'Smooth Operator'. Not my favorite type of music to listen to. Wouldn't listen again. 2/5
Smooth jazz. Sade has had a number of reasonably big singles but I've never listened to one of her albums. She has a breathy, lower-register voice that fits this style of music very well but I find the genre generally kind of boring. It's over-polished and a bit lounge-y (if that's a word) and more suited for LITE-FM or background music at a spa than the type of jazz I like. Yes, the songs have complex beats and quality sax playing but there's not the kind of creativity around chord structures and phrasing you find from top[ jazz artists. Smooth Operator is the best tune of a very bland bunch.
I’ve known the name Sade since I was at least 12 or younger. I have no idea if I’ve ever actually heard her music. I also had no idea she’d been making music for 15 years by the time I’d even heard her name... Smooth Operator is definitely familiar somehow. The rest of this, not so much. For smooth R&B, this isn’t the worst. I don’t mind this as background music, maybe at a kitschy cafe that’s stuck in the 90s with all the collected knick knacks and shit on the wall. I am not entirely convinced that I needed to hear this before I die, other than to provide some variety. There’s certainly something to be said for that in the context of a list that feels heavily skewed toward otherwise forgotten and ignored britpop bands. I’m definitely not as upset by it as I have been previous albums on this list. TL;DR: Not something I’d pick, but I wouldn’t have heard this otherwise, so it gets some points for not being a predictable pick while not being terrible.
This album has not aged well.
It's like expecting cherry pie and ending up with red velvet. Like hoping for Friday night, but it's only Wednesday.
2/5 not memorable
Just find it boring and repetitive
Boring
Well produced but no thank you.
Bit boring to be honest, smooth operator is a classic, and the sound isn't terrible.
It's okay, but I want to be done with the easy listening stuff.
It's a bland, and forgetful soul pop/soft pop record.
Jesus, I thought I was going to be stuck on that elevator forever. I was about to pick out a pee corner.
this is good. it is. if you put it on i would mot complain but it’s not vibe could i write poetry to this? n
It's some fine 80's Smooth-Jazz-Pop. Unfortunately, I had to hear this album, in its entirety, every damn day, for about six years. The hostess at a job I was at LOVED this album and felt the need to keep it going as house music at all times. I never ever want to hear it again, thank you very much.
Not my thing. Fine background music, but nothing that makes me want to revisit it.
Not bad, not my thing. Huge record at the time. A little TOO smooth. Inoffensive pop from the eighties, I sort of can't get through it all the way. Just okay.
Ok, not much grabbed me.
Beautiful voice, but quite boring. Nothing stood out to me.
boring
3.5/10
p518. 1984. 2 stars. Bland background faux jazz/soul for 80s cocktail bars. Shiny production can't compensate for the mostly average songs, or the complete lack of emotion or passion in any of them. Most of the time Sade sounds like she is either bored or on Prozac. Hard to imagine that this was the soundtrack to a thousand Yuppie seductions.
This is obviously a high quality album, just not one for me. I wasn’t really aware of Sade before and didn’t know any of the songs, bar Smooth Operator which I mostly know of because of the meme of the formula one driver singing it. It’s an excellently produced album, which is all the more impressive when learning that the recording and production was a pretty DIY affair. Sade’s voice is great, too. It’s just really not my genre of music; I found it hard to focus on it properly without letting it drift into background music. Beyond Smooth Operator, I could imagine having a silly wee boogie with pals to Cherry Pie at a party. Sally was my least favourite song, appropriately dirge-like for a composition about the Salvation Army. It gets a 3/5 for the production and quality but it’s a 2/5 for my personal enjoyment.
For 80s adult contemporary MOR, it was better than I thought it would, but I also wasn’t expecting much. There was one track that I did get stuck in my head though so that has to be worth something.
Excellent voice but a bit meh
I am familiar with Sade's music, but I never listened to her albums all the way through. It all sounds the same. Not great.
smooth operator
Pretty typical smooth jazz to me. Nothing too stand out, but not much to criticize. Not my style. Favorite track: Smooth Operator
Ok.
Nothing particularly great about this album. "Smooth Operator" has become relevant again because of social media, but this album as a whole isn't very interesting. 2/5 Won't listen again
Er zijn vast toepassingen te verzinnen op deze smerige neukmuziek, maar voor mij kwam het net op het verkeerde moment.
Elevator music
Als relaxing achtergrondmuziekje tijdens het werk was dit best prettig.
Nee, dit heeft me nooit kunnen behagen. Bovendien denk ik steeds dat ik naar George Michael zit te luisteren.
Great, sultry voice. The melodies are nice but the backing smooth jazz sound cheapens everything.
uh. Not really my thing? Easy to listen to.
I have to say that listening to this while in a feverish daze was probably not entirely fair. Beyond the first two well known songs, it all just washed over me. The last song seemed to have lyrics written by ChatGPT
More nice background music. A bit samey throughout.
Boring bland background elevator music.
The Marquis de Sade. Smooth torture.
Cubic Zirconia life.
Talented singer whose music I thoroughly hate.
Avausraitansa mukaisesti smooth. Saksofoni ärsyttää, kun sitä on näin paljon. Why can't we live together on hienoa vaihtelua kuitenkin saman tyylin sisällä, saisi olla lopetuskappale. Plussaa eheydestä
Not a huge fan. She’s an alright singer, but the songs don’t resonate with me.
i guess it’s probably very well produced or something but this is really not for me
Sounds like a soundtrack to a late night "film" on Cinemax. Veers too much into easy listening and pop. One review I heard stated it's Steely Dan with a female singer. I don't like Steely Dan so this album is a meh to me.
Vocals are interesting and music is smooth. But it's dated and it's kind of cheesy "Shaft" sounding. No for me
Dit was echt 3 keer niets, paar bekende oke-ish nummers maar kon haar stem echt niet uitstaan 😮💨
Deze versie van smooth operator klinkt alsof die 1 octaaf naar beneden is gepitcht, heel raar. Verder nou niet zo’n lekker album, ben aardig teleurgesteld
Pretty chill jazz. A few tracks were pretty cool, but nothing significantly awesome for me to want to listen to again
jazzy pop
I knew Smooth Operator. A couple of other songs sounded familiar. It was OK album. It wasn't bad but not particularly good.
Much too smooth pop/jazz for my taste overall. That said, the basslines are grooving!
meio jazzy demais pro meu gosto, mas achei a sonoridade sexy e envolvente, então curti o álbum num geral.
Pretty good
There was a couple of solid songs on that and I enjoyed the vibe was nifty just got lost at times and wanted to get through it
Not awful, but really hard to get through. Jazzy but with no energy. Definitely sounds like the mid-80s; would fit right in on a Miami Vice soundtrack.
As is usual with smooth jazz, it's hard to think about it as more than "background music" with Sade's immediately recognizable voice being the most interesting part in the vast majority of the record. "Cherry Pie" and the obvious "Smooth Operator" are the standouts.
Diamond Life is basically Smooth Operator and then a bunch of forgettable soft pop songs. 2.
An odd one. Mostly, for me, it doesn't really work, it fades into the background far too easily, and when you do concentrate the lyrics aren't great. That said, I'd listen to Smooth Operator over and over again, great song. 2/5, Smooth Operator almost gets it to a 3 but not quite.
Absolute trash. The only thing saving this from 1 star is Sade’s vocal talent.
Cheesy 80’s hotel lounge muzak.
Kinda cool but somewhere around the halfway point I started finding it too much same same and was pretty keen on putting on some other music to have something different. 3.5/10
Nothing stands out and not my favorite genre
5/10
„Smooth Operator“: Sure, it‘s smooth, and it‘s a known quantity, but I‘m not really feelin the vibe „Your Love Is King“: Continues the theme, not sure if it makes sense continuing a song by song rating „Frankie‘s First Affair“: liked this one! „When I am going“: Caught myself quietly sit-dancing to this Some other decent songs on this, but overall not that engaging tbh
The hit is good in it's own way, but in general this album is weak and some very bad sax going on here
I suppose this was quite a nice listen and I was surprised to recognise a few. Can't believe Will Young stole one of her songs and got the same from it being in the Bridget Jones soundtrack. I didn't think much of it as it's not my genre but it's not bad per se
I went into this with an open mind, I really tried but fuck is this boring. This is barely a step above elevator or hold music. Cherry pie isn’t even that sweet, it’s more tart that anything. I read that Drake had Sade tattooed on his torso which is odd but I can hear the influence bc he’s just as dull. I can appreciate that she has had a long career but I can’t give this more than 1.5 rounded up to 2 stars
Took 3 tries to finish. Not my favorite but I see its value.
Elevator music
Unmemorable
vibey
eh. smooth operator.
Same flow throughout. Great voice. Liked a song not an album
Totally inoffensive muzak feeling album
2.5
Don't forget, it's pronounced "shah-day," not "say'd." They're legends in the soul scene (I think? also didn't know this was a group and not just one lah-day), but there's not enough on this one album for me to deduce why. Do they have big hits out there I'm not aware of (or maybe am aware of, but don't know are Sade)? I don't know man, I like these genres but the kind of R&B/soul I like is a lot more exciting than this. I honestly don't know if R&B is the right word here, as wikipedia says things like "smooth soul" or "sophistipop," what I might otherwise call "easy listening" or "adult contemporary," those purgatorial genres of stuff that doesn't really move my needle. There are couple tracks on here that I liked but a lot of it slips into the background for me. I think it sounds a little ahead of its time, as I would've guessed '90s rather than '80s, but still a bit too predictable and same-y for me. Favorite tracks: Hang On to Your Love, Cherry Pie. Album art: Pretty cool, strong framing here. Great picture, great font (though reminds me of that Guns n Roses album). Nothing special. 2.5/5
How am I supposed to go from Dead Kennedys to this, huh 1001 albums!? Sade is good, but this is the wrong album. 'Love Deluxe' better be on the list, if anything from Sade is. All the pieces are there, but it's a bit one-note out of the gate.
Dull, but not as excruciating as I was expecting.
There is nothing extraordinary about this album requiring a look at the history of 1984 and why maybe it could have been. Maybe there is a respect for its simple sounds, Sade's careful vocal range, etc., that resonated deeply in 1984 that we are likely taking for granted in the present.
i know i know, semi-classic soul album, just not a fan 5/10
No me gustó mucho. No es mi estilo, aunque hay otra canción de Sade que sí me gusta. De hecho, me gusta tanto que hasta los covers son buenos
Did not particularly like the vocals. Music was good.
Great background music, but not for me.
Felt like I was in an elevator. Did not enjoy. I wonder if Beavis and butthead ever did a music video on this one.
I can see why it’s well liked, but it’s not for me.
great voice, but it's elevator music to me
Klarer ikke å la meg engasjere av dette. Mer kjedelig enn dårlig? Plata oppleves mest som en selvhjelpslydbok.
Just not for me I'm afraid
Extremely bland and inoffensive.
A lot of never before seen bands this week, some decent parts in this album.
It’s not really my thing, but I started getting into it the last couple of tracks.
As smooth as can be, but also just a bit bland. Could cope with it as background music in a busy cafe.
nah
i didn’t really think much of it and i think that on itself explains a lot. i just thought it didn’t give anything…
Nah
Mostly the same. Chilled
It’s fine for background music.
Back to the '80s with you Sade!
Bit bland.
Haven't heard Smooth Operator in decades. Which is good because wow did it get a lot of play. With fresh ears it's still smooth but together with the rest of the album the songs are lyrically pretty thin. Ideally suited to background/mood music when the mood is jazzy saxy.
Kinda soulful, but TOTALLY cheesy.
Kind of smooth jazzy. Smooth operator.
Mostly forgettable soft jazz
ok.
Melkoset saksofonirevittelyt. Mutta muuten oli kyllä aika juustoista kasaria. Smooth lauluääni pelastaa aika paljon, mutta kyllä tää silti tippuu mun mielestä huonon kasarin puolelle. Ei tarpeeks överi, mutta ei myöskään tarpeeks tyylikäs.
Kahden avausraidan lisäksi mikään ei kyllä herättänyt juurikaan tunteita. Ehkä ei vaan oo mun genre. 2/5
She had a nice voice but the music just wasn't that interesting. Not bad but not great either
Mostly boring
Take soul, jazz, and pop and put it in a blender and what do you get? Yes, you get Sade, but more importantly you get "sophisti-pop." "The term has been applied retrospectively to music that emerged during the mid-1980s in the UK which incorporated elements of new wave, jazz, soul, and pop. Music so classified often made extensive use of electronic keyboards, synthesizers and polished arrangements." It's a bit of a silly name for a genre, but regardless of the name it's not really a genre for me. A lot of sax and smoothness, but not what I'm looking for.
Remember how pretentious-ass couldn't get past the saxophones to appreciate Tina's voice? I feel the same about Sade. I can't appreciate the voice and the general groove because all I hear is the sax.
2.5
nao gostei,,,
🎶straight outta the 80s🎶 I was immediately at an 80s dinner party with nouvelle cuisine and black dinner plates. Didn’t like this album then, don’t like it now!
Baby-makin' music. Smooth saxophone, Sade singing some smooth jazzy R&B. Pretty much everyone should know Smooth Operator, and the rest of the album is the same style so you know what you're getting into. Not really my thing but it was ok.
Not for me
that one song
Boring album. I semi-enjoy Smooth Operator, but the rest of the album pretty much put me to sleep. 2/5
Very 80s sounding, which is not really my thing at all. One recognized song
Very eighties! Smooth operator- I always thought it was someone who connected telephone lines…
When I was a teenager I worked a Ric's Food Center in Mt. Pleasant. Aside from bagging groceries and making sure my cash drawer balanced at the end of the night, I spent a lot of time trying to be cool (not be lame) in front of all the college students I worked with. It was a real point of pride when "Smooth Operator" would come on the Muzak and my coworkers would refer to it as my them song. As far as I know, they weren't being tongue-and-cheek. As far as I know. And that wouldn't be a smooth move, so I'm sure I was interpreting this correctly. When I was 17 I went on a legit date with my 21 year old coworker. That didn't seem weird or illegal to me at the time. Not sure it was illegal. But it was weird. And I was definitely not a smooth operator on that date. Ok, that's enough cringing for me this morning... Getting past that song on this record, it feels like a list of 8 potential b-sides. All are equally smooth, pretty, proficient, and well-crafted. But they lack the hook of Smooth Operator. Music like this makes me think "why not just listen to Joni Mitchell's far-superior mid-late 70s albums?" I'm not sure I have an answer to that question.
Sade one of those smokey, lounge-singer voices - and the hook in Smooth Operator is classic - but I can't really get into this (despite its heavy leaning on the bass guitar). I'm sure it's popular in elevators, department store playlists, and candle-lit motel rooms - but it ain't for me.
meh
Short album
Smooth operator was very catchy. Her voice is really nice. The sax went hard Your love is king is not the best but the sax carried again Hang on to your love was the best song on the album and sally was the worst song
Takiej odmiany bylo mi trzeba po ostatnich wyjcach, diamond life to debiutancki album brytyjskiej bandy sade z 83, zespol bierze swoja nazwe od nazwiska wokalistki Sade Adu, ktora pochodzi z kolonialnej nigerii, gatunkowo banda gra dosyc jazzowo, ale jest to ten popularny jazz, ktory dobrze i latwo sie slucha i mozna go zarowno puscic w radiu jako wolniejszy kawalek, czy tez w windzie, discog fajnym gatunkiem okresla te plyte, jako smooth soul, co ma sens biorac pod uwage tematyke jaka porusza krazek, czyli oczywiscie zycie milosne i jego wzloty, upadki i roznorakie niuanse, ciekawa rzecza jest, ze sporo referencji z tego materialu mozna znalezc, zarowno w formie sampli jak i liryki na murzynskich kawalkach, chocby u big daddy kane czy rakima, wiec jak na popowy, albo raczej sophisti-popowy album to jego material zyje swoim zyciem po zyciu, ale jednak muzycznie jest on nudny, trio przygrywajace pani Sade, to saksa, klawisze i bas, ale wystepuja takze muzycy sesyjni, wiec instrumentowy count jest troche wyzszy, nie zmienia to jednak faktu, ze jest nudno od strony instrumentalnej, lirycznie takze jest bardzo jednowymiarowo, jedynym trakiem ktory lamie konwencje milosna jest sally, kawalek traktuje o salvation army, wiec moze nie az tak bardzo lamie, ale z pewnoscia skupia sie na mniej romantycznym gatunku milosci do blizniego, ciekawy jest takze zamykajacy trak why cant we live together, ktory ma zdecydowanie inny vibe w porownaniu do reszty albumu, czuje ze moze miec to zwiazek z tym, ze jest to cover a nie orginalny kontent pani Sade, a na plejke leci openingowy smooth operator
STARTS WITH BONGOS OK HERE WE GO first album we've had so far that I've got really no context for - dunno who or what Sade is ah, so it's some smooooth R&B the most-listened track on spotify is Your Love Is King, with like 100m more listens than the rest in the album, but it leaves me pretty cold. I much prefer the tracks before and after. overall though doesn't really do much for me
From the get go, this album sounds like something I should be listening to while sitting in a dimly lit bar staring out over a city skyline. Sadly, this is an activity I engage in on a monthly basis at most, so this album isn't really for me, despite the undoubted talent Sade has. If I want background music there are better options in every genre, so I highly doubt I'll ever listen to this album again under any circumstances.
This is probably someone's favourite album, but not mine. Sails a bit too close to easy listening. A shame, cause her voice is indeed diamond.
Hardly unpleasant, but incidental. Not certain when it needed to be listened to, sure it doesn't belong on the list. It's the one piece of Smooth Operator that's iconic, not even the whole song.
Yeah, some of it is not too cringey.
I don't mind Smooth Operator, but the rest of this album is pretty dull. Seems like a strange choice for this list
Meh squared
Obviamente nunca he sido gran conocedor de Sade, la música que le conocía tenía en memoria que se me hacía aburrida y hasta ahí llegaba mi conocimiento. El escuchar todo el disco desafortunadamente no cambió mucho mi percepción. Simplemente es un estilo que nunca va a ser algo que busque, puedo aceptar que la producción es buena y de hecho también que su voz es mucho mejor de lo que recordaba y tiene un rango y textura bastante agradables. Ese smooth jazz de musica de fondo sin peso alguno simplemente no me va. No hay más que decir, buena voz y música que no toca ni una sola fibra para mí. Me sorprendió mucho ver que la canción más popular del disco no fuera Smooth Operator... creí era su canción más famosa.
Leyendo el artículo de Wikipedia del disco me enteré que se considera parte del género "Sofisti-pop" y creo que ya entendí que ese es el género que no me gusta. No sé qué se traían en los 80, que creían que toda la música debía sonar "sexy" y de cachondeo. Y la verdad es que podría ser que a ratos funcione, pero discos (o géneros) enteros de eso, no gracias. La voz de Sade (/ʃɑːˈdeɪ/ shah-DAY) es de hecho muy agradable aunque solo a ratos, y encima el resto de los elementos se vuelven tediosos y creo que la principal culpa es el ritmo de bossa nova y el sonido de piano eléctrico como de bar de Sanborn's.
I like her voice. Smooth Operator brings back good memories. This could have been a good R&B album if not for being over-produced; as was typical in the mid '80s. It was a great album at the time, but hasn't aged very well.
its ok, background music for me
Poorly aged pseudo-jazz for romancing yuppies. And there was I thinking "smooth jazz" was only a radio format. It's real and it's inoffensively insipid.
Cool sound to start the album, then it felt like Sade used that one cool sound and worked it to death, not trying anything else.
54. Treze horas e um minuto, aponta num rabisco que ninguém perceberá. Três mulheres com batas muito azuis e unhas de gel atrozes vão passar a folha de mão em mão, em busca de um sinal, uma letra, um tique de escrita, qualquer coisa. Uma já lhe conhece o estilo. Mas desta vez foi demais. Na sala escura por defeito, duas luzes transformam o momento mais importante da vida da Rainha num talho. Olha para as luzes até tudo lhe parecerem tiras incandescentes. O Rei está calmo por fora. É ele com a faca, a tesoura e a pinças que separam o ventre da Rainha em dois. Beep beep beep. Do balcão, os príncipes sustêm a respiração, já nem parece natural. Para aliviar a tensão, um dos bobos diverte-os. Apanha pequenas bolotas no ar e devora-as, num precário balanço entre o fantástico e o desastre. À quinta tinha de ser. A bolota embate no canto da boca, ressalta no beiral da varanda, queda livre para o ventre, plop!, ligeiro salpico. O Rei não se intimida. A sua fluidez desliza até à ponta do bisturi. MotA: Smooth Operator "He's laughing with another girl / And playing with another heart"
Kind of lame but good all at the same time. I enjoy the fusion of jazz and pop but the lyrics are really cheesy. Not something I’ll be coming back to. Makes decent inoffensive background music.
Not bad. Like a couple songs but not for me overall
Not my cup of tea
Overall: not bad - Immaculately produced, smooth jazz feel gets wearing after a few tracks Did I add to library? No Tracks I liked: Your love is king, Hang on to your love Tracks I didn’t like: Cherry Pie, Sally, disappointing version of Timmy Thomas song
A little bit boring. 6.1/10
smooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooth pretty inoffensive.
Smooth jazz, nope
Ok but not great
Saved Prior: None Off Rip: Hang on to Your Love Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: Blech. Not for me.
It was okay, but didn't really grab me. 2/5
80's slick. Patrick Bateman would murder hookers to this music. Not for me. Best tracks: Smooth Operator, Frankie's First Affair, Cherry Pie
I was never a big Sade fan. Something about her voice makes the songs all sound a little too sappy. In hindsight, this is probably why I didn't like Everything but The Girl since their voices are similar. With Sade, it didn't help that the hits were so overplayed by the pop stations. I just don’t have time for it anymore.
Not a fan. It was groovy, but all the songs blurred together and they started getting annoying about halfway through the album. Felt like a cross between elevator music and something that would $1 at the thrift store.
Have you ever heard a band playing in an upmarket cocktail bar? They invariably sound like this. Not sure if that is a compliment or an insult though.
4, not very interesting imo
Blaaaaaaaand
Saxy! Basically fine, but I lost interest fairly quickly.
Great Pipes, but nothing about this album stood out to me unfortunately.
Just not for me. I never really liked 90s R&B / soul. That being said, I almost lasted the whole album, so that has to count for something.
She's a great singer. But it seems her music could get lost really quickly. It's not something that you'd want to sit in the car until the song ended.
Not really my thing but didn't completely hate it
Litt kjedelig
kinda boring? i liked some of the sounds and the ideas behind them but i don’t ever think it really hit for me
A couple of decent songs, not really my vibe.
Some nice tunes/sounds but not really what I'm into
Fairly boring elevator music that tends to get stuck in your head.
Not really my style... A little loung-y and cheesy. From a different time... I did listen to that Elvis record over the weekend and enjoyed it.
i remember Smooth Operator!~
smooooth... too smooth
It’s not bad music. But it’s boring and terrible and I would never choose to listen to it.
Started off well and faded off. Your love is king is a brilliant track. She's a great voice
Not for me but better than the Russian album
Not my cup of tea.
Other than Smooth Operator, I wasn't really a fan. It all sounded like Smooth Operator. I'm not sure why this is such a notable album.
Not my kind of music. She‘s got a very distinctive voice. Nice background music.
A pleasant listen but not my thing
Hang on to your love var bra dock
its cool i guess. I didn't really get anything from it. Just felt really easy listening.
Shit
I had to get into the reviews to try to see why people are into this. I get that it's subtle and mixed jazz and funk and her voice is cool, but taken all together, none of the songs grabs me enough to make me want to sit with it and try to "get it."
Not quite my tempo.
I was in such a bad mood today and this made it worse.
Meh
Anodyne
Nah
Very bad
This is one of the few albums that I'm willing to acknowledge as good even if I don't like it myself. All of the reviews for this album mention how smooth it is, and they either deride or praise the album for it. And that is why I think this is an "objectively" good album; Sade had the goal of creating a smooth album, and they, the band, accomplished that goal. If a band can bring their artistic vision to life how can you not say the album is good? I'm still giving it a 1 though because I hate Sade. I will admit it's better on a re-listen though.
Her voice it's like silk!
I will never forgive her for breaking up Pride
Yep...can't do it.
Smooth r&b/soul pop. Sade’s got a kind of unemotional, cold voice for singing some love and hurt songs. Technically well-crafted (good bass, but it’s got that like 80s sophisti-pop sound), but just something that doesn’t appeal to me and I was ready to be over with. Not even in a terrible way, just a more boring one. The whole thing is a bit saccharine for my tastes.
Can only be described as elevator music
I haven't listened to this album before and-oh no. The first song is Smooth Operator. That brings me back to the trauma of the terrible training videos from my first job in an Australian Supermarket chain. As for the rest of the album, it's less traumatic but just as dull as working for below minimum wage. It's the same fucking song like 8 times. Just utter trash record.
Ugh
In the far back seat of a 1993 Dodddddddge Caravaaaaaaan!!!!!!
Not really my thing. Nice voice, but the music is pure lounge singer and very dull. Maybe in the right mood I'd get into it, but not right now. The production feels pretty dated. I had Curtis Mayfield 2 days ago, which is 9 years older but sounds much much better. Nothing on here qualifies as a favorite song, they all kind of make me cringe. Tempted to one star it, I don't care for it, but I'll bump it to 2 for her solid singing. No, finished listening and I'm going back down to 1 star. I just don't like it at all. I don't like smooth easy listening and I don't really like pop, so there we have it. An well done example of music that I happen to viscerally dislike.
Nice album
Auch viel Schmalz
From the very first notes I could tell I would not enjoy this album. Why does Kenny G get the brunt of the ridicule when this is essentially the same except with a female vocalist. Awful
Apologies in advance to those that enjoy this, but this album doesn't do it for me. I think it both sounds incredibly cheesy and the songs just don't resonate with me either. I guess "Cherry Pie" is my favorite track, but I enjoy it significantly less than the Warrant song of the same name. 1.5 stars.
Not for me
Awful.
Somehow empty. This record contains a lot of things that feel like maybe they should appeal to me. Unfortunately in this finished package, they just don't. There's something about the execution that just feels empty and shallow to me
Not for me
I just could not finish this - so boring and dated.
Didn’t do it for me
#224/1001. This is muzak for rich millionaires' paid escorts to slowly strip their clothes off to.
Has great ambiance but wouldn’t listen to it actively, more as a background
Definition of bland.
Inoffensive pop masquerading as Jazz, not as bad as modern pop for my tastes but still not worth anything more than a no. Smooth Operator is the best track and every single one is just the same song over and over, so it wins by default.
I’ll say it - never liked her voice.
Fun but I struggled to pay attention. fav = Cherry Pie
Not for me at all - sounds bland to my ears
I thought Sade is artist not a band. Learning new things every day. I also learned that this album is high quality production nonsense to me.
This operator is too smooth for me.
I don’t have much to say on this one. It’s an album that I listened to and I forgot about it while I was listening to it. Unbelievably beige.
The whole album sounds like waiting room music.
I couldn't do it. It was just too much for me.
Adding a saxophone to yacht rock does not magically make it not yacht rock.
This is the 160th album I’m rating. I’ve heard that name before but I know nothing about her music. Adding to my Playlist - Nothing. Not Adding to my Playlist - Smooth Operator, Your Love is King, Hang on to Your Love, Frankie's First Affair, When am I going to Make a Living, Cherry Pie, Sally, I Will be Your Friend, and Why Can't we Live Together. Smooth Operator - Not as good as I was expecting it to be. Your Love is King - The past two songs have just been really boring and they've made me feel nothing. All in all I liked 0/9 songs. If Curtis Mayfield was singing this I think it would be a lot better. Either way it would be too smooth for me though.
The soundtrack to your middle school teachers wet dream. Smooth, sultry, and smug about it. Saxophones, silk sheets, and a perfectly chilled chardonnay.
Like Kenny G, It’s not for me
In no way is this enjoyable to me. Extremely pretentious, forced, and cringy.
No
Not really my kind of music. Too much "soul".
Don’t like
Off the cuff remark: Radio-friendly 80s dross pop-soul!? Standout Track: "Smooth Operator" Purely becuase of familiarity, living proof that being catchy doesn't mean great. Revisit?: I hope not. Perhaps that's a bit harsh - it's gentle and unremarkable.
Didn’t enjoy it at all
Too soft, too smooth, not the vibe I'm looking for
Oh dear. Getting the strong urge to copy and paste my Culture Club comments. Very cheapo and karaoke sounding by modern standards.
This is so dull. 80s jazz-easy listening that plods along with umpteenth sax solos and sterile production. Legit the first album where I felt like giving up after the first three songs.
So smooth it’s just dull
not my style
The one song she's known for is right at the beginning, followed by 45 minutes of the most run of the mill R&B. Pass
This is just not for me. Actively wanted to turn it off but preservered. Her vocals are great but I can't get away from the background sounding like elevator music to me.
Did not like. This was a super boring album that felt like it went nowhere and just dragged on forever. I'm sure it's great if you're into this style, there wasn't any bad musicianship or recording or anything, just very much not my taste.
Welcome to elevator hell. Hope you like the music.
I have no clue what y'all are smoking because this album is absolute shit. It's just about everything wrong with '80s music. It's lame, it's not deep at all, and the only reason people kept listening to it was because it was on the radio. I can't even describe it, but there is something completely wrong with the sound. It's bad and so so so so so cheesy.
Bad representation of hip hop females. Kind of lack luster lyricism and mediocre beats. Would have been a better album with just the saxophone…
Hated this in the 80s, upon relistening to it I hate it now. Safe has a wonderful voice but beautiful vocals over Muzak is still Muzak Someone wasted this woman's talent
Sade is music for a PG-rated implied sex montage.
I don’t really like this type of music. I get bored easily by this - Yes, I know the massive hit Smooth Operator, and I noticed that she was a huge star when I was I kid, but it’s just not for me. The quality of the music and her voice is undeniable though
Not my thing.
Elevator music to me, I'm afraid. I know Smooth Operator, but nothing here strikes me as interesting in the least.
I thought this was shite
Excruciatingly smooth. The tempo of every song was the same, it all plodded along in the most obvious direction. Bland to the point of offensive. Hard 1.
Mostly passed me by to be honest, although probably didn't find it as bad as I thought I would. Very bland and forgettable though. Smooth operator is nowt special either 1.5
Uninspired, generic, canned smooth Soul.
Now I can answer the trivia question: who sang Smooth Operator. I don't like her voice. She sounds like a female Boy George, whih confuses my genitals.
It's pretty. It's soulful. But it moves me not. Sorry Lady Sade. 1 Star.
I found zero enjoyment in this. I also cannot stand pop sax.
Smooth operator is the only slightly good song.
Was okay not my cup of tea, listened right through - background music
too slow and mellow for my liking
80s music for suburban moms with bad perms.
Bad smooth jazz instrumentation. Bad lyrics. Bad vocals. This is a record that would be liked by a middle aged woman with the worst taste in music that you know.
I didn't like her singles back then but I'm trying to go in open-minded. Smooth Operater isn't a good start. Too slick. Next song is better but it's like a chocolate tart. Too smooth and rich. When we get to Frankie's First Affair, which is the first unfamiliar song, I'm in the land of don't care. This is a collection of dreary songs that are making me sleepy while drinking coffee. Sade: All filler, no killer. Now I have to decide if the good musicianship gives it two stars. Nope. Those cookie-cutter songs are unforgivable.
There’s nothing like this in my collection so I guess I’ve learned about something new. But there’s also a good reason I have none of this in my collection. I can’t stand it.
I'm proud to say I've been making fun of this cheesy crap since the day it came out.
Like taking a warm, candle-lit bath in porridge.
Terrible.
Argh, this makes me wish I could go back to 1983. Smooth? Sure, it's as smooth as a whisky-drunk-hangover-post-coffee-morning-after-a-triple-shot-of-metamicil-sit-down, but nowhere near as satisfying. Shar-tay on.
uninteresting soft rock
Nope. Can’t do it.
Everything I hate about 80s neo soul. Like drowning in vat of magnolia paint.
First song is iconic. Rest doesn't go anything for me
Nee, dat is echt te smooth allemaal
Just some monotonous tunes for people who appreciate 80s cheesy music exclusively made for sex time. Not my cup of tea, actually I really disliked it, I would have given it zero if only it was possible.
This is INSANELY 80s I fucking hate that but I guess a bunch of people would love it.
Going from Throbbing Gristle to Sade, ha ha. I love this app, lol... "Smooth Operator" is an iconic track. So eighties. Feels like I'm in a taxi in New York or Chicago at night, going down an avenue lined with skyscrapers lighted like so many christmas trees. The cab driver is listening to news about Ronald Reagan on the radio, and then this hit single turns up. I'm looking through the window, and I watch all the people going in and out of buildings and subway entrances. It's beautiful... All trips down memory lane aside, let's just be honest for one second, though. What Sade performed was the worst kind of elevator music, was it not? And yes, this even includes "Smooth Operator", which I *like*. As fine as that single is, after so many clones of it in the tracklisting, I feel like it is just impossible for Sade's music to be taken seriously. Because *Diamond Life* did not age well, to say the least. All the sounds are conventional (apart from a discreet synth in "I Will Be Your Friend"), the melodies, chords and harmonies are rather unremarkable, and the rhythm section ticks all the boxes of what a band playing in a hotel lobby is supposed to do. Having a competent band and a beautiful voice is not enough: you need some sort of creative spark somewhere. And this LP doesn't have it. I also want to strangle that sax player, by the way. If I ever hear another one of those bland cheesy solos, I'm gonna go positively insane, lol. *Cherry Pie*'s groove was quite OK--one of the rare tracks that was so--and I couldn't help noticing that no saxophone was involved in it. So when said saxophone reappeared in the very first seconds of the next track, I burst out laughing. Listening to this album is like playing hide and seek with that lethal saxophone, hoping it never catches you again in your scariest nightmares. *Diamond Life* will now join that Throbbing Gristle album in my list of one-star albums, very ironically. Mark my words, such a low grading is only done for the purposes of this list of so-called "essential" albums. It equals a 6/10 grade for more general purposes: 5 for the competent songwriting, the skilled performance, and the professional production values, to which I would add 1 point for the inspiration and memorable results that are mandatory for an "essential" record. Maybe without that damn saxophone I would have added two points instead of one. Sadly, we'll never know... Next, please. Number of albums left to review: 491 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 240 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 115 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 151 (including this one)
smoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooth
Smooth, bit boring
Vajoaa jazzahtavuuden ja päämäärättömyyden yöhön liian kepeän biisintekoasenteen vuoksi. (Positiivinen huomio: vaikken pidäkään laulajan äänen käyttötavasta, pidän sen luontaisista taajuuksista.)
Smooth, jazz-lite, syrupy, sweet... awful elevator music. My first one star review - and well-deserved as there's literally nothing redeeming here. Awful music that makes me feel the world would be a better place if this album didn't exist. Sounds like someone with no soul, singing with a backing band of B-rated session musicians. This is radio 2 music, the sort of music that is so bland and meaningless that it can only offend by being so incredibly cheesy and dull to listen to. This is what sad hotel bands play to fill in the time between Chris de Burgh and other lobby music that give people indigestion. I spent 45 minutes feeling that I was in a telephone queue and someone had put this hold music on to try and discourage people from waiting for their turn.
Nope
This is the music that transitions a film scene from the beach to the dinner scene in a rom com. This isn't a compliment. If you like real jazz you will hate this. If I had never heard music before I would still think this sucks. Why do people like bad things? I don't understand it.
almost literally nothing interesting to me about this record. Total snoozer. "Smooth Operator" was a recognizable track and not bad actually. The rest of the record I don't have much to say about really.
Not entirely sure it’s for me. There are a few nice tracks on there but overall too bland.
I've got a hunch that the protagonist in American Psycho would have been a huge Sade fan. If AI was asked to produce a stereotypically 80's album they'd pop this out. Man it leaves me cold, everything about it is devoid of any feel, its detached air is in itself detached from the idea of music moving you. And where's my filofax when I need it? What time is Miami Vice? Hawkie still Prime Minister? And how's about those tenor sax solos? That said, Smooth Operator and Hang Onto Your Love, I'd think Grace Jones would have been slightly and rightly peeved as to what was going on there. Oh hang on, here comes the opening sax solo on Frankie's First Affair, it's got me rolling up the sleeves on my suit jacket. And I really despise what she did to Timmy Thomas's classic, ruined it. The only thing this is missing is a duet with Stephen Stills or a Brian May lyric. Minus 10 to the max. Now to go and turn on my Amstrad green screen.
It was really boring.
1 I’m sorry, this was sooooo boring. There’s nothing interesting going on musically, vocally, or lyrically, and it just comes off sounding like lame lounge music… or even elevator music at times. I feel like every 80s pop star attempted a song like one of these on at least one of their albums, and they were never good or memorable. This is like a compilation of those. I’m trying to think of more to write about, but I really feel like there’s nothing remarkable to comment on. This was a realllllly long 44 minutes.
‘Quiet Storm’. Thanks to this process, I’m learning to put a name to that type of bland-smooth-muzaky music my ears instinctively reject. At least the Anita album had one legitimate banger I’d choose to revisit. Also, Sade is the name of a whole band?! Makes me feel less bad about dishing out a scathing review, at least. 1.5
Sounds like perfect music for a somber episode of Miami Vice, or maybe for a cheesy 80s porno. Meant for the background, not really the kind of music I want to actively listen to. I appreciate the nostalgic slick retro vibe this album gives off, but I'm not into the music
Smooth jazz from the 80s. Was this the soundtrack for a coked-up finance bro scoping out the fern bar for the woman with the biggest shoulder pads in her suit jacket while nursing his Bartles and James wine cooler in the corner? This is unappealingly bland, and every musical choice made by the band and producers seems to be the least offensive one possible. Nice job mixing the bass front and center; unfortunately the album has no groove at all. I never need to listen to this again.
I'm not the target audience. I can't do the cornball 80's sax and smooth background tracks
1.5
Never been a fan.
sm000000th operator
Insipid 80's nonsense for people who don't/didn't care.
this is shit. zero talent. nothing stands out. elevator music for a bad dentist office
Never been my thing.
Ughhhhh
I knew Smooth Operator and Your Love is King. Both inoffensive enough, if a little standard and overlong. By the third track, I'm worried that the whole album is going to be this sort of coffee table jazz inflected background music. There are occasional suggestions that there are good bits to come. A Chic sounding guitar here, some interesting percussion there. It never gets beyond the blandness. A whole album of filler - there may be some good lyrics but that's it. The cover of Why Can't We Live Together wakes me up a bit... And then I realise it's because of Hotline Bling. Bleh.
Very much not for me
I'm still too seething about Brexit from yesterday, but here goes. If this is one of the top 1001 albums of all time, then I voted remain. A complete waste of time and money - not Brexit, this album.