Reviews (page 8 of 14)
It was fine. Not really anything that stuck with me on this one. Smooth Operator was a good opener, but then the rest faded into the background.
LOVED. What a vibe
This never grabbed my attention. I think it might be the high point of a very specific 80's sound... at least I have it pigeonholed in my head. It's like they had a very specific idea of what 'cool' sounds like, and they bought into it and performed it over and over.
haven’t actually listened to a ton of Sade. great album, her music reminds me a lot of the intro music and transitions in the 90s show “sisters”. not my usual type of music but she’s got a few songs i absolutely adore, and i could never deny her artistic talent
Smooth as hell Peak 80’s
I wasn't really feeling this until the second half, but then it locked in.
Nothing offensive here, just not a lot that really got me going. Standout for me is Why Can't We Live Together, which has a great groove. Hell of a way to end an album.
First time hearing a Sade album and yeah this was really great, love her voice and the jazzy stuff is sick
I think Sade has been done dirty by history - as soon as I saw this news today’s album I rolled by eyes at the initial impression that I was in for a cheesy 45 minutes. This slaps though, Sade’s voice is wonderfully smooth with just a grain of grit to it that stops it being sickly, and the instrumentation is sublime; the bass in particular is really taking a leisurely stroll through the park to get to where it’s going.
Pretty good album, never hear itt before but I enjoy it.
Usually don't go for overly 80s sounding albums, but this is a great realization of that sort of sound 4*
It was alright, but not my cup of tea. I am from the 80s, but have no nostalgic linked to this one
I love her voice and their vibe.
HAYAGONNA LEAD OFF WITH SMOOTH OPERATOR?
It was a pleasant enough album, but I didn't really get it.
Very soul, with some jazz overtones. I knew one song. Kinda chill.
So smooth
Awesome album. So smooth, its a vibe for sure.
Excelente álbum. Una combinación de muy buen gusto de jazz y soul. Varios de los grooves son muy memorables. La voz de Sade es icónica. Tal vez las letras de amor son lo más cliché, pero es música pop, así que no se puede esperar mucho más. Es increíble lo actual que suena siendo que es un álbum de los 80s. No solo marcó una época, sino que estuvo adelantado al mismo tiempo.
An immaculate, absolutely perfect album from any angle you look at it... and an album that does absolutely nothing for me. Couple things working against it for me. First, at this point it kinda is almost a parody of itself? Like it almost sounds like a parody of Sade music, yet its the real deal. It feels a lot like what I imagine watching the old school James Bond films felt like right after Austin Powers came out. On top of that its not aged all that great to me? Like this feels 80's, and a tad painfully so. But secondly, and this isn't the album's fault, but I'm very much not in mood to be listening to this right now. I've been putting Gorguts' Obscura on repeat lately, while throwing in some Ulcerate for good measure, haha. Dissonant, atonal death metal Sade is not. So yeah, this is getting a 3 because I'm not the correct person to be reviewing this right now. Doubt it'd ever get a 4 from me, but still.
One of my all time favourite albums - which I very rarely listen to, so this was an absolute treat.
Watered down jazz which "real music listeners " might whine about but I quite enjoyed it. Not all the songs, of course, but if this album was a play, the stage would have been set very well As for the narrative, I might have to listen to other albums to know if this is her style or something she would get better at
it was good. I recognized smooth operator. 3/5
i dig it
It's nice. Not for me, but no complaints.
Once again, I wish you could put half ratings on these albums. This one is a solid 4.5/5. This is their first outing, so the subject matter is very young. Stories about made up people, making it in the industry and love-making. But the instrumentation? Whew. What takes it down a half score is that very reason, though. I love Sade the band and the person, but they don't seem as laser-focused as they would even on their next album. But, Sade at 75% is some bands 200%. This album isn't perfect, but "When Am I Gonna Make A Living," and "Your Love Is King" make a strong case for greatest songs in their discography. Love it so much.
Very elegant and smooth
yeahhhh, this is so great. Sade is the epitome of cool. her voice and the endless sax are a combo I can definitely get behind. i knew smooth operator and your love is king already so my "fresh" listen of the album only really started with hang on to your love and oh boy, what a start. sally another hot fave from this album. love love love this one.
Nothing quite like this, her vocal style on top of these rhythms. Sultry, suave, smooth but never boring somehow.
Sexy. Sensual. Saxophone. Fave song: Frankie's First Affair
c: your love is king
I liked this but I think not as much as Love Deluxe that we did for another list. Still very smooth though
Too soft, too smooth, not the vibe I'm looking for
Queen Sade. Sade the queen. One of the best to ever do it.
Leuk, goed, maar niet extreem spectaculair ofzso
Oh dear. Getting the strong urge to copy and paste my Culture Club comments. Very cheapo and karaoke sounding by modern standards.
What an album. A beautiful voice and very well known songs.
This isn't great, maybe it's not for me.
I remember this from the 80s. I didn't care for it then, and I still don't care for it. The album seems to me to be a succession for very similar songs all in a terribly smooth inoffensive style. But essentially quite dull, and backward looking.
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.
I’m an adult. I don’t have time for people who don’t like Sade.
нормалек.
It is ok. I was expecting it to be more 80s R&B. It was mostly just boring, but not terrible. 3 stars
Great opener, songs are good and production great but every song ends up blending in to each other. For mid 80s it’s got a really classic and timeless sound to it.
I love her voice, and the smooth jazzy feel is right up my alley. I own this album, as well as several others and have been a fan for awhile now.
I've heard of Sade, and of course I've heard Smooth Operator before. This album is not bad, but it isn't my style.
Fav songs: Smooth Operator; Hang on to Your Love Good production; cohesive album. It gets a bit long at the end. I would cut Sally and I think this would work more. This isn't my kind of music for casual listening but I see how it would be for many. The entire album - sound and art - screams '80s which I like.
5/5 Smooth saxophone is a pleasure to listen to. I liked this much more than i expected.
So good!!! Erix said "sensual."
So smooth!
Great voice, but once in a blue moon will I find myself enjoying it.
Sade can sing to me every day for the rest of my life and I would be without complaint. I want to be sitting on the beach, maybe south of spain, listening to this. The band is incredible, her voice is so sultry and perfect. I have the entire box set and its still not enough.
I grew up on The Quiet Storm, so this gives me nostalgia for nights headed home in the back seat of my parent’s car. Yet I’m able to connect to the sensuality of the music as an adult. Very beautiful and special. This album probably helped conceive a generation.
Luego de un rato se torna repetitivo
Feels soulless at times
This is a good album, bookends between two very strong tracks. Unfortunately I found that it was a bit too long and blurred together towards the latter half.
Easy enough go listen to. I wouldn’t say I disliked it but I often found myself falling asleep while listened. 3/5
kuunneltu muistijälkilöytyy
So smooth it’s just dull
Could listen to Sade all day.
Another artist my parents subjected me to a lot in the 80s. I'm a big fan of brass instruments in general and think they almost always improve music, but by the 400th sax solo I wanted to throw stuff. Interestingly I liked some of the album tracks more than the singles I already knew well (Cherry Pie for example) but I can't see me listening to this again. 2/5
Fine for what it is, but not my jam. 2.5
Really great R&B soul album loving the use of saxophone will definitely come back to this one
The epitome of cool jazz with a bit of pop thrown in. Five stars all the way
7,22
enchanting
Läpikotaisin miellyttävää musiikkia ja ne kaksi tuttua kasarihittiä
These songs go on for a long time. It's like repetitive story telling because she doesn't rhythm and just says the same thing over and over
Smooth Operator is a classic and I loved Cherry Pie. Sade is always great for some smooth R&B background music and is really easy to listen to.
Overall thoughts: This was a nice afternoon listen. No particular song really shined above the rest, but the album was pleasant and enjoyable. I read that Sally was about the Salvation Army, which made listening to the song a little creepier. Also I can’t head Smooth Operator and not laugh about Carlos Sianz (look it up)! Favorite songs: Smooth Operator and Cherry Pie
It's okay. Not my genre, but not bad music. 3/5
Diamond Life by Sade was a very nice album, pleasant chill vibes. Made me think of smooth jazz or Bossa and had some of that 80s naivety about it. Only Smooth Operator stands out really, giving it a 3/5.
As sweet as cherry pie. That sultry sax cuts through the smoke-filled air. Fantastic debut that sets the stage for a series of albums that just get better and better.
85/100.
Tylko jedna dobra piosenka - smooth operator
Smooth, sultry, and goes down easy.
This is great in a certain setting. Wouldn't use it in a gym. But for meditation, relaxing baths or lovemaking, this is ideal. Unfortunately the wife prefers brutal death metal as a companion to our carnal work out so I had to settle for a relaxing bath. Still more than satisfied!
First listen
3.5 stars
infintely replayable <3
Great album, very chill with some great beats. Vocals are of course top notch. It really brings me back in time, remembering my older sisters playing this when I was a little kid.
i call a lot of albums on here ‘cool’ but i feel like this one fits into that category even more
Sounds like what was always playing when my mom got her hair permed. Very sterile. No feeling really. Nice voice though.
# 467 : 25/04/2025 : Diamond Life by Sade Bland generic smooth Jazz, Smooth operator was alright, but not something you would deliberately put the on the stereo to listen to. Honourable mention: Smooth Operator
Yes!!
Solid relaxed album
Love Sade! This was not my fav album of hers but it still has some solid songs
not my style
Why didn’t someone tell me I liked Sade.
Sade has been on my radar for quite some time. Definitely one of those bands I've been procrastinating on listening to for far too long. Looking forward to this listen. Smooth Operator I've definitely heard this one before. Great sound quality. Love the bossa nova esque vibe. Great sax. Banger chorus and post chorus. Her voice is very smooth. Did not remember this song being this good. Cool and classy. Fantastic. 5/5 Your Love Is King I'm obsessed. This is magical. Soulful and smooth and a little bit camp with that extremely 80s saxophone. Great production and an amazing, intriguing voice. Such a fun track. Fantastic. 5/5 Hang Onto Your Love Great bassline, has some good funk to it combined with those guitars. Really catchy. Love the verses. That instrumental break is just amazing. Fantastic. 5/5 Frankie's First Affair Doesn't have the same kick to it as the previous songs, though remains really smooth and soulful. Has some great vocal moments. The production makes it sound large and sprawling while keeping a slightly intimate feel to it. The final third of the track turns on the magic with some beautiful vocal layering. Fantastic. 5/5 When Am I Going to Make a Living Feels uplifting. Love the energy. Another great bassline. Anthemic, empowering chorus. Extremely fun track with some great 80s cheese mixed with songwriting and performances of the highest quality. Amazing. 5/5 Cherry Pie Great soulful instrumental. Catchy bassline and airy, liquid production. Love the keys. Great chorus. A fun slightly funky, slightly jazzy pop track with great energy and a fine charismatic vocal performance. Love how it ends. Fantastic. 5/5 Sally Starts of kinda slow. The sax comes in at the perfect time. Soulful. Has a decent sense of scale, gives great payoff for all the buildup. Great. 4.5/5 I Will Be Your Friend Fun rhythm. The sentiment is pretty sweet. Feels innocent and cute. Sure it's a bit cheesy, but I can't dock it points for that. Puts me in a good mood. Love the plucky instrumental. Fantastic. 5/5 Why Can't We Live Together Moody. Has a layer of darkness over it which contrasts it to the previous tracks. The echoey percussion and the bleak keys add an eerie effect. Lyrics are a bit cliche, but I find it kinda charming. Has a great groove. Solid closer. Great. 4.5/5 This blew me away for some reason. Sometimes it really isn't that deep. An album can just click. It's just so much fun, so stylish and self-contained, creating a sound that just tickles the enjoyment center of the brain in just the right way. It's jazzy, it's smooth, it's consistent. The ideas feel fresh and the performances genuine. And it sure helps that I love her voice as well. Was sat here with a goofy smile on my face the whole time, yet I struggle to put into words why this is so great. I guess I'm just spellbound, charmed and fully bought into the vibe they're trying to sell. Was waiting the entire time for the album to drop off, but I kept being surprised by how sweet and genuine it felt. The production has that sweet 80's cheese with the hammiest sax you'll ever hear. It's to the point where you'll either love it or hate it I guess, but I can't help but feel charmed by it. This has every reason not to work, but it someone hits all the correct notes. 5/5 Fave track. N/A Least fave track. N/A
Nice atmosphere and cool vibe, interesting stuff. 4 stars
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
A classic in the relaxing-music genre. Found the back half stronger than the front with more variety in arrangements and subject matter. Listened to: walking through Prospect Park. Favorite tracks: Smooth Operator, Cherry Pie, I Will Be Your Friend
Smooth
Not Offensive, not my cup of tea though.
Bland
Meh. Credit to Sade as a person - she always seemed very aware of politics, and for any woman of colour to make a success of herself in the 80s takes talent...but this doesn't do anything for me. You can see why Smooth Operator and Your Love Is King were big 80s hits, but the production is just utterly dull. It's soul music with every possible rough edge sanded away, music for dinner parties where economists and lawyers complain about those dreadful oiks protesting again. Offensive in its inoffensiveness. It gets a two because I can see why it appeals to others, just not for me.
Smooth operator +3, silky voice, uneventful
Soo good
Not for me
Can't remember where I heard this, some TV show, they said "Sade is the soundtrack to the greatest sex you've ever had". Her voice is incredible. This would make a good background track for the bedroom, but I can't really see myself playing it any other time. Opens with the always great Smooth Operator. The rest of the songs are just ok. Best song: Smooth Operator
Much like the title track, this album is smooth. We're talking velvet and silk; dim lights, maybe a fireplace.... *smacks self across face* SETTLE DOWN!
Slow Jazz. Smooth operator, baby.
Sade is a treasure and her debut is excellent evidence of what is to come in the ensuing decades
fabulous
Very enjoyable 4/5
Didn’t hear all but could tell it’s alright
El album definitivo para tomar vino y hacer el amor
biutiful
Great and smooth
Bra produktion. Saxgrejerna är tipp topp, men lite väl smöriga. 6/10
No one has a voice like this smooth operator. jazzy-funky-smooth vibes. And you know it was recorded in the 80s because there's a tenor saxophone.
Such a beautiful voice. Great listen, just not completely for me.
Just a bit meh for me.. some catchy tunes in here, but not really my cuppa tea
It’s velvety, I’ll give her that. I like these songs but none of them reaaaally stand out! As controversial as that may be.
# Album Name: Diamond life # Artist: Sade # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Nice voice. Great opener. Some nice jazz / soul vibes. Not many songs stood out to me though. Not a bad listen. # Top Tunes: Smooth operator # Would I listen to it again? No
Cool jazz fusion
It’s not my favorite style of music, but I can appreciate Sade. Jazz and funk overtones with good instrumental work. Vocal work is ok. Diamond Life is 80s to the max. 5/10
Smooth operatooor....iconic opening track
Loved the sax, and a couple good songs.
A timeless classic.
Cool and smooth, Sade's voice is fantastic as she gracefully glides through these jazzy and funky numbers. Interestingly enough, I have had a smorgasbord of female vocalists this week with Sade, Carole King, and Nina Simone albums. Each of these ladies has a distinctly unique voice, and I have enjoyed them all. It's been a good week on the 1001.
Smooth as hell.
great easy listening. Perfect for a walk on the beach, a cocktail, or sexy time.
Incredible debut, soft and masterful music filled with soul and chill vibes. Recommended for any day to improve your mood.
Groovy, vocally seductive and the bass lines and jazzy flair kept me interested from beginning to end
Meh
Nice chilled listen. At times felt like a soundtrack to an erotic neo noir TV show. Unremarkable but not offensive to the ears. (2.5 if there was such a rating)
Absolutely stunning
I'll have to take their word for it that this was genre defining but they're correct to include the album. Very good
Very fun soulful music.
Good chill vibes. Smooth Operator is an all timer. Album is very good.
What makes this so enjoyable is just how easy it is to listen to. Someone should start a genre of music like that.
Arranged, produced, and, of course, operated with supreme smoothness.
This is #day238 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and... oh my, this is my fifth consecutive 5 out of 5. The music is as smooth as the first sip of Negroni on a Friday night. A compelling blend of soul, jazz, and '80s pop, with lavish productions that complement Sade's unmistakable vocals. It's a stunning debut, and once again, no choice but to give it a perfect score. Looking forward to #day239.
Good, but really not my thing.
Smooth Operator is a certified banger and it's maybe the 4th best song on this album. Masterful.
Fun to listen to.
Great album
Just lovely, easy, smooth listening
Enjoyable album. Smooth & sensual grooves. 80s sound and interesting instrumental hooks. Voice is nice to hear but not very captivating (to me)
Easy listening jazz. not my thing, but well executed
Favourite tracks: Smooth Operator Your Love is King Frankie's First Affair Cherry Pie Sally
good listen, not very memorable for me though
Smooth operator in-mothafuckin-deed. This entire album is jazzy-soft rock and I fuck with it heavy.
smOOOoooOOOOooooOOOOooooOOOOthhh operatorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Listenable but doesn't stir me. Fun thing I found on the internet... "To pronounce "sade" accurately, follow these steps: The name is a single syllable, pronounced as "shahd." Begin with the "sh" sound, produced by placing your tongue against the roof of your mouth and forcing air through a narrow gap."
Her voice is just gorgeous. I added two songs to my coffeeshop playlist, and enjoyed listening to the album. Most songs weren’t memorable, which is why I can’t reasonably rate over a 3, but I liked Smooth Operator and Cherry Pie the most!
Smooth indeed. I feel like this needs a solid red wine to enjoy properly. Songs can drag on a bit too long. 7/10 Sexy sax
Not a bad song on this. I could listen to this on repeat forever.
Great
V nice
Had a better review but it disappeared. Overall great, beautiful, and I love the horns. Wouldn't be something I throw on a lot but I could see it fitting certain moods
This one was middle of the road. She has an absolutely beautiful voice and the music itself is well done. Smooth operator is very recognizable and I enjoyed “when am I going to make a living”. The rest was forgettable and it’s not something I would spin on my own
A great debut album. They sound like they’ve been playing for years. It’s not my style of music, but they do a great job.
S E X the voice! For me, Sade is the kind of artist that can't be left out of your sex playlist. She's like the female version of Marvin Gaye, and "Smooth Operator" is like "Let's Get It On" This is a great debut album. 9 songs of the highest quality, both in terms of sound and composition and instrumental. Her voice embraces us like a soft purple silk curtain, leading us to experience sensations of lust and pleasure. 5 stars, of course.
Sade has a great voice and I don’t disagree with this albums inclusion on the list— I’m just not someone who ever finds themselves in a Sade mood. I guess I just don’t want to be a mother figure to the men I bang.
S M O O T H Vocals, instrumentation, production, operators. Smooth everything.
Smooth indeed. Sade reeks of the 80’s - and I’m all aboard.
👍
I absolutely hate this. I fully accept that there is some skill on display here, but it's absolutely not for me. It's not just that this overly smooth music isn't my taste, or that I'm bored, it makes me irrationally angry. There's nothing in the sound that's the least bit challenging. Vocals are uninteresting, even if the voice is great. There's a thousand sax solos, but none of them are interesting.
Great voice!!
so fckn smooth, honestly first time really listening to a sade record. I'm familiar with smooth operator and hang on to your love. With its blend of smooth jazz, soul, and pop, this fits right up my alley
This is yet another album that I overlooked in the 80s, mainly because I didn’t have a cd player or get invited to the sort of dinner parties where this would be played as background music. Listening to this today shows that it really benefits from being heard through good headphones at high quality, rather than on a crackly AM radio - I’ve only just realised that she’s not singing about travelling to ‘Western Maine’ in Smooth Operator. Sade has a voice that soars effortlessly on this, but she also has an equal writing credit on all of the songs on here, and clearly deserved the huge success that this album enjoyed. I’m not normally a fan of smooth soul/R&B but this is a cut above similar records from around this time. Dinner-party-tastic!
On the album review page, among the 100 reviews that you can read by default, there are more than 50 occurences of "smooth". That sums it up.
Great voice in her way.
Really great voice and this was funkier than I expected it to be, only knowing "Smooth Operator" ahead of time. I thought it was going to be more boring adult-contemporary but it was a nice listen and really smooth. I don't think I can go to 4 though, a strong 3.
This doesn't do a whole lot for me, even though sophisti-pop is something I like a lot, in the Destroyer/Prefab Sprout/Julee Cruise vein. This is too lounge-y, too atmospheric? Closer to a 2.5.
Smooth operator is worth at least 4 stars
This was lovely.
Smoooooooooth operator
Deluxe. Very fresh when it was released and still a pleasing listen.
Soft, sensual and smooth. Sade is in a class of her own and this record demonstrates that. She captures an essence that few can and represents a siren in music. Beautiful one.
Now we're talking, some ultimate 80s smooth jazz. Such a guilty pleasure!
Knew a few songs which is always fun, it was good.
Sweet and smooth and let's round up because so many of us got laid to this record in the '90s. Plus, musically, it's legit Singing is great. Playing is tight, polished, etc.
Some hits, but I didn’t like how it reminded me how old I am
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.
Friday albums are back. Incredible voice, and a surprisingly enjoyable amount of saxophone. I think Promise is better though, hopefully that'll also be on the list.
It's a perfectly nice-sounding album, I enjoy the saxophone and synthy instrumentals. It reminds me of being a tot at my parents' parties or my nan's house - it sounds dated. It's sepia, a VCR blur of vague smooth jazz and funk. It's perfectly fine, I enjoy nostalgia. But this is best albums of all time, right? It doesn't set itself from the rest, it's timeless in that I still hear "Your Love is King" or "Smooth Operator" in an elevator or on Magic Radio. Just didn't do enough. High 2.
Honestly not that inspiring— sort of like a very sleepy collection of global coffee house music. I like Why Can’t We Be Together though
She sure is a smooth operator. I hope we get love deluxe too. 9/10
as soon as I saw Sade .. 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 please!! this girl !! LOVELOVELOVE her, since forever - I have all the albums etc. she can do no wrong : )
Not great top to bottom but the first three songs are fantastic. She was just getting started and got better with subsequent albums. She is a singular talent, very unique style, the kind of artist that when I’m in the mood she is all I want to listen to. Her band is terrific, very underrated.
I love Smooth Operator. The rest of the album isn't as interesting to me.
1986. I have a lady friend over. We are chatting and chillin. I am playing some music that I had come to know by various Windham Hill artists - George Winston, Liz story, will ackerman. Not Michael hedges - not the right vibe. Creating a little ambience. So I'm trying to keep things going but I have played all the bucolic instrumental music in my collection . So I go into my brother's room cause I know he has some options - e is the one where introduced me to the whole Windham Hill thing. So I see kitaro - the japanese composer who lives at the base of mount Fuji and features a multitude of bird sounds and keyboard whisps. uh. That's a no. Next up 6 Andreas vollenweider - Swiss harpist - I mean. I'm sixteen. She's sixteen. It's pretty out there. Probably too much of a risk. Pass. And then I spot it - Sade's Diamond Life. I remember that song Smooth Operator from the radio a few years earlier. Not really my jam (I was 14 when it came out) but I remember it was you know - smooth. Probably wouldn't be off-putting. Maybe it would even create a nice...ambience. That's it. Ambience. I grab the cassette. Throw it in my boom box and bam - Sade. Smooth. Not a note out of place. That voice. The instrumentation. It's certainly has some similarities to the jazz of the day. Smooth. But it doesn't bother me here. Because it still feels like humans playing. Restrained but expressive. This would define their whole career. And what ambience. Wasted on a couple of 16 years olds but it did start a life long relationship with Sade While I usually like the get to it - for some reason this 40 year tease works. Even No Ordinary Love - which absolutely rips live (the live 2011 version)- they take you right to the edge - but their will be no rolling over. Just a long coda. An always good and often great band. And the ambience...
Excellent easy listening. Had quite a good time with this album.
What was it about Sade that made her an international hit? Just good timing? Deal with the devil? It can’t be off the back of this distinctively average offering. Nothing special here.
Bonito álbum
Just not my like.
Solid album and a nice listen but nothing that made me really excited.
>The Beatles
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.
Look, I don't like this stuff, but to suggest that Sade isn't talented or that this isn't a well-crafted album is insane.
Underbart. Vilken nostalgi! Vilken röst! Vilken lättlyssnad mjuk och fin upplevelse. Femma!
Smooth operator? 10/10 The rest? Absolute snore. I thought “hey, maybe it’s just the genre that’s not for me.” No, every song that came on recommended after was a banger. This was just so same after Smooth Operator
Excellent album to vibe out to. Soft, silky, beautiful. Will put it on again.
I just don't care for this. It's well done, but I won't likely listen again.
Beautiful voice - cannot believe this is over 40 years old~ Nice mellow music You know Sade - nothing unexpected.
Yeah, sorry, background music.
classic!
The lovely sultry voice of Sade Adu with a jazzy background makes for great music!
One of those that opens up more and more per listen, but it's very well put together even at first glance. Sade's voice is a huge highlight. All flows together amazingly and there's no track that I'd say is filler, at worst I could say there's little bits of dragging, I remember feeling that way a little with Cherry Pie. That said I could see it being even stronger in the right mood. I do think I prefer Love Deluxe ultimately, at least on the production side, but this one is still amazing.
I vibed along with it, but Smooth Operator was such a high that wasnt matched by the rest of the material.
easy 4, super chill, easy to listen to, thank you women
What I will say is Diamond Life while there's no denying it's a fantastic and beautiful album, it just isn't consistent enough for my taste. There are moments when the record shines so brightly you can’t help but get lost in its lush, soulful vibes, but as a whole, it doesn't quite fully work. The production on this album is absolutely gorgeous. Every track is bathed in smooth, polished sounds that effortlessly blend soft jazz, R&B, and a touch of pop. Sade's vocals are, as always, mesmerizing—silky, sophisticated, and full of understated emotion. When she sings, it’s like every word is delivered with a quiet confidence that immediately draws you in. The instrumentation is lush too; subtle keyboards, gentle percussion, and refined guitar lines create a soundscape that feels both timeless and comforting. Tracks like “Smooth Operator” really capture that essence and remind you why this album became such a classic. That said, the album’s consistency leaves a bit to be desired. While a handful of tracks hit all the right notes and flow beautifully, others feel a tad flat or disconnected from the overall vibe. It’s like there’s a gap in the cohesion of the record—some songs simply don’t match the magic of the others. This inconsistency means that, as a complete album, Diamond Life doesn’t quite hold together as well as it could. I found myself wishing for a bit more variety in pace or emotional depth on some of the lesser moments, which in turn detracts from the album's overall impact. Diamond Life is a stunning record that displays Sade's exceptional talent and the pure beauty of her music. However, despite its high points and those unforgettable tracks, the album as a whole doesn't fully hit the mark due to its inconsistent flow. It’s a solid 3.8/5 stars for me. a must-listen for its brilliance, even if it occasionally leaves you wanting just a bit more.
No complaints, but wasn't blown away or anything. Still really solid and looking forward to hearing what's next because it's apparently peam. Bass and sax holdin it down. 7.5/10
I didn't relaize how many of the songs i've heard off of this already. A lot more nostalgic then i expected it being.
aggressively chill, I would feel bad rating it lower.
8/10 Sade’s debut album is a flawed masterpiece that serves more as a great sampler for what’s to come. After starting her career in fashion and modeling and eventually running away with a backing band, they crafted the successful formula for a perfect “Sophisti-Pop” band, making “Sade” (both the artist and the band) an absolute icon for the genre. However, Diamond Life has a sort of lack of consistency, especially with how stacked the first side of the record was in terms of hits. She had the shortcomings of an inexperienced songwriter with everything in its right place. A fantastic voice, phenomenal production and backing band, it was extremely easy to glaze over any weaker songs with all the Jazzy instrumentation. All she really needed to do was give us a couple of absolutely perfect hit singles and some filler jams that make for good background noise at the cocktail bar. It’s easy to see why this album specifically has succeeded the most, especially amongst British audiences who adored the extremely sophisticated appearance of her music. Even though it seems I’m being a bit nit picky with this record, I only critique it because of how phenomenal the rest of her discography gets, with Promise being the fully realized Sophisti-Pop masterpiece people think Diamond Life is, and Love Deluxe being one of the greatest Soul albums in history. Strangely, as her music appeared less “fancy”, and started to evolve more into modern Soul, she started to lose that British audience a bit. Those damn red coats lacking taste yet again.
Dig it, Chill.
Great voice, outstanding production, boring as fuck.
So groovy, this is a sunny Sunday album
Quite liked this but not gonna rush back to relisten.
Kinda lost interest after SMOOTH OPERATOOOR!!!
The saxophone was really nice
Incredible album. Sade is one of my favourite R&B/Soul Artists of all time. 'Frankie's First Affair' blew me away - the saxophone kept me captivated the whole time. I hope more people can listen to this amazing piece of art.
She's a smooth operator on that microphone
Irgendwie ne sehr chillige Stimme die Frau, hat mir gefallen - 4 Sterne
Angenehme Stimme. Smoooooth Operator.
Smooth operator yes indeed. The album veers a bit too much into easy listening territory for me to appreciate, but damn I love her voice (and looks). The jazzy elements good, the lyrical banality banal. Mostly background, but moments shine through. My favorite, Cherry Pie, is the most freewheeling.
I mean, it’s awful isn’t it?(!) Sade was stunningly beautiful and still is. The songs and style were effortlessly cool and still are. Each tune is like a warm bath of honey, enveloping, caressing, nurturing. How rubbish is that! I recently fell down a Sade rabbit hole when we were all listening to Dido and I then went on a female singer songwriter binge. I’d forgotten the sheer power of this album. The tragedy is back in the 80s I just wasn’t that into her! How sad! But now… I will be your friend.
Music for ski chalets and yachts!
Funny, in a couple of recent reviews I mentioned going in with a negative bias. In this case, I went in with limited knowledge of Sade other than the hits everyone knows well, and my impression was that Sade was smooth as silk and pretty much flawless in style and execution in everything they produced. Well, bubble burst. I mean, she's great, and smooth and sexy and sounds like fleece sheets feel. But the album wobbled a bit, her vocals did too. I mean, I guess I'm being picky, but taken as a whole, I'd say this was above average and definitely buoyed by the hits. Did I fall in love with the entire package? Not exactly. Another in the 3.5 category, and I'm trending down only because my expectations were not met. Unfair. Maybe.
A sultry and soulful listen that's aged like a fine wine. At times it's a bit easy listening for my tastes, but that's the only knock I have.
Sade has long been balm for my soul.
While I like soul and neo-soul, I'm not sure if this hits for me. A little too easy listening and not enough oomph. Would consider chucking at a zombie.
i'm (probably) aromantic, so i was worried that this album was just gonna be a bunch of unrelatable normie love slop, and i mean... it kinda was, but i was still able to somewhat enjoy it.
So smooth...perfect for cooking shrimp scampi in a Speedo for your lady.
I just realized that I've only ever heard the single version of "Smooth Operator" all of my life. Thought I was listening to a completely different track to start this. Anyway, I like me some Sade. Not sure if this was the album to best suited to represent the group, but I digress. It's cool, smooth, and most of all, sexy. Sade's sensual voice is obviously at the front, but the ensemble of smooth drums, omnipresent basslines and keyboard and sax complete the picture. Sade's discography only gets better from here in my opinion, but this is still a good debut from one of the bigger sophisti-pop players in the game.
Smooth Elevator
Takes me back. Great, smooth & just timeless.
Smoooooth operaaaator
7.5/10
A1 Smooth Operator - 10 A2 Your Love Is King - 10 A3 Hang On to Your Love - decent 8 A4 Frankie's First Affair - 10 A5 When Am I Going to Make a Living - 10 B1 Cherry Pie - strong 8 B2 Sally - lite 8 B3 I Will Be Your Friend - 10 B4 Why Can't We Live Together - lite 9 Favourite 3 Tracks - 1. Your Love is King 2. When Am I Going to Make a Living 3. Frankie's First Affair - NOTE RATINGS ARE FROM A FIRST LISTEN -
Kende best nummers al kende ik dit album niet. Beviel me enorm, lekker tijdens leren of potje fifa. Zeker paar extra nummers opslaan. Wel beetje kort album
Iconic Iconic Iconic An incredible debut album that has been timeless and sampled endlessly
Gorgeous, smooth voice. Sade is the true smooth operator. The music is classic 80s soul. Great listen. 4/5
Pretty good, moody and she’s a great singer
7/10 "Smooth Operator" and "Your Love is King" are very strong, and rightly hits. Such a smooth album.
Ok, ça c'est du vrai bon soul, avec ce qu'on a eu dernièrement, ça fait du bien à l'âme
Easy listening not a lot to it. Pretty enjoyable overall.
Listened to after work, learned her name is Shadé
I like this album.
Easy listening
Love Sade!
I don't know if you need to declare that, before you die, you must hear music that has never gone away. It's like saying "You GOTTA breathe this atmosphere while you are here!" Pretty sure every human hears "Smooth Operator" at least once a week during the process of being alive. And it is flawless. "Your Love is King" only slightly less flawless and thereby more interesting. I wonder if they have to pay Roxy Music's holding company for style royalties. I've always kinda dug the nagging persistence of "Hang on to Your Love", a ballad from a barnacle to a Nantucket whaler of a love. "Cherry Pie" is the secret subdued disco banger hidden in here. As is the audacious conga minute opening of Timmy Thomson's minimalist classic "Why Can't We Live Together." I want to hear that gliding around a roller rink on the moon.
Grateful for the prompt to listen to Sade, which is never a bad idea. She's a class act, so effortlessly sexy and sophisticated, capturing an 80s version of glamour that manages to sound timeless.
Might need more listens for this one. It's nice, but it might be a little TOO smooth and inoffensive to leave much of an impression beyond that.
You know, I don't think I ever heard the non-single version of Smooth Operator. That spoken word intro felt new. Why would you want to delay the satisfaction of getting into the actual song? Lovely album.
This is a good record but it's just a bit too smooth for me.
Oof, I thought this was old people music when it came out. Now I'm also old, but it still doesn't appeal to me. Technically proficient but just screams "early 1990s movie soundtrack" to me. Like I never saw Indecent Proposal, but this is what I imagine is playing during all the bedroom scenes. I also feel like this sounds dated, but I don't listen to enough of this style of music to know who is singing like this in the 2020s and if they use so much saxophone.
An album that, as it ages, seems to appeal more and more to those of us that are also aging. I've never put on a Sade album and thought "nah, not in the mood..." Good stuff.
Nice
A beautiful album; 40 years old but the vocals, musical arrangement & lyrics all are marvelous & hold up superbly. In my view it simply doesn’t get any better than this.
smooth as a baby's bottom
Bueno
太牛了终于知道真正的五星
so smooth so chill
Is that the same font as Nirvana’s Bleach? Anyway, wow! I really liked this! This is a lotta fun, in a smooth kind of way.
I played this to death on vinyl, as I did with the second album (which I marginally prefer). One look down the track listing and I can phrase each song in my head still. four stars, as they did at times succumb to a cheesy sax solo or two. But pretty perfect sophisti-pop and spawned several minime's like Swing Out Sister.
Good album, not my usual musical style.
6.5/10. Very smooth like a good whiskey! It puts together some simple elements in a nice way and sounds nice all the way through. My problem was that it didn't have much creativity/storytelling, other than a few flashes of brilliance like "Sally"
Reminds me of something I would hear at JCPenney at 9pm or Foust’s car on the way to mars hill
Fantastic vocals and great instrumentation.
i had heard a few of the songs before and absolutely loathe smooth operator, but i enjoyed this more than expected. it definitely works better as a cohesive piece rather than just a collection of songs.
The urtext of the Acid Jazz movement. Sexy stylings but boring enough that if you didn't make your move before the end of side one you might miss out.
I was really hoping to get something fun and harder-edged today, a genuinely *good* (if not great) album after a series of disappointing an/or not-really-my-thing albums the past many days. Sad to say, this wasn't that album, and may in fact have been the *opposite* of what I was hoping for. It's hard not to hear this whole album as simply easy-listening fare, and not in a particularly positive sense, but I suppose you could classify a number of Stevie Wonder's albums in this collection the same way, or George Michael's solo album for that matter, and I don't think anyone would argue they should have been left off the list (although personally I could have done with fewer of Stevie Wonder's albums). And it's hard to argue with the proposition that Sade kind of nailed the easy-listening pop formula, from the ubiquitous "Smooth operator" to the other singles on this album (that I don't know I've ever heard before, or seen the (very 80s cheesy) videos for). I can't really say any of the tracks really did much for me (and "Sally" was a particularly painful track), but at least they didn't overly annoy me or seem particularly pretentious. I completely missed it in "Shaun of the Dead" that Shaun noted that this album was ex-girlfriend Liz's favorite album, nor that it was *this* album (the actual physical vinyl disc) that Ed first threw at the zombie in the backyard. Perhaps not the kind of prop a band aspires to, but they could have done worse!
Smooth Operator is peak Sade; on the other tracks her voice sounds a little tuneless and the songs aren't too interesting.
Had not heard of Sade until a couple years ago. Got an Uber to the airport at 3am in Savanah, and the driver had some intense Taxi Driver vibes. Telling me about all the terrible people he gives ride to. He played Sade the entire time and really sold me. Went on to listen to this album and enjoyed it. Still haven’t really figured Sade out but I think that’s her thing. Mysterious. Frankie’s First Affair has been on the regular rotation since.
I liked this a fair amount - great background music. Especially liked ‘when will I make a living’ and smooth operator rang a bell. Will listen again, even if not really my taste
I had a difficult time transitioning away from Hendrix to this. I really didnt enjoy the first few cuts, but I ended up liking Frankies First Affair and When Am I Going To Make A Living. I can see this growing on me a bit already
I solidly like Sade, and solidly do not love Sade. Low ceiling, high floor on every song here. This could not be any more of a 3/5. Even Smooth Operator is just pretty good.
I remember being in the back of an Uber like ten years ago when I heard Sade for the first time. Was so surprised she wasn’t a bigger name growing up, though maybe just not in my world. This album is awesome. Beautiful instrumentals and such a smooth voice. Especially love Frankie and Sally.
Muy chulo, soul beats to relax/study to. A partir de hoy le guardo bastante cariño a este álbum y seguramente vuelva a él. Canción destacada: Smooth Operator
Smooth classy soul/r&b. She can sing too.
Love every track on this album
Great first two track opening obviously. Feels like a good late night bar album. Sade is my mates friends sister, I refused going to a party where she would have been when I was about 25, that was stupid.
Smooth as hell
Good one hit
Smooth for sure, although not my preferred genre.
mid..? but couple nice sombs
Even though I don't enjoy the music as much as other genres her voice alone makes this worth 4 stars or B+.
SMOOOOOTH OPERATOOOOOOOR 🌶 Never really cared for that song before, but now it has become iconic for Carlos Sainz fans I didn't like the album version of Smooth Operator with the talking. Much prefer the single version. I also knew Your Love Is King. Those two songs aside I found the album pretty boring. It all sounded the same and I was bored. Sorry, Sade Nice voice though A 2.5 rounded down 2 ⭐️
"Diamond Life" is a warm and passionate mix of pop, jazz, funk and soul. Sade's warm voice glides nicely between the grooving rhythms. Sometimes it is a bit sweet and perhaps a bit overly smooth on the production side. I miss the real rough edges a bit, but this is generally a great record to listen to. Typical for a warm summer evening, as background, with an alcoholic refreshment. Not a high flyer, but certainly enjoyable.
Not my thing - never really was. Didn't like 'Smooth Operator' when it was a worldwide hit in the 80s, but appreciate that this is good stuff and would probably love it, if I'm sipping on martinis at a jazz club or something.
I can appreciate the craft of this and the vocals, but I just do not enjoy the lounge-y, smooth jazz-pop which is a big ingredient here.
Smooth & funky jazz with Sade singing over it. Nothing bad about this album 1001 album worthy: Yes - 45/79
Difficult one to rate for me. It's smooth despisable and awfully cheesy 80's adult contemporary music, but its executed so incredibly well. The recording is crisp and every note and beat is well thought out. It's more 80's Steely Dan than Michael Bolton or Richard Marx. Very commendable to make the dreariest and most cliche music genre sound good. Smooth Operator is a certified classic and I really liked Frankie's First Affair as well.
Smoooooooooooooooooooooth.
Smooth, pleasant listen
just fine.
Vibes are HIGH. Smooth Operator is all time. This is really my first time hearing Sade but I feel like I’m a noir detective in a smoky night club tailing a lead and that feeling is always good.
So smooth, so jazzy, so sensual, so Sade. I really enjoy the '80s production on this thing. Those synth and drum sounds are the perfect amount of corny, and help to make the whole thing feel like love in an elevator or something. My only gripe is that the tracks get a little too same-y and tend to meander for a bit too long. With an average track length of nearly 5 minutes, I'd expect each one to be doing some fun things composition-wise, not just repeating the same phrases. It's not groundbreaking, but it's fun and sexy and sometimes that's enough. 7.5/10
I don’t think I’m usually the biggest fan of music from the 80s, so when I saw which album I’d be listening to I expected I’d give it about two stars, but I enjoyed it more than I thought I would - although I think I’d get tired of it very quickly. 3 stars.
Not much I can say about this album - not even close to being one of my Sade favourites and its still so important as the genesis of the band's eventual evolution into a genre-blending/R&B fusion powerhouse. Such a treat to listen to this one <3
Smooth operator is an all time classic, and the rest of the album surprisingly holds up as well. Pleasantly surprised.
Can be used to fight zombies.
Yeah, no... Not bad but I really wouldn't play this record again willingly
when am i going to make a living?
An absolute banger, smooth operator is obviously a bop, hadn’t really heard any of the other songs before! Cherry Pie was very groovy, all in all really enjoyed!!