Nina Simone Diva

It could have been that Sade (collectively, the vocalist Sade Adu and her band) would have remained the darlings solely of the British underground rare-groove scene, but their sound proved irresistible to the mainstream, and the rest is history. Caught at the beginning of her career in 1985, Sade's cool vocals and exotic looks grabbed everyone's attention. But equally as important to Diamond Life's success was the velvet muscle of the band's accompaniment, a sinewy after hours groove, laden with minimalist funk. Eight of the nine tracks are self-penned. Straddling R&B and pop, this disc lays out the hooks and sultry allure that became Sade's soulful standard–intelligent and sexy at the same time. ~ Derek Rath

After two LPs with little or no energy, Sade demonstrated some intensity and fire on her third release. Whether that was just an attempt to change the pace a bit or a genuine new direction, she had more animation in her delivery on such songs as "Haunt Me," "Give It Up," and the hit "Paradise." Not that she was suddenly singing in a soulful or bluesy manner; rather, Sade's dry and introspective tone now had a little more edge, and the lyrics were ironic as well as reflective. This was her third consecutive multi-platinum album, and it matched the two-million-plus sales level of her debut. ~ Ron Wynn

Sade's studio recordings are so pristine that plans for a concert album at first sounded more like a way to dig deeper into the gold mine. But rather than simply rehashing a tall stack of romantic pop-R&B hits, Lovers Live documents a surprisingly vibrant live group and its warm namesake (but hardly spotlight-hogging) singer. Taken from two California dates on 2001's Lovers Rock tour, the disc reflects an obvious enthusiasm for returning to the stage after a seven-year break. "The Sweetest Taboo" especially benefits from an infusion of energy, performed at a noticeably faster pace than the already assured original version. That's not the only surprise, as the dubwise "Slave Song" acquires another dimension in this setting. In the end, Live proves much more than a cash-in on an outfit that might drop into another long hiatus at any moment. ~ Rickey Wright

After two LPs with little or no energy, Sade demonstrated some intensity and fire on her third release. Whether that was just an attempt to change the pace a bit or a genuine new direction, she had more animation in her delivery on such songs as "Haunt Me," "Give It Up," and the hit "Paradise." Not that she was suddenly singing in a soulful or bluesy manner; rather, Sade's dry and introspective tone now had a little more edge, and the lyrics were ironic as well as reflective. This was her third consecutive multi-platinum album, and it matched the two-million-plus sales level of her debut. ~ Ron Wynn

Bring Me Home – Live 2011 is a live video album by English soul band Sade, released on 22 May 2012 by RCA Records. It was filmed at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California, on 4 September 2011 during the band's Once in a Lifetime World Tour. The DVD and Blu-ray contain twenty-one tracks, as well as rare glimpses of behind-the-stage scenes with a twenty-minute documentary, exclusive candid moments, a short technical documentary by Stuart Matthewman, and outtakes from the crew. The CD that accompanies the DVD release includes thirteen tracks. Bring Me Home – Live 2011 debuted at number one on the US Top Music Videos chart.