May 06, 2004 @ 12:40 pm
Sweetback - Stage 2 (Epic)
There is a widely held misconception that chanteuse supreme Helen Folasade Adu alone is Sade.
There is a widely held misconception that chanteuse supreme Helen Folasade Adu alone is Sade. No question, the sister is absolutely fabolous. But without guitarist/saxophonist Stuart Matthewman, keyboardist Andrew Hale, and bassist Paul S. Denman riding shotgun, she might be just a footnote today.
Back in '96, the boys dubbed themselves Sweetback and released a self-titled CD with guest shots Maxwell and Amel Larrieux. Eight years later, Sweetback has enlisted a crew of lesser known vocalists like Aya, Ivana Santilli, Byron Stingly, and Chocolate Genius, and trumped its past effort.
Stage 2's tone is set from jump by "Voodoo Breath" with its nicety blend of Portishead misterio and Chocolate Genius's funk rock steez. Though CG shines even brighter on "Circles," and Santilli and Stingly give mellow house on "Mountain," Stage 2's real muse is Aya. From the new wave-bopping "Things You'll Never KNow" to "Sing to Be Safe," Aya lifts Stage 2 to that other place few get to.
With its cornucopia of sounds and vocals, Stage 2 proves that Sade is truly a band, not just an icon.
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http://www.vibe.com/music/revolutions/2004/05/sweetback_stage_2_epic/
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