How do you disappear for 10 years, reappear at the top of the Billboard albums chart, selling over 500,000 albums in the first week of release, and over a million in mere weeks? Well, for Nigerian-born Sade Adu, that’s exactly what happened when the acclaimed singer and her band released their sixth studio album in February, 2010.

On the title track, Adu chants, “I am lost but I don’t doubt/Tall I ride/I have the will to survive” over arresting military beats. It’s the angriest track Sade has ever done. Opener The Moon and the Sky, reminiscent of By Your Side, has the jazz and funk singer waxing poetic – “You’ll always know the reason why we could have had the moon and the sky” and indeed, the album itself is poetic with these beautiful kinds of couplets throughout.

On Morning Bird she sings, “You are the blood of me/the harvest of my dreams/there’s nowhere I can find peace/and the silence won’t cease”. With Bring Me Home she entreats, “Put me on a plate with petals and a fire/and send me out to sea/turn my angry sword against my heart/and let me free.” For lovers of good writing and fans of Sade, there’s plenty here and admittedly, it works great as background music, but if one isn’t inclined to actually pay it attention, that’s all it will ever, be to some.

Best tracks: Babyfather; Soldier of Love; The Moon and the Sky.

Review and purchase Soldier of Love online – Amazon | iTunes

Last night, I sat down to listen to The-Dream’s sophomore effort, and I must say that it falls short lyrically of his talent and reputation. Don’t get it twisted, there are some surefire hits on this CD, but there are also some big misses as well! IMHO, it’s definitely an inconsistent and incoherent follow-up to his 2007 debut “Love/Hate”, which spawned platinum sales via several hits including “Shawty Is A 10″ and “Falsetto”.

For this effort, which was largely produced by , he employs much of the same predictable formula – aiming for club bangers and radio hot shots. Sadly though, the album is just weighed down by weak, repetitive trash. It has a high sex quotient, which is just overwhelming and annoying at times, so after you’re done listening to it, you know for sure that Mr. Nash knows how to “put it on” a woman.

I guess the sexual and material obsession throughout the CD shouldn’t be a surprise given its title!

Have a listen for yourself, of course everyone is entitled to their opinion, but my take is that it lacks substance and needs less material-meets-sexual obsession and gimmickry given his reputation and acknowledged talent.

Track List
1. Money Intro
2. Rockin’ That Sh**
3. Walkin’ On The Moon featuring Kanye West
4. My Love featuring Mariah Carey
5. Put It Down
6. Sweat It Out
7. Take U Home 2 My Mama
8. Love vs. Money
9. Love vs. Money: Part 2
10. Fancy
11. Right Side Of My Brain
12. Mr. Yeah
13. Kelly’s 12 Play
14. Let Me See The Booty featuring Lil Jon

Submitted by John K., Bronx, NY

In these harsh socio-economic times, the lyrics for the songs on Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics are a welcome escape from the harsh and sad realities of day-to-day life here in the U.S., and of course, globally. If you love the easygoing, smooth soul for which Arie has made her name, this is a must-have in your CD collection. Check out the track listing below.

Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics Track List

1. Intro: Grains
2. Therapy (feat. Gramps Morgan)
3. Ghetto
4. Chocolate High (feat. Musiq Soulchild)
5. He Heals Me
6. Interlude: Grains
7. Pearls (feat. Dobet Gnahore)
8. River Rise
9. Yellow (feat. Terrell Carter)
10. Better Way
11. Interlude: Grains
12. Long Goodbye
13. Psalms 23 (feat. MC Lyte)
14. The Cure (feat. Sezen Aksu)
15. Outro: Grains
16. A Beautiful Day (Album Only)
17. Beautiful Flower (UK Bonus Track)

Submitted by Nadine R., NYC, NY