Let the sounds of Sade’s Lovers Rock surround you. This is the British band’s fifth album, released in November of 2000. It followed (after eight years of waiting, and lots of critical scrutiny) Love Deluxe. In those eight years, Sade had her first child and several of the band members began working with Maxwell on his debut, Urban Hang Suite. The title of Sade’s album Lovers Rock gets its name from a more romantic style of reggae that Sade was influenced by as a child, and the album blends this sub-genre of reggae with folk, soft rock, soul, and R&B. The arrangements are sparse. Gone are the saxophones. Acoustic guitars loom large. The lead single, “By Your Side” received a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance but lost out to Nelly Furtado’s “I’m Like a Bird.” The band went on a massive release tour for the album (billed by some as a comeback tour, as they hadn’t played live for nearly seven years at that point), and after the tour, Sade released her first live album: Lovers Live. Top off your cocktail, sit back, relax, and let the smooth begin.

Lineup

• Brenda Nicole Moorer
• Maleke O’Ney
• Prisca
• Khari Cabral Simmons
• Kyle Williams
• Charles L. Garner
• Rafael Pereira
• Rodney Edge
• Vinnie D’agostino