Stronger Than Pride

Personnel: Sade Abu (vocals); Leroy Osbourne (vocals); Stuart Matthewman (guitar, saxophone); Gordon Hunte (guitar); Gavin Wright (violin); James McMillan (trumpet); Jake Jacas (trombone); Andrew Hale (keyboards); Paul S. Denman (bass); Martin Ditchman (drums, percussion).
Recorded at Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas; Studio Miraval and Studio Marcadet, Paris, France.
Digitally remastered by Tom Coyne (Sterling Sound, New York, New York).
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