Name: The Ultimate Collection
Brand: Sony Music Entertainment***
SKU: 18410802
Price: 11.53 USD
Availability: InStock

Performer Notes

Personnel: Sade Adu (vocals, programming); Stuart Matthewman (guitar, saxophone, programming); Andrew Hale (keyboards, programming).
Recording information: Angel Studios (09/1999-08/2000); Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas (09/1999-08/2000); Deliverance Studios (09/1999-08/2000); El Cortijo, Spain (09/1999-08/2000); Metalworks Studios, Toronto, Canada (09/1999-08/2000); Modern World Studios, UK (09/1999-08/2000); Real World Studios, UK (09/1999-08/2000); Ridge Farm, Surrey (09/1999-08/2000); Roc The Mic Studios, New York, NY (09/1999-08/2000); Sarm Hook End, UK (09/1999-08/2000); Studio Condulmer, Venice (09/1999-08/2000); Studio Marcadet, Paris, France (09/1999-08/2000); Studio Miraval, France (09/1999-08/2000); The Hit Factory, London (09/1999-08/2000); The Power Plant, London (09/1999-08/2000); Angel Studios (1984); Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas (1984); Deliverance Studios (1984); El Cortijo, Spain (1984); Metalworks Studios, Toronto, Canada (1984); Modern World Studios, UK (1984); Real World Studios, UK (1984); Ridge Farm, Surrey (1984); Roc The Mic Studios, New York, NY (1984); Sarm Hook End, UK (1984); Studio Condulmer, Venice (1984); Studio Marcadet, Paris, France (1984); Studio Miraval, France (1984); The Hit Factory, London (1984); The Power Plant, London (1984); Angel Studios (1985); Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas (1985); Deliverance Studios (1985); El Cortijo, Spain (1985); Metalworks Studios, Toronto, Canada (1985); Modern World Studios, UK (1985); Real World Studios, UK (1985); Ridge Farm, Surrey (1985); Roc The Mic Studios, New York, NY (1985); Sarm Hook End, UK (1985); Studio Condulmer, Venice (1985); Studio Marcadet, Paris, France (1985); Studio Miraval, France (1985); The Hit Factory, London (1985); The Power Plant, London (1985); Angel Studios (1987); Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas (1987); Deliverance Studios (1987); El Cortijo, Spain (1987); Metalworks Studios, Toronto, Canada (1987); Modern World Studios, UK (1987); Real World Studios, UK (1987); Ridge Farm, Surrey (1987); Roc The Mic Studios, New York, NY (1987); Sarm Hook End, UK (1987); Studio Condulmer, Venice (1987); Studio Marcadet, Paris, France (1987); Studio Miraval, France (1987); The Hit Factory, London (1987); The Power Plant, London (1987); Angel Studios (1992); Compass Point Studios, Nassau, Bahamas (1992); Deliverance Studios (1992); El Cortijo, Spain (1992); Metalworks Studios, Toronto, Canada (1992); Modern World Studios, UK (1992); Real World Studios, UK (1992); Ridge Farm, Surrey (1992); Roc The Mic Studios, New York, NY (1992); Sarm Hook End, UK (1992); Studio Condulmer, Venice (1992); Studio Marcadet, Paris, France (1992); Studio Miraval, France (1992); The Hit Factory, London (1992); The Power Plant, London (1992).
Photographer: Sophie Muller.
An update of the 1994 compilation The Best of Sade, The Ultimate Collection contains all but two of the Sade singles -- "When Am I Going to Make a Living" and, unfortunately, "Turn My Back on You" -- released through the first six studio albums. There are six well-chosen album cuts, highlighted by the exceptionally spacious Love Deluxe ballads "Bullet Proof Soul" and "Pearls." For some Sade followers, the one rarity (a restrained Neptunes mix of "By Your Side") and four new songs will be enough to justify re-acquiring the old material. The best of the new songs is a cover of Thin Lizzy's anguished ballad "Still in Love with You," a surprising but strikingly appropriate choice that is granted a hint of sweetness. On the opposite end, a remix of Soldier of Love's "The Moon and the Sky," featuring Jay-Z, marks Sade's first and hopefully last collaboration with an MC. The greater part of this two-hour anthology condenses a rich catalog of impeccably sophisticated and subtly stimulating pop, from 1984's seductive "Your Love Is King" to 2009's chilling "Soldier of Love." In 2014, this was re-released as The Essential Sade. ~ Andy Kellman

Professional Reviews

Rolling Stone (p.67) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[I]t's all state-of-the-art slow-jams all the time, driven by Sade Adu's touch-me now contralto....Like bar lighting, Sade's glow makes everyone look their best."

Album: The Ultimate Collection
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Your Love Is King
2)	Smooth Operator
3)	Hang On to Your Love
4)	Sweetest Taboo, The
5)	Is It a Crime
6)	Never as Good as the First Time
7)	Jezebel
8)	Love Is Stronger Than Pride
9)	Paradise
10)	Nothing Can Come Between Us
11)	No Ordinary Love
12)	Kiss of Life
13)	Feel No Pain
14)	Bullet Proof Soul
1)	Cherish the Day
2)	Pearls
3)	By Your Side
4)	Immigrant
5)	Flow
6)	King of Sorrow
7)	Sweetest Gift, The
8)	Soldier of Love
9)	Moon and the Sky, The
10)	Babyfather
11)	Still in Love with You
12)	Love Is Found
13)	I Would Never Have Guessed
14)	Moon and the Sky, The - (remix, featuring Jay-Z)
15)	By Your Side [Neptunes Remix] - (remix)

Album: The Ultimate Collection
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Your Love Is King
2)	Smooth Operator
3)	Hang On to Your Love
4)	Sweetest Taboo, The
5)	Is It a Crime
6)	Never as Good as the First Time
7)	Jezebel
8)	Love Is Stronger Than Pride
9)	Paradise
10)	Nothing Can Come Between Us
11)	No Ordinary Love
12)	Kiss of Life
13)	Feel No Pain
14)	Bullet Proof Soul
1)	Cherish the Day
2)	Pearls
3)	By Your Side
4)	Immigrant
5)	Flow
6)	King of Sorrow
7)	Sweetest Gift, The
8)	Soldier of Love
9)	Moon and the Sky, The
10)	Babyfather
11)	Still in Love with You
12)	Love Is Found
13)	I Would Never Have Guessed
14)	Moon and the Sky, The - (remix, featuring Jay-Z)
15)	By Your Side [Neptunes Remix] - (remix)