The Way I See It

元トニ・トニ・トニのメンバーとしても知られ、ジョン・レジェンド、スヌープ・ドッグ、ジョス・ストーン、ザ・ルーツ、メイシー・グレイ、ディアンジェロといった大物のプロデュースや、ホイットニー・ヒューストン、メアリー・J.ブライジ、ケリス、Qティップ、リュダクリス、ビー・ジーズ、アース・ウィンド＆ファイアなど錚々たるアーティストの作曲/アレンジ/レコーディング・メンバーとしても関わってきたグラミー受賞プロデューサーによる、約4年振りとなるサード・アルバム。モータウンやニューオリンズR&Bを彷彿させる、スウィートでソウルフルな秀作です。

Rolling Stone (p.129) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "With a supple tenor that glides up easily into Smokey Robinson territory....[He] has crafted a filler-free album that evokes classic Northern soul..." Rolling Stone (p.96) - Ranked #48 in Rolling Stone's 50 Best Albums Of 2008 -- "A tribute to classic soul that saves some golden-era magic for the next generation." Entertainment Weekly (p.95) - "Backed by a galvanizing ensemble of musicians that would make the Funk Brothers proud, Saadiq belts out effervescent love songs with infectious vigor." XXL (Magazine) (p.129) - "This time out, Raphael Saadiq doesn't quell his hip-hop jones; instead, he offers a harmonious alternative to rap's current mode, with rich instrumentation and a vintage '60s sound." Q (Magazine) (p.110) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "'Love That Girl' is a dead ringer for Sam Cooke, while The Temptations, The Four Tops and Al Green are all clearly audible elsewhere." Mojo (Publisher) (p.110) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[A] set that pays homage to '60s soul. Such has been his diligence in recreating the sound of antique Detroit, Chicago and Philly records that all 12 tracks sound as though they could have been recorded 45 years ago." Blender (Magazine) (p.80) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Saadiq is a romantic who stays true to the deliberate simplicity of such titles as 'Sure Hope You Mean It' and 'Just One Kiss'....His adaptable baritone is always crisp and cocky..."