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Here's where a modern master, backed by living and breathing session musicians (including Funk Brother Jack Ashford), masters the masters with startling accuracy.
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Tony! Toni! Toné! has done it again!
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On his third solo outing (and first for Columbia), songwriter/producer Raphael Saadiq takes the listener on a smooth carpet ride that seamlessly weaves the feel-good essence of soul music's storied roots.
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Saadiq is a romantic who stays true to the deliberate simplicity of such titles as 'Sure Hope You Mean It' and 'Just One Kiss.' But his adaptable baritone is always crisp and cocky--he never threatens to assume the fetal position if he doesn’t get the extreme cuddling he craves.
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On his latest effort, Saadiq creates a seamless, supremely melodic set that evokes '60s and '70s soul.
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Backed by a galvanizing ensemble of musicians that would make the Funk Brothers proud, Saadiq belts out effervescent love songs with infectious vigor.
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The Way I See It doesn't break any new ground, but it's a very well-executed homage that serves to remind that classic soul is timeless.
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He goes Motown with so much joy in one-man-band craft he'll not only convince the girl he's sweet-talking that this is forever, he'll convince you.
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This is instant vintage.
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Perhaps those earliest Detroit grooves are truly inimitable after all. But if you want to hear someone give the task one hell of a shot, The Way I See It affords the finest view.
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It's actually refreshing, then, to hear a record like Raphael Saadiq's unabashedly retro The Way I See It, which doesn't try to "update" old soul sounds to a hip-hop world and a white singer.
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Apr 5, 2012With a supple tenor that glides up easily into Smokey Robinson territory, the former Tony! Toni! Toné! frontman has crafted a filler-free album that evokes classic Northern soul without sounding slavish.
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The Way I See It isn't going to blow any minds, but it might open a few eyes.
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The album was Grammy-nominated, and deservedly so.
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UncutIt's Saadiq's fine songs--notably the showstopping slow-jam 'Oh Girl'--that makes The Way I See It less a homage, more a timelessly enjoyable 42 minutes. [May 2009, p.97]
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While the new direction is sturdy and refreshing, there is something comfortably familiar about it. The vintage shoes fit Saadiq, and he wears them well.
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Even while Saadiq pays homage to soul's golden era, he brings his own flavor through his tell-tale tenor; still, if it ain't your cup of tea, just slip this in your parents' record collection and they won't notice a thing.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 12 out of 17
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Mixed: 1 out of 17
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Negative: 4 out of 17
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JaniceCJul 16, 2009
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SlyK.Jun 18, 2009Super sounds in every way music, lyrics, the whole ball of wax. This is real music! Outstanding! I
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AdrienneD.Apr 9, 2009