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Not too long ago, my very favorite album—the one that I listened to over and over and over again—was The Temptations’ The Ultimate Collection. I just couldn’t get enough of songs like “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” and “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” and “Get Ready”—songs that were laid-back and upbeat at the same time. Songs that put a smile on my face and a little extra groove in my step. And if anyone ever questioned my choice, I’d shrug and say, “They just don’t make music like this anymore.”
Ah, but, fortunately for me, now they do…or at least Raphael Saadiq does.
Saadiq’s latest album, The Way I See It, feels like it popped out of a time capsule that had been buried under the heart of Motown in the ‘60s and left to steep in the every-changing style of the four decades since. It’s The Temptations and Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder (who makes an appearance on “Never Give You Up”), with just a hint of something new—something that’s perhaps a bit Jay-Z (who also makes an appearance on the bonus track, “Oh Girl”). And the combination is absolutely irresistible.
The album opens with the hip-swaying, classic Motown-styled track, “Sure Hope You Mean It,” before picking up the pace for the album’s first single, “100 Yard Dash.” It’s an easy-going track that’s filled with smooth, seductive soul—the kind of song that makes you want to get up and dance as you sing along with Saadiq’s exuberant falsetto. And the cool R&B style continues throughout most of the album.
From the first beat through the closing collaboration with Jay-Z, The Way I See It is crammed with hit after hit—with hardly a low point. There are upbeat songs, like “Keep Marchin’,” that will help to push you through another monotonous work day. And there are love songs, like “Just One Kiss” (with Joss Stone) and “Never Give You Up,” that will have you rushing home at five o’clock. It’s filled with songs about love and loss—and a fair share of lust, too—all accompanied by classic beats and velvety backing vocals.
The Way I See It is, without a doubt, one of the best albums of the last year. Saadiq’s voice is flawless, and his style is classic, making The Way I See It an all-purpose kind of album. It can wake you up in the morning, keep you going at the office, help you wind down on the drive home, and get you up and moving your hips with a drink in your hand at the end of the day. For fans of old-school soul—and today’s R&B—it’s an absolute necessity.
