Raphael Saadiq “The Way I See It”

By: C. Beaz

I love soul music. It ages very well. I do mean soul music, not R&B. They use to be the same thing, now they’re not. Let me use a modern example: Usher is R&B. Alicia Keys is Soul. If you still don’t get it then you’ve never listened to their records. I’m not talking about modern soul music anyway (Though there are some shining stars, most of it’s WAY over-produced for my taste). I’m referring to classic soul. Give me anything from the mid-sixties to the late 80’s. It smoothes my edges. All is well when I got Stevie!

This is precisely why I’ve been unable to stop listening to Rapheal Saadiq’s latest record. It’s not just a throw-back to 60’s-70’s soul records…it IS a 60’s-70’s soul record! Anyone who enjoys the Temptations, the Miracles, etc., MUST buy this record! It’s like a ride in a time machine. Everything about this record is reminiscent of the days of Motown, even the sound quality.

Rapheal Saadiq set out to make a straight forward tribute record to an era of music he loved. He did it, and only “slipped” once. That’s when he decided to include Jay-Z on the “bonus track”. Why is it always Jay-Z? Not all guest spots were quite so shameless…Joss Stone appears on “Just One Kiss”, sounding very much like a ninety pound white chick who wishes she was Gladys Knight. Also, on “Never Give You Up”, Stevie Wonder appears to play the same harmonica solo we’ve all heard a thousand times. Hey, I didn’t say they were GOOD guest spots, I said they weren’t shameless.

All around….this record is 95% fantastic!