The Way I See It - Dark Publications

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Album Description
Raphael Saadiq's The Way I See It album is satisfying for both old school heads and today's hip music buyers: his background as a musician, singer and songwriter is steeped in a love for R&B married with a commitment to making his own brand of expressive soul music. The Way I See It has the kind of smooth musical flow associated with great records made by pioneering producers at famous R&B companies like Motown, Invictus and Brunswick. From the foot-tapping opening track, "Sure Hope You Mean It" to the head-shaking reflective closer "Sometimes," Raphael delivers a present day potent ode to a bygone era. Loyal Tony! Toni! Tone! fans will particularly appreciate "100 Yard Dash," which Raphael describes as "a juke joint, Booker T.-type groove. I reflected back to my first T!T!T! albums when I was singing in a high tenor voice." Raphael grins when talking about the hypnotic "Love That Girl": "Man, that's all about the swing...the way girls swing their hips! It's the type of song that will make people move and that shuffle beat reminds me of those ladies I used to see playing drums in church!" With its Motown-flavored tambourine-featured beat, "Never Give You Up" is what Raphael calls "my three generations song. It includes C.J., this youngster from Baltimore that I'm working with and Stevie Wonder. Now comes The Way I See It, a masterful collection of new material that speaks to Raphael Saadiq's deep love for rhythm and blues.

Album Description
Raphael Saadiq's album The Way I See It is satisfying for both old school heads and today's hip music buyers: his background as a musician, singer and songwriter is steeped in a love for R&B married with a commitment to making his own brand of expressive soul music. Born and raised in Oakland, California learned to play guitar, drums, and bass at the age of six, making the bass his preferred instrument. Singing with a professional gospel group by the time he was nine, Raphael's musical education encompassed classical music, `40s spirituals, hymns, Jazz plus R&B. From his early days as a member of the groundbreaking `80s group Tony! Toni! Ton,!, through his work as an award-winning producer of such artists as Joss Stone, The Roots, Snoop Dogg, John Legend among many others and his own solo albums, the multi-talented Raphael Saadiq has kept the faith.

Customer Reviews: Read 46 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

Motown classics that never were... September 16, 2008
10 out of 11 found this review helpful

Ok, Michael McDonald did it, as did Boyz II Men. Released albums of Motown standards, I mean.

Raphael Saadiq returns on his third solo studio disc with a similar principle, but with a twist; "The way I see it" comprises 12 original songs which were clearly inspired by Motown, they sound like Motown classics that never were. Right down to the length of most of the songs (about 3 minutes each), the harmonies, to the use of live instrumentation, he's got everything down to a "T"! It never sounds like pastiche.

Opening cut "Sure hope you love me" is an upbeat song that The Temptations or The Miracles could have done, and that sets the tone for most of the upbeat songs. "100 yard dash" (groovy with excellent harmonies), "Keep marchin'" (very Miracles-like), the sunny and bouncy "Big easy" (which takes a clever look at Katrina's effect on New Orleans - The Big Easy - using a story of a search for his girl who went missing), "Love that girl", and "Staying in love".

However, where he excels is the ballads; The all too brief "Just one kiss" features Joss Stone duetting (he did some production on her last CD) and reminds me of "I second that emotion". Saadiq admits this song was inspired by Smokey Robinson.

"Calling" is a stunning Doo Wop ballad with some Spanish guitar and vocals. It sounds like something Anthony & The Imperials would have done.

The piano/organ ballad "Oh girl" is awesome. Sweeping, and sung in a youthful falsetto, with crooning harmonies. "Let's take a walk" reminds me of Little Stevie Wonder (you bet Stevie would have been too young to sing about THAT though, lol!).

"Never give you up" features additional vocals by CJ Hilton, and a harmonica solo by Motown legend Stevie Wonder. It sounds like something from the Diana & Marvin duets album.

The groovy "Something" is the only thing that comes close to the Neo Soul stylings of his other 2 albums. The lyrics are autobiographical.

Closing is another version of "Oh girl" with an utterly unneccessary rap by Jay-Z. I guess it was done to get some airplay as I'm sure most stations would pass up this album for the manufactured pap that crowd their playlists.

Looking for real music? look no further!

3 out of 5 stars

Torn between appreciation and not actually liking the songs September 24, 2008
9 out of 14 found this review helpful

This is probably the bravest R&B record in the last pick-your-number of years, and you have to hand ti to Saadiq: the cat can (re)produce the old sounds like few can. He's really put a lot of heart into this record and it shows. Doing an album of original tracks in a style that's about 30s years dead is brave.

It's also not the first thing I'd buy in the store.

While I can appreciate the effort, this record will largely appeal only to people for whom old Motown-type tracks from the 60s still hold sway. The second half of the record sounds a little more contemporary than the first half, but that just brings it up to about the electric 70s. Again, if you like your R&B heavy on the soul side, you may find merit in this record. It's a record clearly not designed to be on the radio, so enjoy your gem.

Personally, I struggled with it. I really, really want to applaud the theory here...I just don't dig the songs themselves. When I want stuff that sounds like this, I already have it. I'm not big into homage records. In the end this is a 2.5 for me.

2 out of 5 stars

Sappy September 17, 2008
6 out of 21 found this review helpful

I don't know how else to describe this CD. It's just plain sappy. Almost every single song he's whining about love, talking about being in love, or how someone did him wrong. It's very Motown, but without the "uumph." I could listen to the Temptations all day, and I really enjoyed the Motown era, but it sounds out of place from an artist so young and so fresh. When he was with Tony Tone Toni (or however you spell it), the music had a modern feel. "Instant Vintage" was really good--a touch of jazz, a touch of blues, a lot of R&B, instrumentals, and a hint of hip hop. But this whole CD makes me feel like I'm involuntarily sitting by myself at a booth table, with one shabby hanging light above me, while he sings across the room from me and leans against a jukebox. If that's your thing, you'll love this CD. If not, you may be disappointed, especially in the fact that he even made Jay-Z sound about as vulnerable as Keith Sweat.

5 out of 5 stars

A Lost 1965 Classic September 20, 2008
6 out of 8 found this review helpful

If the 60s Motown sounds is not your thing you probably will not like this cd. In my humble opinion, Saadiq knocks it out of the ballpark with this one, in terms of the musical arrangements, aching emotions, and sweet lyrics. He pours his heart and soul into every song - you would be hard-pressed to find any filler here. You cannot tell that the album was created in 2008! Yea, it is retro and breaks little to no new ground but damn Saadiq can craft mighty fine tunes. With so many production credits and quality albums under his belt Saadiq is heading towards legendary status. Ignore the hater reviews!

5 out of 5 stars

In A Word...Classic September 16, 2008
5 out of 7 found this review helpful

Raphael Sadiq has been a dominant force in R&B for over twenty years as the front man of groups Tony Toni Tone and Lucy Pearl. As a producer he's worked with everyone from Joss Stone to D'Angelo. Now with his third solo album Sadiq bravely takes on the R&B sound on the sixties and it's no surprise he succeeds with great success. The Way I See It along with Dwele's Sketches Of A Man and Eric Benet's Love & Life is one of the best R&B CD's released in the last six months and I can guarantee if you like REAL music then you won't be disappointed. I broke down the CD track by track to give you a feel of what the CD is about.

1. Sure Hope You Mean It - The Opening Track Has a David Ruffin Type feel it and prepares you for a journey into soul music. Raphael talks about his lady always telling him that she loves him and he hopes that the words are true.

2. 100 Yard Dash - This is another winner with Sadiq talking about how far he'd run for love.

3. Keep Marching - This is an inspirational song in my opinion. It has a sixties Marvin Gaye type feel to it and could easily serve as the back drop for a movie set in the sixties.

4. Big Easy (featuring The Infamous Young Spodie & the Rebirth Birth Band) - Sadiq was quoted in interviews as saying Spike Lee movies inspired this song. Sadiq channels a young Curtis Mayfield with this song, and while listening to this song I honestly think Sadiq could score a movie soundtrack with ease.

5. Just One Kiss feat. Joss Stone - This is a lovely ballad with a summer time to feel it remsicent of Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell's, "Keep On Loving Me Honey." Sadiq who produced the majority of Stone's 2007's Introducing Joss Stone with ease, has a great debut partner in the form of Stone, who happens to be one of the strongest blue eyed soul songstress makes eagerly anticipate her third album with this track.

6. Love That Girl - The lead single and another feel good track. Every time I hear this song it just makes feel like dancing with my wife. Listening to this song makes me realize how much I wish I could have grown up in the sixties when Motown was in it's prime. One of my favorite songs on the album.

7. Calling - Although I was, loving this album, I was anxiously awaiting a ballad on the album, since Sadiq has written and or produced some of the best ballads of the nineties. Sadiq's falsetto is in top form with this piano slow jam. This song reminds me of the Gamble & Huff Philly sound of the seventies.

8. Staying In Love - Sadiq is talking about how easy it is to fall in love with this track. Listening to this song reminds me of a lost Stevie Wonder & Jermaine Jackson collaboration. The production reminds of Stevie's production.

9. Oh Girl - Sadiq was quoted as saying with the song Oh Girl The song "Oh Girl" he wanted to "stirs up images of famed Philly soul harmony groups like The Delfonics & The Spinners": " He achieves this goal with this song. It has a vibe to it remsicent of The Delfonics La La Means I Love You.

10. Walk Outside - This song has a bluesy Johnnie Type Taylor feel to it and like the rest of the album it's a winner.

11. Never Give You Up feat. Stevie Wonder & CJ- All I Can say about this track is WOW ! Two R&B legends on an amazing track that took my ears to a poetry cafe. Stevie & Wonder voices merge so smooth together it's a wonder to why they've never worked together before. When Stevie starts playing the harmoncia, you can't help but feel the groove of the music. This song has a Chicago steppers feel to it.

12. Sometimes - The last original track on the CD is an inspirational gospel themed song where Sadiq talks about his struggles in life. A perfect closing to one of the best R&B albums of the year.

13. Oh Girl remix feat. Jay-Z - One of the best rappers alive appears on the last song on the album. Sadiq whose had collaboration with rappers like Q-Tip, Snoop Dogg, Devin The Dude & DJ Quik in the past, has another winner with the Jigga man. Jay verse is similar to Song Cry from The Blueprint. I would like the song a tad bit more if Sadiq had changed the beat up but it's still a winner of a song.

Raphael Sadiq's third solo album should serve has a hand book to many of this young R&B singers who need to learn what real R&B is all about and that's combing both Rhythm & Blues and not just focusing on the former.

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