Long Live the Angels

Sandé’s latest album completed in the wake of a divorce is a ballad-heavy collection pouring out her soul in her powerful voice—but it’s not overdone and with lovely nuance. From slow pained declaration to a driving beat in the first single, “Hurts” to the mostly stripped down “Give Me Something” or “Lonely,” this collection shows a beautiful range. The gospel feel of “Sweet Architect” is high in the running for my favorite on the album, but the themes of “Kung Fu” or the need to be seen in “Somebody” are up there too. It’s a melancholic mix of R&B and Contemporary Pop that might appeal to fans of Norah Jones, Leona Lewis, Jessi Ware and Adele.