Search - All Saints :: Saints & Sinners

WaKE uP +SmeLL the Black Coffee!

J. Taylor | United Kingdom | 12/06/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"So the Saints FINALLY return with a follow up to their hit filled debut and this is one EXCELLENT album! If the brilliant "Pure shores" didn't get you excited, then surely the mesmerising "Black coffee" got under your skin. With William Orbit at the helm, the girls move into deeper, sexier musical waters and the album is lifted. "Black coffee" is SO infectious, it will NEVER let go -and DON'T wait to see the girls perform that sexy routine live! Not every track on the set has the power to hit you like the 2 singles BUT other highlights include the outrageously seXy "All hooked up" with it's sleazy, deep, Shaznay-sung hooks >> "I know that you want a piece of my ass -don't you know that a guy like you wouldn't last?". The gorgeous "Surrender" sounds very much like a take from Ray of Light or Music thanks to William Orbit's perfect production BUT it's a killer track all the same and destined to ride high in the charts. "Love on love" is a delicious 80's style pop-dance confection that lifts the second half of the set. The Saints are hardly your average all singing-all dancing girl band and this album is most certainly not disposable, trashy pop. Discover the difference for yourselves!This UK version includes a B side "I don't wanna be alone" and the latin-spiced "One more tequila" BUT **check out** the Australian release which features 2 bonus RnB remixes of "Shores" and "Coffee"."

All Saints Get it Together!

Michael Leach | Australia | 01/20/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The All Saints' sophomore album "Saints and Sinners" is a wonderful CD that stands as a vast improvement over their debut self-titled album. It is jam-packed with mellow tunes and funky beats, with an overpowering feel-good atmosphere present throughout its fourteen tracks. The album's major drawcard, the stunning dance track "Pure Shores", is a shining example of what the remainder of this enjoyable album is all about. "Black Coffee" (the album's first official single) follows in a similar vein, as it is a rather slow adaptation of "Pure Shores" with a strong Caribbean feel about it. I was impressed that the album could flow from carefree dance tunes, to passionate raps, to somber ballads in a manner that still manages to be coherent. In particular, I appreciated the fact that the All Saints managed to weave so many fiery raps and other interesting vocal techniques into the album. For example, the rap incorporated in the "Pure Shores" remix adds a whole new dimension to a song that is excellent enough in its original form. Other standout songs on the album include "Surrender", the damn funky "Ha Ha", "All Hooked Up" and the dynamic title track "Saints & Sinners". Overall, I think this album is an amazing pop/funk/dance recording that would appeal to anybody from teeny-boppers to adults. Without exaggerating, I would go as far as to say it represents the finest release from one of the greatest pop groups in the world. Do yourself a favor: purchase this album and start raving like me!"