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Sol-Angel And The Hadley St. Dreams
by Solange

Solange reviews
Critic Score
Metascore: 73 Metascore out of 100
User Score  
9.0 out of 10
based on 13 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
based on 13 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album

The sophomore album for the younger sister of Beyonce Knowles.

LABEL: Geffen
RELEASE DATE: 26 August 2008
DISCS: 1 disc
GENRE(S): R&B, Soul

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

83
Entertainment Weekly
The younger Ms. Knowles cooks up tasty variations on old-recipes. [5 Sep 2008, p.77]
80
Hot Press
The various elements are spun like syrup round a spoon; creating a deliciously moreish concoction, the sort you’ll want to dip into time and again.
Read Full Review
80
All Music Guide
In spots, it sags, and a couple tracks seem more like sketches than neatly bundled songs, yet it's one of the year's more entertaining and easily enjoyable R&B; releases, fronted by someone who does not take herself all that seriously.
Read Full Review
80
Dot Music
Elsewhere the album could be either too relaxed or too eccentric for many. But it's a fine, rich and extremely likeable record, nonetheless, and it deserves to find its audience even without that famous surname.
Read Full Review
73
Pitchfork
It's not a case of Solange performing best when she jettisons her ambition, but rather her need to find a way to let her avant inclinations work with rather than against her pop instincts, and maybe the best way for that to happen is to let the former emerge organically through the latter.
Read Full Review
70
Billboard
On her sophomore set, Solange not only takes on a sound that differs from her pop-driven 2002 debut, but demonstrates that unlike her sister Beyoncé--who she vehemently refutes comparisons to on 'God Given Name'--she has no reservations about sharing personal experiences.
Read Full Review
70
The New York Times
This is a peppy album, rich with thumping horns, crisp percussion and light piano melodies. As homage, it’s impressive. But Solange can’t quite keep up.
Read Full Review
70
Hartford Courant
Solange combines retro warmth and current cool in ways her more commercially successful sibling probably can't.
Read Full Review
70
Boston Globe
This is such a smartly executed, classy set of songs that's miles away from the hoochie pop being turned out by young female R&B; vocalists these days.... As long as she keeps things flowing and upbeat, things hum and only the two gauzy ballads (including a duet with the undervalued Bilal on 'Cosmic Journey') miss the mark.
Read Full Review
70
Slant Magazine
Venturing off into the unknown plays well for Solange--the mix of organic, old-school instrumentation and more electronic elements makes for a loose, fun and reverent record.
Read Full Review
67
cokemachineglow
Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams is as silly, day-glo, eccentric, and all over the place as its title.
Read Full Review
60
The Guardian
Sol-Angel is savvy R&B; with a gloss you can check your reflection in, but it falls short of what she intended: to make the record Dusty Springfield or Minnie Riperton would have made, were they around in 2008.
Read Full Review
50
Rolling Stone
Solange simply doesn't have the pipes to pull off her songs, and her attempts at "mystical" psychedelic-soul (the six-minute-plus opus 'Cosmic Journey') are embarrassing.
Read Full Review

What Our Users Said

Vote Now! The average user rating for this album is 9.0 (out of 10) based on 13 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Doug D. gave it a6:
Decent album but it's a bit too derivative of pretty much the span of Diana Ross' career. From the upbeat big drum Motown to the more seductive 70's era, she'd pretty much covered that part of DIana Ross' career. It also reflects in the "I Decided" video. I guess Beyonce's sister doesn't want to be known as Beoynce's sistem because she wants to be known as a Diana Ross wannabe.

Jarrell C. gave it a10:
I heard "ChampagneChroniKnightCap" and "White Picket Dreams" about a year and a half ago, and I have been anticipating this album since then. The wait has been well worth it. Solange's creativity is unbelievable, and I am totally blown away by this album. It is better than anything Beyonce has ever released as a solo artist. Yes, I said it. It's fresh, the lyrics are great, and the vocals are amazing. Definitely check out "Ode to Marvin," "Cosmic Journey," "Would've Been the One," "Sandcastle Disco," and "This Bird."

Tracy R. gave it a10:
Refreshing and different! I love the swagger in the lyrics! It is different.

Sally W. gave it a7:
Great fun, I think maybe she is better than her big sis. Has a nice feel to it, very 70ish but with a vibe of today.

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