'Saints & Sinners' is significantly different from the girls' 1998 debut. The album is breezier, easier to listen to, and not lost in thick, overly-chunky production. Add to that the roster of names they enlisted (do I need to mention William 'I saved Madonna's career' Orbit again?) is more impressive and the songs, for the most part, are more interesting and less generic than found on 'All Saints'. The schoolgirl lyric of 'Never Ever' is replaced by the dizzying euphoria of a relationship which is both exhilirating and mundane in the band's opus, 'Black Coffee'. 'All Hooked Up' follows the direction of the first record's R'n'B booty-shakers but with a more subtle approach that, minus the lyric 'I know that you want a piece of my *** / don't you know that a guy like you wouldn't last', is pure class. Likewise, the beautiful Mel Blatt-lead 'I Feel You' and lush 'Dreams' make for a record which sounds exactly like the cocktail of nightclubs, friends and relationships the cover suggests.

The pounding 'Love Is Love' is another highlight, as is the melancholic mid-tempo 'Distance' which effortlessly fuses up-to-date R'n'B with a Latin vibe. The second half of the record gets bogged down by a few poor songs (the uninspired title track, 'Ha Ha' and 'Surrender'), but not enough to tarnish the overall effect of a surprisingly gorgeous record.

It's a shame 'Saints & Sinners' became the band's swansong considering the increasing promise it showed in comparison to their first effort - but it's a pleasing legacy for one of the staples of 1990's UK pop music.


A Nice Offering By The Saints...   August 22, 2002
Brittany Rose (Winnipeg, MB)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

I was very determined to get this album after the girls break up and was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere the album projects. It feels like they wrote the songs while on a vacation in some mexican dive with guys in cheesy shirts, umbrella drinks, and relaxing days on the beach. If you're looking for a cool mellow, yet partyish album, then definately give this album a listen.

1) Pure Shores - The first single, recognizeable from the Leo Dicaprio movie, the Beach...its very airy and beachy, much more then any other track on the album.
2) All Hooked Up - This song is a lotta fun and the last one released by the girls...it just sticks in your head after awhile, and a situation many girls can relate to.
3) Dreams - A more mellow track that almost has a house feel to it, very modern and trippy.
4) Distance - This is the Mexicana dive bar type song I was talking about, with a latin beat, you can totally sense the mellow chilling of the track. I listened to this when I was in Cuba missing my buds.
5) Black Coffee - This song has a lot of different parts, the alien-like beginning, the smooth bridges, and the airy chorus.
6) Whoopin Over You - The girls go naughty in this underground bar star song that you can play to psych yourself up for a night of flirting with the boys at the club.
7) I Feel You - My total fave song its a slow one that just has nice lyrics, vocals, melody, and focuses on the lyrics more then the music. Listen for the gospel singers halfway through!
8) Surrender - The lyrics in this one are clever, for example "Like a child at school, your the blackboard, I concentrate on you." its another latin-inspired track.
9) Ha Ha - A very different sounding song with an old-skool style of beat, it pokes fun at those who said All Saints couldn't make it.
10) Love Is Love - Not my fave track the beginning is all old-style 80's almost...its an aight song. Mixes genres of music.
11) Ready, Willing, and Able - Another reminiscent mexican-inspired song its just one sway your shoulders to.
12)Saints and Sinners - The title track with a very stop and go feel with a really unique style to it...
13) I Don't Wanna Be Alone - Hidden track #1 its got a cool beginning, its almost a rap....very different.
14) One More Tequila - Really sexy sweet bar song I like this one...very catchy and salsa-flavored!


One Of The Greatest Albums Ever. . .   December 14, 2003
2 out of 3 found this review helpful

How else can I explain it? All the songs on the album I very much enjoy. The lyrics, the beats, their voices are just a great combination together. I am telling you, this is a great album, that you need to BUY TODAY!

Here are more specfic reviews for the album & songs.10 being the best, & 1 being the worst (even though there is no 1's).

Songs with a 10 (best,perfect):
All hooked up: My second favorite song on the album! I love this song, because it's diffrent & funny. It's kind of like a part 2 of 'Bootie Call' (you know, from 'All Saints')only a bit more funnier, & faster.The beat is good, but what got me was the lyrics.''Why this fool all up in my ass? Doesn't he know I want class, not trash? Why this fool all up in my ass? Doesn't he know that I got my own cash?'' I love that part! And the video was brillent!
I feel you: A sweet song. Their voices are great in this song. One time in the song, Mel's & Shanz's voices combine, & makes this much more powerful, strong voice. So, if you want to listen to song with strong vocals in it, listen to this one.
Surrender: My favorite song on the album! This reminds me of Latin America, I guess because of the Latin beat, which I enjoy very much. I love the lyrics, especially the hook ''I feel so sweet, as you kiss my feet, & you undress me, as I...'', it's very cute.And I like the concept. The concept is talking about surrendering your love to the 'correct' special someone.
I don't wanna be alone: Or as I like to call it, the ''C'mon'' song. I like this song,because of how it starts off ''C'mon, c'mon, c-c'mon''. That part got me!And I like the chours.
Haha: A 'dedication' to the people who said they wouldn't make it,& even though they DIDN'T make it (they broke up), I still like this song. What got me was Shanzey's rap. That rap was phat!
Songs with a 9 (excellent) rating:
Dreams: I like this song because of the chours.I like the chours. And I like the beat of the song.
Distance: Just like ''Dreams'' I like this song because of the chours,& I also for the beat...
Black Coffee:The song that made me buy the album.I Like this song. It's cool. I like the beat of the song, because it's diffrent. It kind of reminds me of a Techno-type-beat-meets-the- beach-type-beat.(You should also buy the singles to this song, it has the neptunes remixwhich is like...''whoa''...).
One more Tequila: I don't like the drink, but I like the song. The beat is cool, & the lyrics are,too. ''One more tequila, for the sexy senorita...)It's cool song.You'll like it, especially if you like the drink.(LOLS!)
Saints & Sinners: The name of the album, & I'm pretty sure it would have been a single if they would have stayed together.And I'll tell ya, I wouldn't be upset, I enjoy the song.
Songs with a 8 (great) rating:
Love is love: The popish song on the album,if you ask me. I don't listen to this song a lot,but the lyrics are good & simple. The beat is not bad but...okay.
Ready,willing,& able:I like how it starts out,& how it ends,or well how it ends. I like this song,not cherish it,because really this song is a 7 in a half...but it's still good.
Whoopin' over you: ''I got my boots on,I'm feelin mighty strong, as I ride all up on you,baby bring it on. How you diggin' that? You like my cowboy hat? I dance like a kitty cat, yo...this beat's fat.''That's my favorite part! I love that part!...Anywayz, I like the song, basically because of that.
Songs with a 7 (good) rating:
Pure Shores: You rememeber this song? The video? I surely do, even though,it doesn't,to me, have all the correct qualites to become a hit,it's still a goood song. The chours, like always, got me. I like the part when Shanz's saying ''I'm comeing, I'm moving'' (I think that's how it goes), I don't listen to this song very much. I'm pretty sure that you'll love the rest of the songs, if you like this song.

Go get this cd,not today,tommorow,but RIGHT NOW!It'll be the best CD you ever heard...


Ahead of their time   May 9, 2009
njedeh
It was a beautiful album, the problem was, they were ahead of the listeners and they were unable to create a follow up album to gentle ease the new buyers


Nice album   September 15, 2005
Vanessa (Padova, Italy)
It's a pity All Saints split up after only some years of work together. I really liked them, I think they had some kind of talent. I liked their style, so casual and no fashion, I liked their sexy voices and, what is more, they were able to write their songs by theirselves!! Let's talk about Saints & Sinners. I really like this album, and the only reason why I put 4 stars instead of 5 is that I don't like some songs, but I think that's normal. I like this new bit, very "hip hoppy", I like the lyrics and the music. All the tracks are very original. My fav ones are: Pure Shores, Black Coffee, Distance, Surrender and Love Is Love. I don't like Saints & Sinners, Ha Ha and ready, Willing & Able.
If u liked the first album by All Saints and u don't have this yet then buy it immediately, it's far better than the previous one (although I like also "All Saints").