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Critic Reviews
100
An album of uncommon depth, a sophisticated but stimulating hybrid of pop, soul, and adult contemporary.
13y
100
Her debut is a sonic amalgam of dusky 80s R&B and pristine 90s Brit soul. It's lush, sophisticated pastiche.
10y
91
A study in contradictions, Devotion is intimate but indignant, comforting but disarming. Rejecting all self-indulgence, Ware has put forth a polished and gorgeous début that celebrates restraint and redefines R&B.
13y
90
Devotion is such a strong début from such a promising talent that offers qualities and sounds we all forgot we liked.
13y
90
In an industry of singers defined by the music behind them, Jessie Ware can only be defined as the best voice of 2012.
13y
90
This debut’s sophistication might mean Jessie slinks to the forefront rather than shoving her way to the top, but however long it takes, ‘Devotion’ marks a new chapter in this future-pop superstar’s journey.
11y
86
Devotion is not composed of club bangers, but subtle, textural and groove-focused beats. They provide enough to keep the album fresh and forward-thinking, but never really remove the focus from Ware’s voice, words and melodies.
13y
85
On Devotion, Ware demonstrates a knack for weaving everything together. And just like in the best-tailored clothes, it’s difficult to see the seams.
8y
85
Devotion ... marries her natural gift with throbbing instrumentation that breathes life into every single turn of phrase or sensitive vocal embellishment.
13y
83
Ware might still be feeling out her surroundings, but considering the results, getting to see that evolution take place is an exciting and exceedingly worthwhile prospect
13y
83
there’s a youthful, warm energy emanating from Ware’s vocals that enervates Devotion, making it more than a mere exercise in restrained, sophisticated sexiness.
13y
80
Devotion is a classy affair that delights in its own refinement yet stays pinned to the earth, a talented singer and songwriter realizing her potential at just the right moment.
13y
80
Throughout Devotion you're never told to sit up and pay attention. Instead it quietly works its magic, a genuinely individual statement by an artist who didn't expect to become a pop star, but might struggle to stop it happening anyway – after all, the groove is in her heart.
10y
80
There's one way to transcend retro, and that's by being timelessly brilliant. Which this is. Hooray.
6y
80
The middle section may lean a little too heavily on balladry, but if you’re looking for 2012’s most sophisticated pop star, you may just have found her.
5y
80
Jessie Ware can speak volumes about love and fear with just one repeated refrain.
11y
80
Devotion is an album of smart, superbly realised, nuanced pop music, a record Sade could conceivably have made if she was still running with the club crowd.
5y
80
Tender, smart and sassy, this deserves to be huge.
11y
80
‘Devotion’ is the sound of modern pop, modern love - and heartbreak.
11y
80
Despite the occasional tendency to soar above when her songs could benefit from some earthiness, in the main Ware’s sheer, confident boldness carries the day.
13y
80
Ware has the pipes to come out on top of a TV singing competition, but it’s her control, style, and musical choices that make Devotion so interesting.
13y
80
On Devotion, her own solo debut, that dilemma has been solved by making the margins as mesmerizing as the rest of the frame.
13y
80
Like all the great British pop records of the past five years, ‘Devotion’ combines the present and the past to make a record that sounds both contemporary and timeless.
13y
80
Any quibbles are minor here though, for Devotion is a truly impressive debut album from yet another talented British singer.
13y
80
She captures the emotion, without the shmaltz and in doing so, she neatly elevates her work above that of countless other mainstream pop singers.
13y
75
Devotion is a forward-looking, soulful pop record. A definite classic pop star in the making.
13y
70
This is not an age of great subtlety in dance pop, generally speaking, but just try telling that to Jessie Ware.
11y
70
‘Devotion’ is effectively a cross between bass-heavy dance and sleek music to be played in upmarket wine bars. When this unlikely pairing works ... it’s a thing of wonder.
11y
70
Devotion isn’t what you’d necessarily expect from Jessie Ware, it’s not what you’d expect from pop music and it’s not really anything you’d expect from anyone in 2012.
13y
70
'Devotion' is a sign of her pop-soul ambitions, taking cues from era defining divas such as Whitney Houston, Chaka Khan and Sade.
5y
60
Not that her marriage of 1980s soul and cavernous electronics is ever less than well-manicured. But the more you listen, the less the album reveals.
5y
60
Devotion is a strong debut whose power doesn’t come from being some sort of game-changer or innovator, but rather being a lonely satellite, creating its own orbit.
7y
40
On her full-length debut, UK singer-songwriter Jessie Ware brings a somewhat modern approach to embracing the kinds of contemporary R&B sounds that were pretty hot in the 80s.
8y
Just so I remain active on this site and to control the mental swirling in my head caused by quarantine, I just might endeavor a dive into Jessie Ware's discography and just other reviews in general. I think this album is a good start.
My personal opinion of Ware is that she is one of the most underrated pop artists of the 2010s, which is strange because I thought that she would have been a bigger presence throughout the decade after the release of her debut "Devotion". Ware ... read more
Yeah, I gotta agree with Fantano on this one somewhat; this album is a snoozer. Maybe my expectations were just too high, considering I've enjoyed some of Ware's other work, but damn, NONE of this hits. The majority of it genuinely just kinda sounds like really uninteresting radio pop fodder that I'd be hearing around the time the album was released. It does have its cool moments, but overall, I don't see myself coming back to any of this.
devotion is an elegant debut that thrives more on atmosphere than big dramatic moments. jessie ware keeps everything smooth and restrained, letting the subtle production and emotional writing do most of the work. the album has moments where it can blur together slightly, but its late-night mood is so strong that it barely matters. devotion is easily one of the stronger alt-r&b/pop debuts of the 2010s.
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patton, royalflush, philthy, erik, MarkyC, d_ism, Glitchy, OPENblinds, hARded2000, GeraldR, polduan, GuigssBecome a Subscriber
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Track List
| 1 | Devotion 3:24 | 82 |
| 2 | Wildest Moments 3:42 | 87 |
| 3 | Running 4:28 | 86 |
| 4 | Still Love Me 3:56 | 71 |
| 5 | No to Love 3:33 | 74 |
| 6 | Night Light 4:13 | 82 |
| 7 | Swan Song 3:43 | 75 |
| 8 | Sweet Talk 3:37 | 80 |
| 9 | If You're Never Gonna Move 3:27 | 78 |
| 10 | Taking In Water 4:27 | 81 |
| 11 | Something Inside 3:34 | 77 |
Total Length: 42 minutes
Year End Lists
| #1 | / | The Line of Best Fit |
| #2 | / | Slant |
| #3 | / | Idolator |
| #3 | / | The Guardian |
| #4 | / | BBC |
| #4 | / | Time Out London |
| #5 | / | Gorilla vs. Bear |
| #5 | / | Stereogum |
| #5 | / | The Fly |
| #8 | / | AllMusic |
| #8 | / | PopMatters |
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