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Saints & Sinners (All Saints album)

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Saints & Sinners
Studio album by
All Saints
Released16 October 2000
RecordedAir Studios, Conway Studios, Eastcote Studios, Guerilla Beach Studio, Home Recordings, Larrabee West, Metropolis, Olympic, Pierce Rooms, Rotation One Studios, Sarm West, Whitfield Street Studios
Genre
Length52:53
LabelLondon
Producer
All Saints chronology
The Remix Album
(1998) 		Saints & Sinners
(2000) 		All Hits
(2001)
Singles from All Saints
  1. "Pure Shores"
    Released: 14 February 2000
  2. "Black Coffee"
    Released: 2 October 2000
  3. "All Hooked Up"
    Released: 27 January 2001

Saints & Sinners is the second studio album by English girl group All Saints. It was released three years after their debut album, All Saints. The album reached number one in the UK, their only album to do so. Three tracks on the album were produced by William Orbit, best known for his work with Madonna on her Ray of Light album. The album received mixed reviews from music critics, praising the singles and the new direction of music, while some felt it was too similar to the Spice Girls and Madonna's album Ray of Light.

Three singles were released from the album: "Pure Shores", "Black Coffee" and "All Hooked Up". Promo copies of the track "Surrender" began circulating in early January 2001, indicating it would have been the fourth proper single from the album had the group not disbanded soon after the album's release. The first single from the album, the Orbit-produced "Pure Shores", preceded the album by several months, having been previously released on the soundtrack for the 2000 film The Beach. It topped the UK singles chart and was certified double platinum. Second single "Black Coffee" also got to number one in the UK, whilst final single "All Hooked Up" peaked at number seven.

The majority of the songs were written by Shaznay Lewis and Karl Gordon. Melanie Blatt wrote two tracks on the album, "I Feel You" and "Ha Ha", the former track being written in dedication to her daughter, while Natalie Appleton co-wrote the track "Dreams" with Samantha Fox. Fox said she is credited on the song as "Karen Wilkin".[2] Commercially, Saints & Sinners wasn't as successful as its preceding album.

Background

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In 1999, three of the group's members – Nicole Appleton, Natalie Appleton and Melanie Blatt – were approached by Dave Stewart to appear on the film Honest, playing the main characters. At the same time, remaining member Shaznay Lewis went to the United States to work with William Orbit, noted for his work with American singer and songwriter Madonna, on the songs and backing tracks for All Saints' second album, provisionally titled I Need the Mic.[3][4] In December 1999, reports confirmed that All Saints completed recording for the album, and set its release date for March or April 2000. "The album is finished and we are now mastering it. It has great tracks on it. We were even working on the mixing desks. We wanted to get involved with every aspect of the album right down to the final version", said Shaznay Lewis.[5]

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
Dotmusic2/5[7]
The Guardian[8]
Mixmag3/5[9]
Q[10]
Uncut[11]

Saints & Sinners received mixed reviews from music critics. NME stated: "It's better than the new Spice Girls record. But really, that's not good enough." They criticised the group's lack of new musical direction, saying "[...] But since the release of their first album and their meteoric rise to tabloid infamy, they seem to be on a mission to tear down that credibility, brick by brick." Although praising the singles, they concluded that "For a British pop album, 'Saints And Sinners' is simply passable."[12] Entertainment.ie however were more positive, giving it four stars out of five. They felt that "Saints and Sinners is a confident set of vibrant R'n'B songs driven by swirling dance rhythms and some luscious harmonies." They further judged: "At heart the Saints are superlative singers and the unique chemistry conjured up by their four individual voices makes this one of the best pop albums of the year."[13]

Despite AllMusic not reviewing the album, they awarded it three stars out of five.[6] They highlighted "Pure Shores", "Black Coffee" and "Dreams" as the album's standout tracks.[14] Nigel Packer from BBC Music gave Saints & Sinners a positive review, but remarked: "It's a sign of just what Saints and Sinners might have been with Orbit at the helm throughout. Instead we're left with one strong EP trapped inside a pretty run-of-the-mill album."[15]

Commercial reception

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Commercially, Saints & Sinners was not as successful as the group's self-titled debut album. While debuting at number eight on the New Zealand Albums Chart, it stayed in the chart for just five weeks. The album debuted at twenty-six on the Australian Albums Chart, and rose to peak at twenty. Although the album charted in the top fifty for three weeks, it was later certified Gold by ARIA. In Norway and Sweden, the album reached the top 20 (fifteen and nineteen, respectively) but lasted for less than a month in the charts (at four and three weeks, respectively).

The album was not so successful in Austria, where it debuted at twelve for two consecutive weeks and spent five weeks in the chart. It was more moderate in Switzerland, where it debuted at seven on the Swiss Albums Chart and charted for ten weeks. The album peaked at fourteen in Germany and endured for eleven weeks in the chart.[16] The album was more successful in their native United Kingdom, where it peaked at number one for a sole week. It clocked up a total of twenty-three weeks in the chart.[17]

Singles

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The album's first single was "Pure Shores". It was released as the lead single from the album by London Records in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and United Kingdom on 12 September 1999, until a physical worldwide release occurred on 11 February 2000. The song was also used as the first single for the 2000 film The Beach and its soundtrack. Composed as a "futuristic dream-pop" song, "Pure Shores" received very positive reviews from music critics, many praising the group's vocals, musical composition, and lyrical content. Commercially, the song was a huge success, peaking high on the charts in many countries including Ireland, New Zealand, Italy, United Kingdom, Australia, Finland, France, and Switzerland. The song was released in Canada, but only charted at thirty-five, and was their last single to chart in North America. The music video is set on the beach and features clips from the movie The Beach.

The album's second single was "Black Coffee". It was released by London Records worldwide on 2 October 2000. Composed as a dance-pop, trip hop, and electronica song, "Black Coffee" received positive reviews from music critics, many again praising the musical composition and the group's vocals. While not managing to reach the heights of lead single "Pure Shores", "Black Coffee" still reached number one in the United Kingdom, also charting in Australia, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Sweden, and Switzerland. The music video is set in a luxury apartment and on the rooftop of the apartment during the night.

The album's third and final single was "All Hooked Up". It was released by London Records worldwide on 27 January 2001. It was the group's last single prior to their temporary split. The song did not match the success of the album's previous singles, reaching no.7 in the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Switzerland. The video for "All Hooked Up" is set in a hotel room.

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Pure Shores"Shaznay Lewis, Susannah Melvoin, William OrbitWilliam Orbit4:28
2."All Hooked Up"Lewis, Karl GordonKarl (K-Gee) Gordon3:48
3."Dreams"Natalie Appleton, Cris Bonacci, Karen Wilkin, OrbitCameron McVey and Paul Simm with
Orbit (additional production)		4:24
4."Distance"Lewis, Gordon, Kyle McCrayGordon4:25
5."Black Coffee"Kirsty Elizabeth, Tom Nichols, Alex Von SoosOrbit4:45
6."Whoopin' Over You"Lewis, Jonny DouglasJonny Douglas4:04
7."I Feel You"Melanie Blatt, Russell Nash, Femi Williams, Stuart ZenderStuart Zender and Femi Fem5:35
8."Surrender"Lewis, OrbitOrbit5:10
9."Ha Ha"Blatt, DouglasDouglas4:08
10."Love Is Love"Lewis, DouglasDouglas4:06
11."Ready, Willing and Able"Lewis, GordonGordon3:36
12."Saints & Sinners"Lewis, Gordon, Michelle EscofferyGordon4:15
UK edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
13."I Don't Wanna Be Alone"Lewis, Gordon, Wayne Hector, Alistair TennantKarl (K-Gee) Gordon4:15
14."One More Tequila"Lewis, GordonGordon3:42
Australian edition bonus tracks[18]
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
13."Pure Shores" (2 Da Beach U Don't Stop Remix)Lewis, OrbitOrbit, Gordon (additional and remix production)5:00
14."Black Coffee" (The Neptunes Remix)Elizabeth, Nichols, Von SoosOrbit, The Neptunes (remix production)4:45

Charts

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Certifications and sales

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Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[43] Gold 35,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[44] Gold 25,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[46] 2× Platinum 610,000[45]
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[47] Platinum 1,000,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: UK girl band 'All Saints' open up about their huge bust-ups over the years". Who Australia. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  2. ^ "Samantha Fox – hitparade.ch".
  3. ^ Kutner, Jon (2005). 1000 UK Number One Hits. Omnibus Press. ISBN 1844492834.
  4. ^ "All Saints to return with Orbit's aid". Dotmusic. 8 December 1999. Archived from the original on 15 June 2000. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  5. ^ "New All Saints album finished". Dotmusic. 17 November 1999. Archived from the original on 11 June 2000. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  6. ^ a b Saints & Sinners – All Saints | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards. AllMusic (20 March 2000).
  7. ^ Batey, Angus (16 October 2000). "All Saints – 'Saints & Sinners' (London)". Dotmusic. Archived from the original on 13 December 2000. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  8. ^ Sullivan, Caroline (13 October 2000). "Pop CD of the week: All Saints". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  9. ^ Lynskey, Dorian (1 November 2000). "Albums: Tunes: Unbelievers: The 'All Saints' follow-up, and only Orbit can lift the girls". Mixmag. Vol. 2, no. 114. p. 197. ISSN 0957-6622.
  10. ^ Gennoe, Dan (November 2000). "All Saints: Saints & Sinners (London 8573 85295 2)". Q. Retrieved 27 July 2021 – via Rock's Backpages.
  11. ^ Roberts, Chris (1 December 2000). "Albums: All Saints". Uncut. No. 43. p. 89. ISSN 1368-0722.
  12. ^ "Saints And Sinners". NME. 7 October 2000. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  13. ^ Music Review | All Saints – Saints and Sinners. entertainment.ie (19 October 2000).
  14. ^ All Saints | Songs. AllMusic.
  15. ^ NEW MUSIC RELEASES | CD Review: All Saints. BBC News (15 October 2000).
  16. ^ All Saints – Saints & Sinners suitable for most charts.
  17. ^ officialcharts.com
  18. ^ "All Saints – Saints & Sinners (CD, Album) at Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  19. ^ "Australiancharts.com – All Saints – Saints & Sinners". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  20. ^ "ARIA Dance – Week Commencing 15th January 2001" (PDF). The ARIA Report (568): 15. 15 January 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 February 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  21. ^ "Austriancharts.at – All Saints – Saints & Sinners" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  22. ^ "Ultratop.be – All Saints – Saints & Sinners" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  23. ^ "Ultratop.be – All Saints – Saints & Sinners" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  24. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – All Saints – Saints & Sinners" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  25. ^ "Billboard: Hits of the World (Page 57)". Billboard. 18 November 2000. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
  26. ^ "All Saints: Saints & Sinners" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  27. ^ "Lescharts.com – All Saints – Saints & Sinners". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  28. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – All Saints – Saints & Sinners" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  29. ^ "Billboard: Hits of the World (Page 57)". Billboard. 18 November 2000. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  30. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 200. 44. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  31. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography All Saints". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  32. ^ "Italiancharts.com – All Saints – Saints & Sinners". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  33. ^ Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970-2005. Roppongi, Tokyo: Oricon Entertainment. 2006. ISBN 4-87131-077-9.
  34. ^ "Charts.nz – All Saints – Saints & Sinners". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  35. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – All Saints – Saints & Sinners". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  36. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  37. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – All Saints – Saints & Sinners". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  38. ^ "Swisscharts.com – All Saints – Saints & Sinners". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  39. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  40. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2000". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  41. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2000". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  42. ^ "The Official UK Albums Chart 2001" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
  43. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2001 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association.
  44. ^ "Guld og Platin 2001". IFPI Denmark. 2001. Archived from the original on 5 October 2002. Retrieved 11 September 2016.
  45. ^ Copsey, Rob. "Albums turning 20 years old in 2020". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  46. ^ "British album certifications – All Saints – Saints & Sinners". British Phonographic Industry.
  47. ^ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 2000". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.
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