Black Angel (album)
| Black Angel | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 10 August 1998 | |||
| Recorded | 1996–1998 | |||
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| Length | 59:24 | |||
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| Mica Paris chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Black Angel | ||||
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| Review scores | |
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| Source | Rating |
| The Guardian |
 
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Black Angel is the fourth studio album by British singer-songwriter Mica Paris. It was released on 10 August 1998 by Cooltempo / Chrysalis, her first and last for these labels, and features production from Boy George and Raphael Saadiq.
Recording
In the book, Straight, Boy George expressed, 'I wrote and produced "Black Angel" for Brit soul diva Mica Paris. Working with such a soaring voice — which could reach notes I could only dream of — was a thrilling experience.'
Reception
Critical
Reviewing the single "Carefree" for Billboard, Larry Flick wrote, "Carefree" 'shows the enduring chanteuse in tip-top vocal form, floating a glorious, deceptively simple performance over a deliciously soulful groove. Equally appropriate for club turntables and home sound systems, this Cooltempo U.K. release leaves you desperate for a full-length album.' In the book Companion to Contemporary Black British Culture, Derek A. Bardowell heralded Paris as 'UK R'n'B's most respected vocalist. Despite struggling to find a market to fit her raspy but classically soulful voice, Paris has been a major musical force'. Bardowell also wrote that 'Paris found musical liberation in 1998 and assumed more creative control on her fourth effort [...] Black Angel is the greatest illustration of Paris' innovative talent.
Commercial
Black Angel debuted and peaked at number fifty-nine on the UK Albums Chart making it Paris' first album to miss out on a place in the UK Top 40. The album only charted for one week, meaning it failed to live up to the sales of her previous three studio albums. Black Angel was Paris' last album to chart in the UK until Gospel in 2020.
Singles
Three singles were released from Black Angel. The lead single, "Stay", fared poorly in the charts, especially for a lead single from an album, entering and peaking at number forty then falling to number seventy-two the next week before dropping out of the charts completely. The second single from the album, "Carefree", performed worse than the previous release and became Paris' first single to fail to chart within the UK Top 200. The third and final single to be released from the album was the title track, "Black Angel". This performed better than the previous single, however it only managed to chart at number seventy-two, before falling off the charts the following week. This was Mica's last single to chart in the UK to date.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Interlude" |
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1:49 |
| 2. | "Stay" | Sylvester Stewart | 4:21 |
| 3. | "Is It Good Enough?" |
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5:12 |
| 4. | "Carefree" |
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4:13 |
| 5. | "Let Me Inside" | Stephen Simmonds | 3:55 |
| 6. | "Black Angel" | 5:33 | |
| 7. | "Perfect" |
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4:37 |
| 8. | "Hate to Love" | Simmonds | 4:27 |
| 9. | "Waiting" |
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4:09 |
| 10. | "I'll Give You More" |
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4:29 |
| 11. | "Love's Gone" |
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5:18 |
| 12. | "Don't Say Goodnight" | 7:01 | |
| 13. | "Baby Angel" |
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4:20 |
| 14. | "I Should've Known Better" |
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5:05 |
| Total length: | 59:24 | ||
Notes:
- Track 4 contains a sample from "Let the Good Times Roll" by Little Beaver
- Track 7 contains a sample from "Could You Be Loved" by Bob Marley and the Wailers
Personnel
Credits adapted from the album's information on AllMusic and the liner notes.
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Charts
| Chart (1998) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums (OCC) | 59 |
| UK R&B Albums (OCC) | 10 |