D'Angelo - Black Messiah (2014)

1) Anyone know who plays/sings on this?

from what was posted above, James Gadson is on drums for Sugah Daddy, and it sounds like ?uestlove on everything else, Pino on bass, and D on keys/guitar/all vox? but i'd love to see official credits.

i'm not saying he's gonna do Adele numbers. but he'll definitely do Frank Ocean numbers at least, which is plenty enough to be impressive in this sales climate and to make a big cultural impact.

the studio version of 'Sugah Daddy' is soooo nasty. after one listen that, 'Ain't That Easy', and 'Betray My Heart' are the instant gratification tracks, but i look forward to getting deep with everything else.

I could have sworn I heard a girl singing on one of the early tracks.

I keep humming 'Better pray for your sins / ca-use Black Messiah's coming' That one is a bit awkward, though.

This record sounds very different on headphones vs. speakers btw. Listened to it again on the train this morning and thought I was gonna have to revise my whole review (which I just turned in - it'll be on Stereogum within hours, I imagine). But ultimately I just felt like it was even more Riot than Reality, with maybe even some Pre-Millennium Tension thrown in.

Agreed on the headphones bit. Also: bits of rhythm and blues singalongs from the thirties and forties ("Back to the Future Pt II").

And "Betray My Heart," too. Plus the aforementioned boogie woogie piano in "Sugah Daddy."

"Prayer" has a perfect staggering home drunk from a party quality to it.

ah you're right Josh, from the Ebony review:

Drums come courtesy of Questlove—who co-writes three tracks—as well as James Gadson and Chris Dave. And though Black Messiah is credited to D’Angelo and the Vanguard, the band lineup is never expressly revealed. (In addition to three drummers, the record boasts five guitarists, including Jesse Johnson of the legendary Prince-affiliated outfit The Time, and D’Angelo himself.)

...

Q-Tip co-writes lyrics here (on “Sugah Daddy” too), as does singer-songwriter Kendra Foster, who contributes to eight Black Messiah tracks. She’s his Black Messiah foil, like Angie Stone in the days of his Brown Sugar debut.

His guitar work on "Betray My Heart" is stellar

Yeah, but how many will it sell? I hope he doesn't land a number one with, like, 20k. Let alone number two with less. But yeah, it's a good question. 14 years later, exactly who is waiting for this? Anyone under 30? 35?
--Josh in Chicago

*under-30 millennial in corner nervously raises hand*

I can't say I was exactly waiting for it the way some were bc I didn't ever expect it to happen. questlove's assurances had the feel of a guy covering for his friend.

but now it's here! and it builds on the promise of the first two records and legit positions him on the level of sly stone, Stevie and peak Isaac Hayes. it reminds me a lot of hot buttered soul, in fact.

there's a riot going on is about the only pt of comparison questlove made that makes any sense

i think they probably got very close to releasing an album several times over the years but the groundhog kept seeing his shadow. ?uest knew how much music they had ready to go, he just didn't have the say-so to give the final green light.

I don't think it builds on the promise of the first two at all, but it definitely does justice to the man, if not the wait.

ok, i'm gonna say it's Chris Dave on 'Prayer', that's the only one i wasn't sure about. gotta be.

heh he's not even sure: https://twitter.com/Chrisdaddydave/status/544468937841590273

lmao

engineer is tweeting some info

https://twitter.com/kanevibrations

definitely seeing the there's a riot goin on comparisons
which that being one of my fav albums of all time i'm pretty on board with this

"1000 deaths" reminds me of on the corner

xxpost -- thanks for that, that will be helpful!

The bell on "Prayer" >>>>>>

seriously!

"1000 deaths" reminds me of on the corner

― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Monday, December 15, 2014 9:56 AM (18 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

yeah good call

thanks 2x! ok, James Gadson on Ain't That Easy, cool.

I think comparisons to "Riot" are both obvious and not entirely accurate. This album at least on first listen really doesn't have that same dark night of the soul (pun intended) quality, though it is murky. But again, need to hear the lyrics to get what and where he's at.

Or maybe if there is a "Riot" thing going on, it's tempered by all the same stuff that tempered "Voodoo," like dollops of Prince and whatnot.

i wonder if the current state of constant protest in response to murder of citizens was what pushed D to get this out the door finally? Did ?uesto use that as a crowbar, hence the title? Anybody know anything on that front?

When did the louder murmurings of an imminent album kick in? Certainly pre-Ferguson.

One of the gawker comments on Jordan's post there is something like "If I were a 16 year old girl, this would be a big deal."

A 16 year old girl was a 2 year old girl when Voodoo came out. I doubt a new D'Angelo album is high on a teenager's list of priorities.

wow the playing and arrangements on "Betray My Heart" are gorgeous

I def agree it's not totally like Riot, but some tracks have that kind murky, mid-rangey sound, a sorta thinned out rackety aspect that defines riot

[i]One of the gawker comments on Jordan's post there is something like "If I were a 16 year old girl, this would be a big deal."

A 16 year old girl was a 2 year old girl when Voodoo came out. I doubt a new D'Angelo album is high on a teenager's list of priorities.

― Mailkhimp (Johnny Fever), Monday, December 15, 2014 10:37 AM (28 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink{/i]

like is this really important either way?

itunes purchased... would've preferred the opportunity to get this on vinyl but eh can't wait, it is what it is

One of the gawker comments on Jordan's post there is something like "If I were a 16 year old girl, this would be a big deal."

ban gawker commenters

at some point I will listen to this album

it will be the first time I've ever listened to an entire D'Angelo album

I think dude is good but he's never been a go-to artist for me

I am really, really hoping for New Amerykah-esque vibes from this

the hype is making me want to never play it but I know curiosity will get the better of me at some point

Well, you have to concede, a 14 year gap between albums for a relatively major artist is a more natural hype spark than OMG, some person tweeted something they just found on bandcamp and it the best album of all time!

lots of really great, subtle guitar playing on this album

My Stereogum review is live.

having a hard time understanding ILM being into D'Angelo

how can you review an album after listening to it for less than a day? Needs at least a week in rotation.

sit a while, hit repeat, write some notes, stand up and walk around, sit some more, shape up the notes, hit spell-check

having a hard time understanding ILM being into D'Angelo

― Raccoon Tanuki, Monday, December 15, 2014 11:05 AM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

yeah pretty confusing that ilx would be into the work of a critically acclaimed R&B singer, how mystifying

A 16 year old girl was a 2 year old girl when Voodoo came out. I doubt a new D'Angelo album is high on a teenager's list of priorities.

― Mailkhimp (Johnny Fever), Monday, December 15, 2014 11:37 AM (30 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

the 16 year old girl excited about this album is d'angelo's daughter

having a hard time understanding ILM being into D'Angelo

Imagine a place called I Love Music being into several, nay MANY, different kinds of music.

xp tru

ok i'm not passing judgement just looking around at most talked about other music on here surprised

listening to album I've been waiting 10 years for and 4 years snarking at. gonna take me a while to settle into it.

New D'Angelo totally overrated.

brainwasher pointed out to me & it's totally obvious now that he's said it that this stuff also kinda sounds like bilal's work of the last few years

The guitar playing on this album is totally what keeps pulling me deeper. Are there strings? Real horns? It's hard to tell for sure. But the jazz licks are for sure real, and they are great.

so much has changed in music since voodoo it was a product of its time that time happened to be a pinnacle sort of time for that sort of music to happen. Same with Saadiq Instant Vintage came out same kind of time that album couldn't exist now it's not that Saadiq or D have fallen off. Voodoo couldn't happen today, not possible. Brown Sugar is my personal favourite of his though but this album sounding like something so far. But half way through it's clear that his voice is more withdrawn than it's ever been.

yes but is it a true follow up to brown sugar is the burning question

lol

~alert~: music sounds different now than 14 years ago