D'Angelo - Black Messiah (2014)

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

*scales fall from eyes*

though markedly less so than during any 14 year period in the past

I didn't say anything about "music sounds different than 14 years ago"

Sounds decent after 1st listen though I'd put it has his 3rd best album

Of course you would.

Physical copies are on sale too. Crazy if this in record stores tomorrow and nobody knew it was coming.

His voice has suffered a little in the last 14 years

Doesn't have the groove or the confidence of Voodoo, doesn't have the melodies of Brown Sugar

Sugah daddy to Really Love is a powerful moment

He's channeling prince stronger than ever before

lol so is this going to upend year end lists or what

Prayer is ripping me apart rn

lol so is this going to upend year end lists or what

No war on drugs is still better

D'Angelo should have named this album "The War On Drugs."

The notion that this lacks for grooviness or confidence is a non-starter

I don't know what confidence sounds like

please. tell me what notes are played on this album.

Production more crowded than anything he's done (not in a bad way)

whole thing sounds busier than usual. His vocals aren't controlling and dictating the tracks like they usual do. But

Betray My Heart has some gorgeous gospel, though sounds like a Voodoo pre-sessional jam that didn't quite progress onto the level of a fledged voodoo track. Never the less beautiful.

Ooooh Check out those Delphonics late 60s soul licks on the last track Another Life!! Smooth azz track to end.

please. tell me what notes are played on this album.

― $80 is absurd and very ridiculous! (Sufjan Grafton), Monday, December 15, 2014 12:44 PM (5 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

it's mostly all Bs, Es, and C#s

The notion that this lacks for grooviness or confidence is a non-starter

― Simon H.,

twisting words my friend no one said it "lacks in groviness" (think you mean groove), just that doesn't have it of voodoo or brown sug, which are obvs a bit special in that deparment

Last track got D stuck on his Delphonics channel DIDNT I BLOW YOUR MIND?!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4lSjIl96Sc
Yessir.

please. tell me what notes are played on this album.

― $80 is absurd and very ridiculous! (Sufjan Grafton), Monday, December 15, 2014 12:44 PM (5 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

it's mostly all Bs, Es, and C#s

― you say tomato/i say imago (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, December 15, 2014 10:51 AM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

ah, it is interesting that d'angelo chose to sharpen those Cs!

i dont disagree w/ tanuki that groove isn't quite as foregrounded here as it is in 'voodoo'

one big reason for that (obv) would be no dilla

please. tell me what notes are played on this album.

― $80 is absurd and very ridiculous! (Sufjan Grafton), Monday, December 15, 2014 12:44 PM (5 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

it's mostly all Bs, Es, and C#s

― you say tomato/i say imago (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Monday, December 15, 2014 10:51 AM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

ah, it is interesting that d'angelo chose to sharpen those Cs!

― $80 is absurd and very ridiculous! (Sufjan Grafton), Monday, December 15, 2014 12:54 PM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

i feel like sharps are inherently a political statement

walking around listening to this on a shitty rain monday makes everything feel so good

like i wish the flowers & trees were all getting their groove on, lol

http://uproxx.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/dancing-groot.gif?w=650

http://www.cnsolartoy.com/pic/small/_200912111352434155.gif

lol ty

crazy how guitar-heavy this is. not that he was ever a synth-focused guy but the lack of synthesizers/keys on a 2014 r&b album is p striking. and the guitar playing is amazing

bass on charade is so good