D'Angelo - Black Messiah (2014)

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i want to love this album as much as y'all do but the vocals and the shape of the low end sincerely just don't sound good to me :/ it's great otherwise

example (crüt), Thursday, 18 December 2014 19:56 (nine years ago) link

i gotta side with RT here, though saadiq of the last few years has been entirely too doowop-y and uninteresting to me.
I prob listen to instant vintage about once every two months since it's been released.

a stupid red mute juggalo (forksclovetofu), Thursday, 18 December 2014 19:57 (nine years ago) link

pino is the most indispensable part of D's crew imo

Pino, and the guy that hits the pad that triggers the finger snap/clap on the 2 and 4.

Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 18 December 2014 20:47 (nine years ago) link

That's actually one of my strongest memories from seeing D'Angelo tour behind "Voodoo," the dude who pretty much every song just hit the snap/clap trigger pad. Also, D'Angelo tore off his shirt and ran around during "Shit, Damn ..." Oh, and the band was dressed like Jawas or druids or something?

Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 18 December 2014 20:48 (nine years ago) link

this record reminds me of born walden robert cassotto

conrad, Thursday, 18 December 2014 21:51 (nine years ago) link

how much guitar was d'angelo playing in voodoo era? some of the articles say he spent a chunk of his "missing years" working on his guitar skills, if so it shows pretty strongly huh.

I dunno. (amateurist), Friday, 19 December 2014 00:25 (nine years ago) link

he is an awesome freak of nature imo

difficult-difficult lemon-difficult (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 19 December 2014 00:27 (nine years ago) link

There's no way the tasty licks on this new album are him playing guitar. I'm not even sure a lot of the piano playing is him, tbh, but that's at least more plausible.

Josh in Chicago, Friday, 19 December 2014 02:02 (nine years ago) link

Like, check this out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsEmucVdeXw

It's competent, but still pretty simple. Some of the jazzier licks on the new disc are total pro, though.

Josh in Chicago, Friday, 19 December 2014 02:06 (nine years ago) link

Guitar-wise, it seems to be a mix of D, Isaiah Sharkey and Jesse Johnson on the album.

vmajestic, Friday, 19 December 2014 02:46 (nine years ago) link

Now, see, Sharkey has chops.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJgMBUCxg9g

Josh in Chicago, Friday, 19 December 2014 03:19 (nine years ago) link

i love that a dude in The Who is one of the stars of the new D'Angelo album

you say tomato/i say imago (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 19 December 2014 03:30 (nine years ago) link

Um he is an amazing piano player. Have you ever heard that solo version of Spanish Key? Also the videos from those duet gigs where he's playing Rhodes w/left hand bass are ridiculous.

festival culture (Jordan), Friday, 19 December 2014 04:00 (nine years ago) link

Sorry Spanish Joint. I don't usually post from a phone, it's weird.

festival culture (Jordan), Friday, 19 December 2014 04:01 (nine years ago) link

Just saw a promoted tweet for this album lol

Dej & the Fommly Loaf (The Reverend), Friday, 19 December 2014 04:05 (nine years ago) link

ah, i see. i figured it was unlikely that he went from zero to hero (guitar solo-wise), even in a decade or so.

I dunno. (amateurist), Friday, 19 December 2014 05:09 (nine years ago) link

(responding to earlier posts about the various folks playing guitar on this record)

I dunno. (amateurist), Friday, 19 December 2014 05:09 (nine years ago) link

feel like it's possible. The guitar on most tracks isn't that crazy. 10 adult years is a lot of time.

$80 is absurd and very ridiculous! (Sufjan Grafton), Friday, 19 December 2014 06:29 (nine years ago) link

i saw him live like...2 months ago? he played piano and guitar very capably. There were a lot of musicians on stage though, maybe 6 or so plus 3 backing singers iirc.

uxorious gazumping (monotony), Friday, 19 December 2014 06:34 (nine years ago) link

There's no way the tasty licks on this new album are him playing guitar. I'm not even sure a lot of the piano playing is him, tbh, but that's at least more plausible.

― Josh in Chicago,

Some of the comments in here getting ridiculously ignorant now! Doubting D@ANGLOS keys skills? hell are you talking about or you're trolling? No one is playing keys on this album other than D.

Raccoon Tanuki, Friday, 19 December 2014 09:03 (nine years ago) link

the solos on the album are trying to be eddie hazel/michael hampton, the rhythm guitar parts are much better, and i suspect those are by dangelo. ive not heard anything by him guitar-wise that blew me away. hes obv a much better piano player. wished he stuck with that actually. could have had the album a lot earlier. i know he wants to do everything prince can do but even so.... nothing wrong with the tradition of piano greats in soul (stevie, ray charles, etc).

StillAdvance, Friday, 19 December 2014 10:34 (nine years ago) link

and hey, if chris martin can deliver an energetic show on piano, why cant dangelo???

StillAdvance, Friday, 19 December 2014 10:34 (nine years ago) link

Oh, don't get me wrong! D'Angelo is a very talented musician. I'd just never heard any key playing that particularly blew me away, not that there was anything wrong with it. But D'Angelo's not, like, some Stevie Wonder virtuoso, regardless. But he's super tasteful, so it's hard to tell. I did always think the "he can play anything!" thing was a little overblown. Most of "Brown Sugar" is pretty simple (to its credit). D'Angelo is not Prince in that regard, and does not need to be.

But yeah, some of the more technical jazzy guitar licks on this album, no, 10 years of adult time will not get you there.

Josh in Chicago, Friday, 19 December 2014 12:51 (nine years ago) link

I'm not even sure a lot of the piano playing is him, tbh, but that's at least more plausible.

― Josh in Chicago,

he gets all the credit on the sleeve

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 19 December 2014 13:04 (nine years ago) link

well yeah theyve been trying to sell him as a virtuoso for years but im not sure i really buy it. the credits on this album are suspiciously non-specific.

StillAdvance, Friday, 19 December 2014 13:19 (nine years ago) link

On one of the older D threads I loled at the Voodoo credits saying Questlove played the drums, x played guitar, y played bass, and "all other instruments by D'Angelo."

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 19 December 2014 13:24 (nine years ago) link

The important thing is, when you have Questlove, and Pino, and Sharkey et al, you do not need to be a virtuoso. That is why those cats get gigs. The other important thing is that D'Angelo has an amazing ear for vocal harmonies, a la Prince. Those are his greatest strengths. But no, I'm not sure I would drop D'Angelo in the middle of some jam session and just expect him to fit in and cut loose, not the way someone like Pino or Sharkey can. Which is not a bad thing! D'Angelo can be great without being some flash next level player. And he is. He's the glue that keeps it all together (probably).

He's pretty funky on keys here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mVmwS7OjPU

Josh in Chicago, Friday, 19 December 2014 13:41 (nine years ago) link

"well yeah theyve been trying to sell him as a virtuoso for years but im not sure i really buy it. the credits on this album are suspiciously non-specific.

― StillAdvance,"

You're still spouting I see. D won 3 consecutive Harlem Apollo Theater Amateur Night contest while still a teen, no mean feat especially back then in front crowds that were often hostile to any weakness.

He also won his recording contract off the back of an impromptu 3 hour piano recital in front of a rec exec. But yeah you and the rest can keep "doubting it's actually him on piano". This place, seriously. Noobs!

Raccoon Tanuki, Friday, 19 December 2014 13:49 (nine years ago) link

raccoon tanuki mowing people down in a thread about the actual new d'angelo album what a damn world

J0rdan S., Friday, 19 December 2014 13:59 (nine years ago) link

^^^ noob!

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 19 December 2014 14:02 (nine years ago) link

I think for someone naturally t talented as he is, 10 years of adult time - adult time where I assume he's not worked a day job - is more than enough time to get great at guitar

you say tomato/i say imago (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 19 December 2014 14:20 (nine years ago) link

here's that piano version of Spanish Joint (actually from a radio performance iirc):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlzDaKYuxrE

festival culture (Jordan), Friday, 19 December 2014 14:24 (nine years ago) link

this is the dumbest convo ever

plz go see him live

J0rdan S., Friday, 19 December 2014 14:24 (nine years ago) link

btw i always wondered about some of the guitar parts on Voodoo...obviously Charlie Hunter and others are on there, but there are some tracks with guitar where no one is credited, and the sleeve says something like 'all other instruments by D'Angelo'.

festival culture (Jordan), Friday, 19 December 2014 14:26 (nine years ago) link

I think D'Angelo also plays Racoon.

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 19 December 2014 14:28 (nine years ago) link

not as well as Travie McCoy Scott

R'Accoongelo and The Vanuki (some dude), Friday, 19 December 2014 14:33 (nine years ago) link

d'angelo plays the human being on 'Sugah Daddy'. he held a dude's arms from behind and then smacked them together in time to the music.

$80 is absurd and very ridiculous! (Sufjan Grafton), Friday, 19 December 2014 14:50 (nine years ago) link

and then he tooted the horn parts on a MIDI flute at the same time

$80 is absurd and very ridiculous! (Sufjan Grafton), Friday, 19 December 2014 14:51 (nine years ago) link

Since 2005, the part of D'Angelo has been played by a rotating cast including Cate Blanchett, Omar from "The Wire" and all members of Tony Toni Tone.

something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Friday, 19 December 2014 15:12 (nine years ago) link

Also, this album is great.

something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Friday, 19 December 2014 15:12 (nine years ago) link

I agree it's a silly discussion, but I think some of you are confusing "knows how to play" with "he's a virtuoso." That dude he has playing guitar, you could not learn to play like that in 10 years unless you are currently only 10. Piano, yeah, I've seen D'Angelo live, and obviously he knows how to play piano. But I'll defer to those who know the complexities of piano to tell me if he's a particularly great piano player. The way, say, Pino is a particularly great bass player.

Josh in Chicago, Friday, 19 December 2014 15:32 (nine years ago) link

but Pino is a particularly great bass player because of his sound & feel (and the choices he makes), ie what really matters. anyway.

festival culture (Jordan), Friday, 19 December 2014 15:36 (nine years ago) link

charlie hunter said dangelo could play some difficult miles davis stuff, but then he probably felt compelled to say something like that at the time as he was on voodoo. i think dangelo is obviously good, but probably within certain constraints. hes got a particular style/mode he plays in, and hes good in that, im just not sure how versatile he is. also not sure what winning some talent shows proves. the apollo audience arent exactly there to grade you like a music teacher. theyre looking for other stuff.

StillAdvance, Friday, 19 December 2014 15:40 (nine years ago) link

the main problem is really why we NEED him to be a virtuoso. cant he just be good?

StillAdvance, Friday, 19 December 2014 15:41 (nine years ago) link

Josh wants to hear him cover "Cliffs of Dover" by Eric Johnson before we hand down a decision.

you say tomato/i say imago (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 19 December 2014 15:55 (nine years ago) link

thought i heard Tony Macapline and Gary Moore play some guitar on the record, p cool

you say tomato/i say imago (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, 19 December 2014 15:55 (nine years ago) link

Josh wants to hear him cover "Cliffs of Dover" by Eric Johnson before we hand down a decision.

― you say tomato/i say imago (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Friday, December 19, 2014 10:55 AM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

goldberg variations

celfie tucker 48 (s.clover), Friday, 19 December 2014 16:08 (nine years ago) link

Be hilarious if in 14 years, when he releases his next album, he chalks the delay up to immersing himself in the music of Eric Johnson.

Clearly the dude does not need to be a virtuoso, and it doesn't matter if he is or isn't. He is exactly as good a D'Angelo as I or anyone needs. I'm just trying to figure out something that's always nagged me, with D'Angelo and plenty of other acts, too, where people make a big deal of ZOMG, they play everything on the record, or OMG he's a musical genius, but I can't quite put my finger on exactly what would make someone say that. Like, D'Angelo is great, no need for people to get defensive on his part. I'd still like to know what the guy can or can't do, since I find that interesting. It's always been a person fascination how certain acts who clearly can play everything (like Prince, or McCartney, or whomever) nonetheless usually delegate and why.

Josh in Chicago, Friday, 19 December 2014 16:13 (nine years ago) link

even Stevie...sure, he could play drums (and everything else) on every tune if we wanted to, but sometimes you just want another person's sound or ideas (or maybe efficiency, but that's probably not the case here, ha).

festival culture (Jordan), Friday, 19 December 2014 16:19 (nine years ago) link


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