that other post was way too big.
use this thread to further the discussion. please & thank you

further your knowledge via the dvd extras with quest, russ elevado, qtip and many more:

http://www.okayplayer.com/news/dangelo-black-messiah-dvd-extras-behind-the-scenes-questlove-russell-elevado-ben-kane-alan-leeds.html

It literally becomes am eternal song

Can't wait to hear these songs live. Another Life, Betray My Heart? Man oh man. Don't want to get carried away, but this might be better than Voodoo. Giving it til February to make that assessment.

It really doesn't feel real.

Like, I bought it on iTunes and still bought 2 physical copies a day later to confirm it's real.

I was the boy that cried wolf about d'angelo (like a lot of you) to my friends. Epitome of blind faith...but man it paid off!!

He did it. The haters and everyone else were waiting for it to disappoint in some kinda way or ways. It's dope as shit and everything you coulda hoped for. You can't hate on any aspect of it.

On a random note, how could it have been so quiet and then boom, it's here without it leaking,etc.

How could stores have physical copies a day or so after it was released and NO ONE leaked it???

... got in the car and it played and it was like wow, IT DOES EXIST!

D'Angelo has so far ended his albums in the most sublime ways. 'Higher' and 'Africa' are certain gems. Another life though...Another Life is somewhere else entirely. It's so beautiful.

I completely agree with you.

It must be why all of his albums leave you wanting more every time; why it's just natural to have them on repeat.

Family walked in with Africa, wife and I to Higher. It was just perfect.

But Another Life? Maaaaaaaaaaaaaan....

I hear "Another Life" in my sleep. I can't stop listening. Hell, I"m listening to it right now. D'Angelo is the silent deadly killer for real.

TheRealTPayne

I hear "Another Life" in my sleep. I can't stop listening. Hell, I"m listening to it right now. D'Angelo is the silent deadly killer for real.

TheRealTPayne

This is a quality album. Worth the wait. If you hate this I can't deal with you. You are unable to be delivert. Sorry.

Almost crashed da Whip when this came on!!

---
If you release what is within u, what u release will save you. If you do not release what is within u, what u do not release will destroy u.

www.pitchblackgold.bandcamp.com

http://www.metacritic.com/music/black-messiah/dangelo/critic-reviews

higher than MBDTF, but with about 10 fewer reviews so far.

other artists think about this release? I mean folks outside of the ?uest that worked on the album. I'm curious what other artists are saying.

http://www.vulture.com/2014/12/everyone-freaked-out-about-dangelo-black-messiah.html

It was getting out of hand... I'm gonna give it a few days before spinning it again. I haven't had that feeling about an album in a LONG ass time.

have stopped me from playing this album non-stop; Marley's Coming in from the Cold and D'Angelo's The Root. The last two minutes of The Root have been stuck in my head for the past day and a half now.

The sequencing and the album length for Black Messiah is almost perfect. The album lends itself to being played non-stop.

I actually had to insert another album in on the commute
and I still hear that album

man, I wasn't even a D'Fender like that

I never expected to see D'Tox released.

thought it was just me

it can't be true. i think the counter is off.

plus i've listened to lots of other music since Sunday night.

I tend to sleep to the album on repeat mode.

Another Life would literally bring the house down like Samson. Wouldn't really care who the opening act is. I'm sacking money away for tickets now, as I'm sure they will be ridiculous (and likely rescheduled, as his Voodoo show in DC was)

b/w

A few songs like Ain't That Easy and The Door gave me a bit of Saadiq vibe circa Ray Ray (not so much his throwback kick he's been on the past 2 albums). I know they worked together a bit on both Brown Suger and Voodoo (and Instant Vintage). Wonder why he was missing this go round

And I didnt pay a crazy price for them either

56.50€ to 89.50€ is kinda crazy, especially when we didn't have any news on the record at the time they went on sale.

Everything in Paris is expensive.

http://www.thefader.com/2014/11/13/dangelo-plots-the-second-coming-tour

2/11/15 - Kaufleuten - Zurich, Switzerland
2/12/15 - Hugenottenhalle - Neu-Isenburg, Germany
2/14/15 - Columbiahalle - Berlin, Germany
2/16/15 - Palais Des Congres - Paris, France
2/17/15 - Academy - Birmingham, England
2/18/15 - Apollo - Manchester, England
2/20/15 - Apollo - London, England
2/24/15 - Docks - Hamburg, Germany
2/27/15 - Sentrum Scene - Oslo, Norway
2/28/15 - Annex - Stockholm, Sweden
3/2/15 - Paradiso - Amsterdam, Holland
3/6/15 - Tanzbrunnen - Cologne, Germany
3/7/15 - Forest National - Brussels, Belgium

Anti-gentrification, cheap alcohol & trying to look pretty in our twilight posting years (c) Big Reg


Get 25% off www.karmaloop.com w/ rep code JR9103 |
Nike, G-Star, Herschel, Adidas (Men's & Women's clothing)

...when he first performed it in 2012;
and I was saying it when I heard Tutu on this album.
I was SWEARING up and down Raphael co-produced both those joints.
Was floored to find credit to just D (and no Saadiq on Tutu).
Floored.

I am almost certain there are unreleased songs where they collab'ed tho.


Damn, I kinda miss Instant-Vintage Saadiq.
I need the Ummah back.
*licks lips at the thought of all the musical sexiness*

as much as the music itself. especially on "Another Love" (one of the more intelligible songs) and "Charade". not surprisingly, my two favorite songs on the record.

D'Mumblo's voice is too great for that IMO

but then again, he wouldn't be D'Angelo without that particular idiosyncrasy

those two songs in particular took me to a place where
i knew what i WANTED the song to be about.

then the lyrics matched what i wanted perfectly.
it was all right there.

>as much as the music itself. especially on "Another Love"
>(one of the more intelligible songs) and "Charade". not
>surprisingly, my two favorite songs on the record.
>
>D'Mumblo's voice is too great for that IMO
>
>but then again, he wouldn't be D'Angelo without that
>particular idiosyncrasy

i'm okay with the "unintelligibility" of that particular song. the rest, though, is honestly frustrating to me. i literally want people to hear what he's saying clearly. it's harder to make out than voodoo.

but having read a good part of the lyrics already, i feel i myself have benefited enough, mumbling aside.

releases.

It's like he's been reading the boards, thinking "I'm gonna give that mistermaxxx a REAL
reason to call me 'D'mumblo"

i think it's great bc i love instrumental music AND the way homie sings so...

>i think it's great bc i love instrumental music AND the way
>homie sings so...

He sound unintelligible no matter how he's mixed on the album, for the most part.

not being able to understand what they're saying would make their music much more enjoyable

Me too.. O mean, I feel the music just fine and appreciate that characteristic of his voice.

I have noticed he is almost all falsetto nowadays. I swear on Brown Sugar, he would at least start songs off in his natural voice. That falsetto + the way the vocals are mixed really solidify the whole voice as an instrument nature of his music for me.

Treat the voice as an instrument first, like any other (non-linguistic) problem solved.

But I do understand the desire for intelligible lyrics... it makes it a lot easier to sing a long... they impart additional (more tangible, manageable) meanings to a song...

i haven't even looked at the book yet. the more you listen, the more you hear the lyrics without trying as hard... like a jedi mind trick or some shit, lol

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

Yes, that's hip hop. This album is so hip hop in a real way, not just beats but a full circle integration of the soul and samples that made hip hop so special. Being meta like this put dangelo in rare company.

?

here: http://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=17&topic_id=168776&mesg_id=168776&page=

haven't even listed to it yet - not a note.

but first time I've been inspired to read the complete liner notes on an album since...

being that his band he started with before he got signed was called The Vangaurd back in Philly. Aaron Livingston was down too. Not like ?love wasn't aware since he would sit in with these cats as drummer sometimes when the Black Lily was jumping off.

I'd imagine he was aware at least

???

That 14 years of studio time wasn't cheap.

For an album like this in an age of free streaming, it is.

1 on itunes
5 on CD (one for me, and gifts)
and 1 hi-res digi download

bout to preorder that LP too.

I got itunes and CD. Was pondering the hi res, but I thought "nah that's going too far"

But I see you went and did it.

IS IT WORTH IT LIKE THAT?

With some monitoring headphones. I'll let u know!

I bought the hi res more cuz I'm a completist. And a sucker for shit like that. All formats!

Btw, I posted below with a 10% discount code:

Link: http://www.hdtracks.com/black-messiah-209568

Code: HDDEC15

Peace,

Nij

Link: http://www.hdtracks.com/black-messiah-209568

Code: HDDEC15

10% off.

What up fam!!

Thank you!

Peace,

Nij

Not sure why I'm so scared to listen to this shit.

Man.

It'll probably be Monday…I'll throw on the big headphones and take a walk with it.

Should be a good time.

hey i saw some posts earlier about downloading the lyrics (and maybe additional liner notes?) from somewhere online?

I'm also looking for the link to pre-order the wax version.

(...btw, here in Richmond VA its ALL smiles listening to this record, damn proud of D...)

for your convenience...

wax preorder...

http://www.myplaydirect.com/black-messiah/black-messiah-vinyl/details/40578611


lyric breakdown...

http://www.metrolyrics.com/news-story-dangelo-black-messiah-lyrics-revealed.html

http://blackmessiah.co/#lyrics is where you can download the lyrics and credits. It's the d'website.

LP pre-orders too.

...printing it out now to trim and add to my CD case with the liner notes that came with the cd....

album on wax in Feb too.
(someone in the other post hinted that the LP would actually be pressed spread out over two wax discs to achieve max audio quality...anyone confirmed that?)

https://twitter.com/RussElevado/status/545040831066169344



User Actions
Following

Russell Elevado
‏@RussElevado
@djspyder yes double vinyl. manufacturing will be at RTI

Spotify freezes on my (piece of shit) computer nowadays and while I *could* have played it at work, that's not the environment I want to hear it in. As for a physical copy (yes, I *will* buy one), I have literally 0 money until tuesday and as for an illegal download, I just don't want to do that; not to sound "moral" or anything but it just doesn't feel right; I have no problem illegally downloading a long OOP-album by Kilslug from the internet or even something from last year or whatever but a newly released record? I just can't/don't want to do it...

Actually, I guess I'm avoiding hearing it on sheer principle, LOL!!! IF it sucks, I'll be pissed off at y'all because i've LITERALLY never seen this much positive response for a *new* album in my entire life (OK, maybe slight exaggeration but not too far off). I'm serious, I worked as a record-reviewer in the 90's for a shitty, long-deleted, free "entertainment-magazine", I've been on top of that shit, always checking out stuff and for a record with *this* many reviews/general status, not sure I can remember anything similar (I'm sure there is something but still, the overwhelmingly positive reviews for this record borders on mass-psychosis, LOL!!!)...

i was not a Stan and i am all in on this album.
i know it's really good.

i don't know if it's as legendary as what I am hearing.
and i have given up on trying to be objective about this album.

i'm okay with being lost in the sound of it.
i hear it even when it's not playing.
like I'll just be walkin around and i will hear melodic and harmonic fragments from this album in crystal clarity. it's just inside of my head
and i can't figure out why.

>i was not a Stan and i am all in on this album.
>i know it's really good.
>
>i don't know if it's as legendary as what I am hearing.
>and i have given up on trying to be objective about this
>album.
>
>i'm okay with being lost in the sound of it.
>i hear it even when it's not playing.
>like I'll just be walkin around and i will hear melodic and
>harmonic fragments from this album in crystal clarity. it's
>just inside of my head
>and i can't figure out why.
>

It is a byproduct of us 'listening so hard' to it. Or at least I think that's part of what it is. It happened to me on all 3 D'Lo albums and some others. I honestly think I listened to music 'harder' when I was little (less than 10). Maybe because the part of learning a language (even your first) is learning to listen and understand on a higher level. AKA talking is the easy part. I dunno fo sho..

Jimaveli

Everything else has been on repeat ad nauseum. I definitely like Voodoo more, but this album is a wonderful addition to an already great catalog. Can't wait to hear it live. Might try to go to that Amsterdam show.

I hope when I get to see it live, D'Angelo rocks the fuck out at the end of the song. That guitar solo feels like a tease in that I want it to last longer. And the fact it fades out makes you think he's continuing to play after the song is done.

And it's a minor part of the song, but I like that church bell that rings intermittently during the song. Reminds me a little bit of For Whom The Bell Tolls from Metallica.

they played around with Prayer in the intro of the live show

the way it builds was dope, shame the whole thing isnt on here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqT3PcG8mv8

I'm having trouble figuring out why you replied to #44 with this tho, lol.

n/m

the door jammin'

That's a natural outgrowth of the Brown Sugar album... tight groove, everything hitting
on the beat, nice melody, clean musicianship and sound.

I never understood the love for Voodoo as an album. It always sounded like the guy
who made Brown Sugar on cruise control. There were some really good songs and some
okay ones, but as a whole, it was just pretty good whereas Brown Sugar was lightweight
phenomenal, especially in the sea of mediocrity in which it was released.
Anyway, I won't focus too much on that...

I will say that I like this Black Messiah album much more than Voodoo. As a complete
album, I think it's a more consistent body of work. Going full on "There's A Riot Goin' On" mode
serves him well. This album sounds like a Prince fan smoking the same shit Sly was
smoking when he recorded that album. The guitar riffs have Prince written ALL over them.
The choppy bass of "1000 Deaths" is a page STRAIGHT out of (TARGO) Sly's book, as is the distorted
and unintelligible singing. Despite all of that, I think he makes an album here that
not only is his own, but also packs the jams, grooves, and funk we need right now.
I fux with this album.
Brown Sugar is his masterpiece, and if you remove the only weak track on Black Messiah (Sugah Daddy),
I think he has another masterpiece right here. Brown Sugar was a straight-forward
jazzy soul masterpiece. This is an eclectic one with some funk, a little rock, some
more funk, some jazziness, and a whole lotta soul.
I give it the thumbs up.

so much magic (i may have been intoxicated as well)

when's the last time you listened to Voodoo? if it's been awhile i'd revisit it & see if you still feel like it's comparably meh

honestly i think Voodoo is now my least favorite of the guy's 3 classic albums but still has my single favorite song he ever did "The Root"

>when's the last time you listened to Voodoo? if it's been
>awhile i'd revisit it & see if you still feel like it's
>comparably meh


I actually listened to them all when Black Messiah was released. When Voodoo came out,
I convinced myself it was great on the strength of my love for Brown Sugar. I clung
to anything that was halfway decent about it. The groove of "Chicken Grease", One Mo' Gin...
anything. The songs on the album aren't bad by any stretch of the imagination, but what I
eventually had to admit to myself (due to a lack of desire to listen to it over the years)
was that I found the songs pretty middle-of-the-road and not very strong or potent.
Like I said before, he just sounded like the Brown Sugar guy on cruise control.
It sounded like he sat with the Brown Sugar album and perfected it for a long time
but wrote Voodoo much faster and relied on groove and sound more than strong songs.
He's had a long time with Black Messiah though, so maybe that's why the songs
are strong again.

>honestly i think Voodoo is now my least favorite of the guy's
>3 classic albums but still has my single favorite song he ever
>did "The Root"

I feel you. I still don't think anything he's done has been on the level of
"Me and Those Dreaming Eyes of Mine" and "When We Get By".

Voodoo is his best album - better than Brown Sugar which I find too commercial and pop-pleasing. Voodoo is a complete and holistic album - it's meant to be listened in its entirety in one sitting. It's D's masterpiece so far.

What does "pop-pleasing" even mean as it pertains to a D'angelo? lol
The popularity he gained was due to strong material... not some gimmicks or other tactics
(unless you count the "Untitled" video, which is from what? Voodoo.) Also, songs being
more polished and well-crafted doesn't mean the artist is trying to go Pop. That very
idea kinda sounds ridiculous, no?

As for being "meant to be listened in its entirety", I don't know how you assume ANY
of his albums aren't made for that purpose. I love Brown Sugar and Black Messiah in
their entirety as well.

especially when Voodoo had Left & Right and Untitled

i think to some folks D'Angelo is & always will be the dude that made Voodoo & nothing else

oh well

>i think to some folks D'Angelo is & always will be the dude
>that made Voodoo & nothing else
>
>oh well

i've never met a D fan who didn't own and love Brown Sugar

the gap in albums I think only added to Voodoo's mystique. With a third LP, we'll def get a better way to asses them down "The Line"

and I'm with you on "The Root".

yes, it is better than Voodoo, by miles in terms of craft, sound, and influence. if you didn't like the "songs" oh well, you still had Brown Sugar, which an excellent album in it's own right

I've seen posts here and elsewhere from dudes saying they've misted up during certain parts of this album. I smirked at first, but then it got me, towards the end of back to the future. To think what he has been through in the last 14 days, the weight of expectation and then, bam, he releases this masterpiece. The last time that happened to me was the closing scene of the fresh prince episode when Will asks uncle Phil why his dad doesn't want him.

b/c after having heard and been amazed by the whole album i was really thrilled for D to have put out such high quality work after 14 yrs.

it's not unlike what happens to me when i watch championship sporting events - i cry when my team wins b/c i remember what went on during the regular season w/all the struggles and shit.

i tend to cry from joy more easily than i cry from sorrow.

Different songs hit me at different times.

Assuming the label and D'Angelo are pushing for a single for this album, what do folks think the next single will be? IMO it's Another Life since the vocals aren't too distorted/tweaked/off-kilter and the subject matter isn't too esoteric and won't alienate too many folks. Then again, I don't listen to current radio too often, so I could be totally off.

Is the label already pushing for another song?

Yes, another life. Or perhaps a radio edit version of really love.

The whistle, the length, the 'in your headness' if it overall, and the smaller amount of lyrics...seems like the 'easiest' single even if it isn't the definitive moment on the album.. The whole album outside of 1000 deaths could easily grow on almost anyone, even with some of the lyrics and how they are delivered. Falsetto solves almost all. And the radio's format can 'make' folks like a bunch of songs based on pure number of plays. My wife listens to a lot of top 40 radio and I'm working her through this album and she's taking it in.

I want to be anywhere where Another Life comes in a room full of folks who will roll with it. I could see hands and a gang of other stuff moving to it...a lot of eyes closed-level vibing, singing best guesses of lyrics into ears, and outbreaks of kissing. That song is the 'if it starts selling more' single. Or the spring single that gets the stragglers in on wondering if they've missed something by ignoring this weird album from that dude who made the naked video and sounded like Prince like forever ago.

>Assuming the label and D'Angelo are pushing for a single for
>this album, what do folks think the next single will be? IMO
>it's Another Life since the vocals aren't too
>distorted/tweaked/off-kilter and the subject matter isn't too
>esoteric and won't alienate too many folks. Then again, I
>don't listen to current radio too often, so I could be totally
>off.
>
>Is the label already pushing for another song?

definitely the most accessible, couple with the potential for a big impact.

Im pretty sure I read Really love is the actual first single, Sugah daddy was not a true single, just song they decided to leak first.

it's the most obvious bridge from Voodoo to BM.

V.

I Love Betray My Heart (much like I loved Spanish Joint), but you would probably have to edit it down for radio, and I wouldn't want to cut the jam session in the middle. Charade could possibly get some traction, but that would probably depend on how a skittish PD feels about the lyrics. Another Life would get soooooo many people pregnant, and as selfish and silly as it sounds, I'd rather leave that as an album cut, so you have to buy it to appreciate it. Let it stay the killer closer.

But Back To The Future just has that happy, funky bounce that makes you smile, which we all could use.

It's at the point where even while I'm out in LA I'll be dipping outta bars for a cigarette (quitting Jan 1st) I have my phone with me and tossing on headphones to get at least one cut in before I go back in.

I didn't know D (or for that matter, me) still had it in him to play some shit this much that in one week it has evolved into almost a musical-listening crutch.

How long can this possibly last?!?

Haha, me too.

he goes "yeah, sure"--i put on black messiah. respectable volume..finally get dropped off in my neighborhood, i say "thanks for letting me play music" and he goes "the new d'angelo..i guess i gotta hear it" i say "yeah, it's really good" (but thinking "fuck, could've played it louder?") and he says "yeah, i drove a group home last night who also were playing it"

For me, it's back to the future. It's just incredible.

Which is pretty funny because I'm far from a religious person. The baseline I think is what I think makes me love to song. Simple rap sounding baseline and those intermittent church bells and hand claps give the song life. And that tease of the guitar solo and the end is the cherry on top.

>Which is pretty funny because I'm far from a religious
>person. The baseline I think is what I think makes me love to
>song. Simple rap sounding baseline and those intermittent
>church bells and hand claps give the song life. And that tease
>of the guitar solo and the end is the cherry on top.

My sentiments exactly. His vocal delivery is emotive, for me at least. I am far from religious myself, but this track does wonders for me.

>For me, it's back to the future. It's just incredible.

At 1:10, this song jumps to a wildly awesome place. Violin? Whatever that is, that. I love it..whistle it off and on all day. That and the door. I guess I'm the only one on earth who REALLY likes The Door too. It is a contrast to the rest of the album, but that's part of the appeal.

My favorite? Different songs at different times right now. Really Love comes to mind first. It isn't super tricky on the surface, but it is a beautiful type of thing that just works for me. Whenever I go back to it, I wonder what took me so long as soon as the music opens up for him to start singing and he just slides in all cool to confess and explain his 'really love'. Just great...it is almost impossible to not like it for what it is.

The other option for me is Another Life. And like folks said after first listens, the whole 2nd side is one mighty (ala Don Cornelius) jam after another. And somehow, Another Life still hits you upside the head. I think part of that is the Future Reprise. That's the type of thing that normally happens at the end of an album. 'Used to get real high...now I just get a buzz' for a minute or so gives you a chance to reflect like nerds do when an album is ending. Then, nope...this is not over at all..here comes Another Life, where D'Angelo channels Badu, doo wop, EWF, his main man, and himself into some grand finale of longing, hoping, and crushing like almost no one else does. If he was a rapper, the song would be called 'Me and Those Dreaming Eyes of Mine 2'.

I currently get heavy into repeats of Tutu and Betray My Heart so maybe I'll change my mind soon.

Jimaveli

>...That and the door. I guess I'm the only one on earth who
>REALLY likes The Door too. It is a contrast to the rest of the
>album, but that's part of the appeal.>
>

nah you're not...i love The Door too. ...(i love the whole vibe of it, and it adds a cool unexpected texture in the mix and i dig it to death...when it and Back To the Future come on they usually initiate a big ol grin on my face....:)

as for the WHOLE record, i havent decided which track on the album is my FAVORITE yet...not sure i'm gonna be able to to be honest, but i'll be spinning it on repeat to let it marinate to see if a SINGLE fave can be determined...its gonna be hard for me to do because out of the 12 tracks i genuinely think 10 of em are all duking it out with each other for that number one spot. thats impressive....

this album makes me a musically happy mofo...satisfying to the core...

heheh...i wasn't even holding my breath, but i'll be damned if i don't feel like i exhaled...



...

on the album.

I think d'angelo and team agreed and that's why we have part 2!

So poignant and beautiful. The strings are the knock out blow.

the groove, the funk, the lyrics, the head-nod factor, the synth that closes the chorus,
did I mention the FUNK? He brought it with that joint.

the whistling, handclaps,foot stomps
I went to the d+nelson george convo with red bull and one the gems was learning how passionate he is about gospel and barbershop quartet music. this shit makes me grin because it sounds like the barberq/gospel shit is all on this

http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/20078-black-messiah/

Bought my copy from Target today.
Put it in my pc to play, Windows Media tells me it's Diane Zeigler's album "Sting Of The Honeybee."
Sigh.
Looks like I'm still waiting for that D.


"Your current frequencies of understanding outweigh that which has been given for you to understand." Saul Williams

Same thing happened to me. I was at my folks place doing some work on my dad's comprooter. It was my mission to start getting my mama in the boat with me on this whole thing cuz she's my people but I can't just leave this CD on the counter and leave her to her own devices with this record. I was prepped to play certain songs in a certain order with explanations, etc. I put the disc in and heard Ain't That Easy. But I was gonna go straight to Really Love so I go to change songs and got the same thing you got. WTF!?

>Bought my copy from Target today.
>Put it in my pc to play, Windows Media tells me it's Diane
>Zeigler's album "Sting Of The Honeybee."
>Sigh.
>Looks like I'm still waiting for that D.
>
>
>"Your current frequencies of understanding outweigh that which
>has been given for you to understand." Saul Williams

>Looks like I'm still waiting for that D.

a lot of Prince fans on the org dislike this album. This album is better than pretty much any Prince release since 87 imo

I don't know if its jealousy, wishing Prince would make an album this good again and in denial that someone heavily influenced was able to pull it all together.

and I actually liked AOA pretty well, think its P's best album since 2000 by far but still ain't seeing this one. Time is the only track on there that holds up with any song on BM.

Obviously, Prince in his prime is still a God, one of the best ever and D'Angelo ain't even close to that status. But, we can still enjoy this modern day "classic" that D just dropped. I think it may go down as a classic, might be too soon yet.

>a lot of Prince fans on the org dislike this album. This
>album is better than pretty much any Prince release since 87
>imo
>
>I don't know if its jealousy, wishing Prince would make an
>album this good again and in denial that someone heavily
>influenced was able to pull it all together.
>

It's pretty much that.

>a lot of Prince fans on the org dislike this album. This
>album is better than pretty much any Prince release since 87
>imo
>
>I don't know if its jealousy, wishing Prince would make an
>album this good again and in denial that someone heavily
>influenced was able to pull it all together.
>
>and I actually liked AOA pretty well, think its P's best album
>since 2000 by far but still ain't seeing this one. Time is
>the only track on there that holds up with any song on BM.
>
>Obviously, Prince in his prime is still a God, one of the best
>ever and D'Angelo ain't even close to that status. But, we
>can still enjoy this modern day "classic" that D just dropped.
> I think it may go down as a classic, might be too soon yet.

You said it yourself, it's the org. One should be able to enjoy D's new music without dwelling on whether Prince's studio cuts are seeing D'Angelo's in 2014.

I don't know. I avoid making too many comparisons myself because it assumes that Prince and D'Angelo are both trying to follow the exact same path in music and care about the exact same things. One thing is sure, if it indeed does make Prince MAD, we just might see the release of some very interesting new music from P. He is always at his best when he feels that there is some competition.
-------------------------------------------
INFIN8 Photography
http://www.infin8photography.com
http://leicanthrope.tumblr.com
http://twitter.com/infin8photo
http://www.facebook.com/INFIN8Photography

Is this album filled with weird time signature changes, or is it because
*I'm white?*


No dissing here, just the confession that I don't know when to tap me knee or snap my fingers on a lot of these songs.

>Is this album filled with weird time signature changes, or is
>it because
>*I'm white?*
>
>
>No dissing here, just the confession that I don't know when to
>tap me knee or snap my fingers on a lot of these songs.


dont worry about it too much man. in fact dont think about it at all. just close your eyes and turn up the volume and do WHATEVER it makes ya wanna do WHENEVER it makes you wanna do it man...

and if it turns out that you're not moved to move? hey thats ok too...different strokes bro...

i will say this, this isnt a 'skimmer listen' record where its best elements jump out at you in the first 45 seconds of the first listen, this is one of those 'let it marinade' type of records where a lot of the best flavors are embedded deep inside...so before ya make your call, chew on it and savor it for a while, and then see whats-up...



�
have you listened to
her stuff?
v
http://www.freemyheart.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Meshell-Ndegeocello/26602832142?ref=mf

RIP David Williams:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Williams_(guitarist)

I was able to tell from skimming that I would be enjoying the album.



Since 1976

or funky music?

most of the songs on BM have time signatures you should be used to if you listen to lots of popular music. but there's some poly-rhythmic action going on w/many of the uptempo songs - similar action occurs on other Funk music i've heard. and that's why i ask.

>Is this album filled with weird time signature changes, or is
>it because
>*I'm white?*
>
>
>No dissing here, just the confession that I don't know when to
>tap me knee or snap my fingers on a lot of these songs.

Err nope - all 4/4 - the grooves are there but take time to sink their hooks into you and when they do, just sit back and enjoy the ride

I'm glad he released it, but it's underwhelming.

Which says a lot.

There's way too much hyperbole surrounding the album right now, I may revisit it in a few months. I'd rather do that than playt 100 times now and start to hate it.

Also, I'm in the camp that Voodoo is overrated, so I didn't agree with Payton's entire article, but he made some very strong points

what would you consider a good r&b album?

curious

and whats the two songs?

To name a few. Til its Done and Another Life.

Cause outside of Maxwell's Embrya, those the releases you like are in my opinion the opposite of both Black Messiah and Voodoo.

>There's way too much hyperbole surrounding the album right
>now, I may revisit it in a few months. I'd rather do that than
>playt 100 times now and start to hate it.
>
>Also, I'm in the camp that Voodoo is overrated, so I didn't
>agree with Payton's entire article, but he made some very
>strong points



Couldn't agree more. Voodoo was so boring to me. Playing this new album for the first time and agin I'm wondering why he can't just make jammin' songs without all the bougie slop.....ya know, like how the entire Brown Sugar album was just great song after great song.

I don't hate Voodoo but I only like four songs, one of which is a remake. Hell I like most of his remakes, his version of I'll Stay with Roy Hargrove is great.

kinda like voodoo

... It hit me that it is in face a pretty fucking good album. Loving the instruments, and even if some of it is programmed it sounds just as good. It has a warmth to it and it feels authentic (to me at least). There is human elements to it and thank goodness to whoever posted up the lyrics, makes the album that much more enjoyable.

yes I know it's reductive, but we've had some great convos in here and GD already, so simple:

1. Till It's Done (Tutu) @@@@@
2. Ain't That Easy @@@@@
3. Really Love @@@@@
4. Another Life @@@@@
5. 1000 Deaths @@@@@
6. Charade @@@@@
7. Back to the Future @@@@@
8. Betray My Heart @@@@ 1/2
9. Sugah Daddy @@@@
10. Prayer @@@ 1/2
11. The Door @@@
N/A for Back... Pt. II

Why n/a for part ii?

.

RE: Ranking and rating...i cant REALLY do it yet...too much great stuff here...

IF my life was on the line and you FORCED me to do SOME sort of rating...i'd be able to give you this much maybe...

(in order of how they appear on the record:


1. Ain't That Easy @@@@@
1. 1000 Deaths @@@@@
2. Charade @@@@
1. Sugah Daddy @@@@@
1. Really Love @@@@@


1. Back to the Future @@@@@
1. Till It's Done (Tutu) @@@@@
3. Prayer @@@ 1/2
1. Betray My Heart @@@@@
1. The Door @@@@@
1. Back to the Future Pt. II @@@@@
1. Another Life @@@@@

yeah yeah, i know i know...in my list above i have 10 out of the 12 tracks ALL listed as #1 and ALL rated 5 stars. i'm not apologizing for that. The only two tracks that i didnt give the A #1 5star rating to were The Charade & Prayer. (i'm guessing some folks are gonna disagree with my lower ranking of The Charade. i know i've seen several posts with folks listing that one as their favorite. Dont get me wrong and dont get it twisted, i don't DISLIKE The Charade (or Prayer either for that matter)...there are elements of each that i really really dig, it's simply that i LOVE the rest of the album...the REST of the album is SO great...and compared to the REST on the record, those two tracks arent A#1 5stars for me...

but damn...this album....as a whole? whew man...Right ON....

.

https://soundcloud.com/afropunk/dangelo-live-with-the-roots-at-afropunk-fest-2014

"y'all betta get ready"- George Clinton

>https://soundcloud.com/afropunk/dangelo-live-with-the-roots-at-afropunk-fest-2014
>
>"y'all betta get ready"- George Clinton

The arrangement of Bob's Burning and Lootin is straight BIDNESS.

the first time I'm actually just chilling at home and using my good ass harmon kardon cl headphones instead of the car stereo. First immediate thought: HOLY SHIT.

I put this on the home receiver to let the songs breathe. Good lord this thing sounds fantastic. Can't wait for the vinyl

>I put this on the home receiver to let the songs breathe.
>Good lord this thing sounds fantastic. Can't wait for the
>vinyl

This album totally exposes how foul you're living if you have any 'not great' speaker setups. Those Audio-Technica M50x's bring so much out of this album compared to everything else I have. It is really crazy. Even my big ole OLD floor speakers + a current mid-grade ($500-ish) center channel setup isn't as good. And I've damn near blown out my car setup trying to max out the jamming on the way to/from work everyday.

When people were talking about Voodoo as some TARGO (possibly my GOAT album of all times)-shit, I ended up very underwhelmed due to the whole Dilla, "Look, there's an emphasis on the third beat on the second bar and then it's on the fourth" (yeah, but it's still a dull *pattern*)-dork shit not to mention the sleepy feel, the lack of memorable songs and a general lack ofm dynamics.

This is the album that record *should* have been based on the hype; sure, it's still pretty fucking far from sly and D'angelo is still not really a songwriter* outside of a few songs but still, this knocks. I don't think it's the best shit ever and I was disappointed in the rhythm-arrangement of "Another life" as explained in another post and "Sugah Daddy" and "Betray my heart" (another bad rhythm/riff-arrangement BTW; what sounds fresh for a minute or so ends up tedious-that approacch to the groove should NOT have been repeated throughout in a circular, repetitive manner but should instead have been brought in and out of the tune IMO and juxtaposed against other shit) sounds like they were mailed in and lazy as fuck but other wise, I have no complaints.

Also, while D'angelo might not be a songwriter (tm), he is a distinctive *melodicist* at this point. While the more melodically flowing lines still sound very Prince, it's all in the voice and texture. And the thing is that if you remove the voice and texture of D'angelo(tm) from many other songs (admittedly the less melodic ones), I think it still sounds very D'angelo. I have no proof of this except that if you would have played the vocal-melodies-no matter how minimal-back to me on a piano or something, I would say "They sound like they fit D'angelo". And if you played some other shit, I would not get that vibe so, yes, I think he has a sound; not JUST in arrangement and voice and harmony but in melody too-it might not be Stevie or Brian Wilson but it is... something.

So yeah, props, good shit, very satisfied after about 7 listenings or so now... I too find it hard to play something else but that may be based on me not playing anything remotely "groovy" for the past month or so but still...

*I don't like to bring up the concept of "songwriting" in the Lesson anymore since the likes of the damaja and denny made it synonymous with the sheet-music /"vocal-melody with chord progression-shit and others either just parroting or just using it to mean" music I like". In MY world, the *core* appeal of a song could just as well be found in a riff, bass-line, drum-pattern or above all, a combination. That may be a "wrong" way to define songwriting but I don't give a fuck; this is popular music you listen to, NOT Rodgers-Hammerstein sheet music.

That said, if you utilize a more "Jakob-aproved"/liberal definition of songwriting as meaning something that's a bit more dynamic over the course of a tune, maybe something ear-catching somewhere, anywhwhere that goes beyond texture and production, D'angelo still falls somewhat short, he's not a great IMO and note that both George Clinton and James Brown are GREAT songwriters by my definition.

Then again, who cares, I dug the Jesus Lizard in 90-92 (and today) and I dig D'angelo-it *sounds* dope and really, that's what matters, it's just the icing on the cake that's missing...

.. agree with all said about BM and yet still like Voodoo more.
The sound of V is in fact much warmer and more relaxed, all while those drums are more banging. You wouldn't think these two things go together, but they actually do.
Seems just like a what-type-do-you-generellay-prefer-more-thing

>When people were talking about Voodoo as some TARGO (possibly
>my GOAT album of all times)-shit, I ended up very underwhelmed
>due to the whole Dilla, "Look, there's an emphasis on the
>third beat on the second bar and then it's on the fourth"
>(yeah, but it's still a dull *pattern*)-dork shit not to
>mention the sleepy feel, the lack of memorable songs and a
>general lack ofm dynamics.


I totally felt the same way.


>This is the album that record *should* have been based on the
>hype; sure, it's still pretty fucking far from sly and
>D'angelo is still not really a songwriter* outside of a few
>songs but still, this knocks. I don't think it's the best shit
>ever and I was disappointed in the rhythm-arrangement of
>"Another life" as explained in another post and "Sugah Daddy"
>and "Betray my heart" (another bad rhythm/riff-arrangement
>BTW; what sounds fresh for a minute or so ends up tedious-that
>approacch to the groove should NOT have been repeated
>throughout in a circular, repetitive manner but should instead
>have been brought in and out of the tune IMO and juxtaposed
>against other shit) sounds like they were mailed in and lazy
>as fuck but other wise, I have no complaints.



Now we're talking. You're paying attention to, and talking about, THE MUSIC.
I agree on "Sugah Daddy". That's one of the most uninteresting songs D's ever made, imo,
and this is a guy I feel doesn't really make any *horrible* music. I can deal with the
repetitiveness of "Betray My Heart". I think it works there. There are also the slight
bass and guitar variations at the beginning and end of the chorus that add just the
right amount of variation for the flavor of the jam. Then come the horns in the 2nd one
and the breakdown. The feeling is good enough to carry a song, imo.

that was like 'this is just us jamming and stretching out live... COS WE CAN'. this is more like them showing what they can do WITH what happens in the studio. hes clearly taken some notes from classic albums about what makes them work (right down to the side one-two billing, which is a bit of a lame retro nostalgia move, esp as they have the sound of a needle being lowered on the groove lol, but hey) this time. i.e noticed that brevity isnt a bad thing. its kind of like a leap from early funkadelic to the late 70s period.

i downloaded the lyrics from the official website and looking at the lyrics i realized that the lyrics to The Door aren't actually sung. what's the story there?

Feel like i'm in the minority of people that really enjoy it

>RE: I don't get the dislike for Sugah Daddy?>
>Feel like i'm in the minority of people that really enjoy it>

...i loved that track instantly too. i was very surprised to see posts saying that was one of some folks least favorite cuts, cuz i cant see what there is about it NOT to like really?
that song is infectious in a good way ....

the overall sparse & body-moving bounce of the main groove...
the tap dancing Piano swirling around it...
and the PERFECT 'pop' of the horns when they come in (the horns sound so damn good on this track)

sheeet,...i love it to death myself...

https://medium.com/cuepoint/nyu-music-professor-gives-dangelo-an-a-beeae902f782

that article hits the nail on the head for me...

...it mirrors (or explains in a technical way) what i've been doing, feeling and thinking over the last few weeks or so....taking my time with the record, letting it marinade, beginning to discover more & more of the subtle qualities behind the more obvious ones. i havent had this much fun enjoying an album in a LONG time...

so here i am after almost two weeks, trying to explain to some folks why i love the record...and since i dont know the 'technicals' of music at ALL, i'm saying things along the lines...

"...man, that groove makes me GRIN it feels so friggin' good..."

"...its so FULL but yet not muddy at all..."

"...its got 'space n air', yet still feels grounded deep-n-solid like..."

"...its complex but not convoluted, ya know?..."

"...honestly, i almost dont care WHAT he's actually saying really, for me his vocals & phrasing are kinda like another one of the instruments within the grooves, hitting all the right spots..."

"...it just feels like a natural evolution to me...doesnt feel forced at ALL and feels 'fresh' which is honestly kinda surprising to me since i guess its been being 'worked on' for 14 years now? you'd expect something thats been worked on so long to be over-produced and weighed down with too much this or that, but not THIS record...its sooo damn balanced...it feels very 'loose' yet 'tight', free-swingin' but still well thought out..."

"...oh, now that i've downloaded the lyrics, they are VERY well done, they even add ANOTHER level of enjoyment to the record (and they DON'T detract from the music like sucky lyrics can do :) ..."

"...yeah, you're right....THAT song is pretty much PERFECT man. Yup, that other one too. Yeah, so's that one..."

I think his analysis of the use of harmony is dead on --- what's interesting to note here (I think) is that compared to Voodoo, D is packing fewer harmonic/chordal extensions into the vocals themselves than he did in Voodoo. Voodoo features these superdense vocal clusters (which is a lot of what I love about that album, and what keeps it as one of my top albums of all time) ... super-innovative and super effective.

On this record, the vocal clusters are less dense harmonically... the layers are thick in terms of melody, but gravitate around just a few lines of harmony... where as on Voodoo, you had vocal layers often performing the work of a full piano player (best metaphor I can come up with).

What this writer picks up on is where those harmonic extensions go... I think he's right to highlight that D's gone more the *implied* route here, which is sort of like trading Bill Evans for Coltrane. (I don't know if that allusion matches up, but it sounds good to me right now.. in terms of style, of course, not a judgment of merit.) Instead of concentrating the extensions in vertical vocal clusters, they are more distributed across the band's arrangement, *or* across the full length of the vocal line. I need to listen more with this in mind, but I think it's a sound analysis, and a rather astute one on the writer's part.


-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

wait, which way does your trane/be comparison work?

he's more like be now & trane on voodoo?

In terms of harmony, I was thinking more like Evans on Voodoo and Trane on Black Messiah.

It's not a very good analogy (not least because we're dealing with the mechanics of a piano vs the mechanics of a single-note instrument, the sax) --- but it makes sense in my mind, lol.

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

So I hear a few things in this track that seem to be intentional references to older songs, esp. in the outro of part 1... the guitar riff from "left & right" being the most obvious. I think there's a backward guitar line that it maybe a nod to "the root," and there's a vocal effect that I hear as a nod to (the end of?) "Africa" ...

Anyone else hear this? Should we play "count the references" and see how many we can come up with, or am I dreaming? I'll come back with some time marks later...


-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

>esp. in the outro of
>part 1... the guitar riff from "left & right" being the most
>obvious.

i had the hi-res playing loudly in the headphones and i finally heard this. made me say "oooh shiiit!!!"

I think there's a backward guitar line that it maybe
>a nod to "the root," and there's a vocal effect that I hear as
>a nod to (the end of?) "Africa" ...

i gotta check for these now...

the roots/dilla's "adrenaline" (the general rhythm and bassline)

slum village's "jealousy" (vocal rhythm of the chorus)

>slum village's "jealousy" (vocal rhythm of the chorus)

damn, good catch!

>the roots/dilla's "adrenaline" (the general rhythm and
>bassline)

I can kind of see that...

>slum village's "jealousy" (vocal rhythm of the chorus)

*this* - that's a solid observation and I'd bet some money there's something intentional there...

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

That bass line and rhythm is very reminiscent of Dynamite.

Saw Phonte mention that on twitter and now I can't listen to it without hearing Dynamite.

absolutely dynamite, not adrenaline

Right about now, this is my favorite song on the album. I had been listening to the cd in my house and then I heard, "Really Love", in my car, windows up, all by myself and this song just took me away, into a state of love within my heart :-) :-) :-) !!! D's new cd, "Black Messiah" is amazing with a lot of different flavors :9 :9 :9 !!! I was listening to the cd last night and all I can say is that I am glad that I got it and it was worth the wait :D :D :D !!!

D', Baby you still got it and more :D :D :D !!!



♥ :* HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! :7 !!! :* ♥

like i gave it a rest after the first week as i didnt want to burn it out, i have my issues with it (quite a few songs arent really songs, and for a jam like sugah daddy, that is fine, but for charade and 1 or 2 others, they kind of peter out, like he couldnt write more than 2 verses), but even if its not melodically sharp, a lot of phrases keep popping into my brain. so he does catchy vocal phrases, if not songs. but maybe its just cos i havent heard anything NEW like this in a long time, but this album is ticking all my boxes. its also made me return to funk, which i havent really wanted to listen to in quite a long time.

its also
>made me return to funk, which i havent really wanted to listen
>to in quite a long time.

I'm not bullshitting; that's EXACTLY what this slbum has achieved with me. Granted, it's winter and as a tradition, I listen to nothing but vintage reggae for like two months but this album and it's influences has managed to sneak some funk in there; like,it feels like a live genre rather than something museal like blues... Seriously, due to this album, I've played more Sly than I have in like a decade (and note that Sly is always present in my listening habits but still...)

One of the reasons I've felt so lame on these boards in the past years vs when I started is because my interest in black music (tm) has honestly been kind of minimal. Like, I have been more likely to blast some death metal than some vintage JB's and obviously, "moder4n" black music hasn't helped. Now, I feel like totally black musicall7ly and this albums has helped a lot; it's like you need something to "TR4IGGER" you in a ce4rtain dir4ection and this album delivere4d; I suddenly feel like I have something to add to the Lesson as oppose4d to being the dude who say that Entombed>>>"Job for a cowboy"...

Seriously, I feel reenergized...

ive never 'stopped' listening to sly, but i cant lie, for a while, i just felt like something from my past that i wasnt sure i still needed to listen to all that much. but this album has made me reaqcuaint myself with old JB, p-funk, sly, meters etc, in a way i havent done since i was a student i think. and its made me listen to them with fresher ears actually. i had a similar thing with jazz fusion after listening to the new flying lotus album.

WTFunk? My late pass is embarrassing, but I see the connection somehow in spirit. It's hard to explain but a great credit to dangelo that his references/ inspirations add another context to the music like the vocal layering/ distortion.

and like Jakob said, it might be the best album ever. Thanks for talkin to me could really be 20 minutes long.

.

We'll get that Fallon gig, a single & some music mag articles in early January? I hate to see the love for this record disappear after a week or two...

>We'll get that Fallon gig, a single & some music mag articles
>in early January? I hate to see the love for this record
>disappear after a week or two...

It hasn't over here. I have a few folks who are just now getting into it. And they are all over it..asking me about this and that. And then I can do brain dumps like my worst posts here. So the context I present 'fills in blanks' for them. I appreciate the power and the responsibility of helping out cuz I know damn well yall and cats have given me tutorials and different angles of listening through a gang of eras, artists, and albums over the years.

And of course that process brings me back to certain songs if not the whole thing all over again. I'm not batting a thousand or anything so I've felt the 'disappointment' when folks don't come away from the album or some songs excited or in really love with it, but I'll keep street-teaming.

Sometimes I feel like lonely broads must feel when they're trying to give away some coochie at 1:52 in the morning at the club when I'm trying to get some folks into this album. So many folks are cool with hearing 'more' Kem. Or Maze greatest hits. Or some other long time ago stuff. Or some older cat singing out sugar daddying for an hour over some soul train cruise shit. It's like the cup of their ears have runneth over and they can't/won't even try to absorb anything else. And digging in, they aren't even enjoying what they auto-pilot listen to every day. Meanwhile I'm over here with my eyes closed jamming almost everything I listen to and like. I remember that feeling of folks just listening to Jill's first shit on infinite loop and wanting to talk about it over and over. And I can still get THAT feeling. I feel for anyone who can't. There's still cats pouring their hearts out, showing their talents, and trying to put stuff together as artists.

...in the rhythm section makes me like this record less than I wanted to.

Still like it though.

I actually got really hyped when I heard it. Couldn't believe it.

takes 2 minutes for him to breath on the bridge.

Song works th.- has grown on me.

Hadn't heard he's scheduled to play SNL on 1/31 - psyched! What's he playing?

(has there even been an official single released yet? I've heard both Really Love and Betray My Heart on the radio, but those were both in dj afternoon mix type things...)

My guess is Sugah Daddy is one of the picks...

-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

>Hadn't heard he's scheduled to play SNL on 1/31 - psyched!
>What's he playing?
>
>(has there even been an official single released yet? I've
>heard both Really Love and Betray My Heart on the radio, but
>those were both in dj afternoon mix type things...)
>
>My guess is Sugah Daddy is one of the picks...
>
>-thebigfunk
>
>~ i could still snort you under the table ~

I'm assuming 1000 Deaths and Sugah Daddy. I'm almost hoping for Another Life to close out, but I don't see it. I expect that he'd have to feel REALLY GOOD about himself right now to do that song in that situation. And I am clueless as to this cat's state of mind right now. A brain-dump from ?/15/Questo after the fact would be great...

I just hope it goes well and opens up some more ears for this album. I can't fight the urge to want more people to get into Black Messiah. I'm sure that other artists are probably on it. I know music dorks are on it. But I want to pull in the folks who have stepped away from music as life, time, and jaded whatnoteries have accumulated blockages in their ears. I want to rescue folks from feeling like something like Charlie Wilson's 'new' album is the only new stuff that they can try to digest now. AKA I want folks to really hear this thing and use it as an excuse to get back to listening to music that talented folks took time to make. We'll never get back to the way record players basically led albums to being more convenient to listen to straight through. But damn...I'll take the CD era again where folks would at least repeat the hell out of some songs they liked because they didn't want to go into the trunk and change the changer out. Or they left their Case Logic at the house. Or whatever.

Fingers crossed. Rabbit foot rubbed. Four leaf clover caught. C'mon man.

Jimaveli

personally i would love to hear

1000 deaths + another life

titles alone speak volumes about his 14 year hiatus.
they sound like old d'angelo (soul) vs new d'angelo (funkrock).
hard track vs ballad.
it's perfect.

BUT

1000 deaths will probably freak people out.
similar to devils pie @ vma2000 and sugah daddy @ bet2012.
also this track is black messiahs sdmf and folks need to discover this one themselves.

and if they have plans to release 'another life' as a single,
i would save that one for later when folks embrace d' angelo again.
then it might just be a smash.

SO

perhaps better to either
take people back - think piano medley of older tunes
or give them something new that reminds of old -
basically 'really love'.

the 2nd cut should probably be 'charade'.
makes sense to build on that "socially-conscious" thing.
shows d to be the guitar man he so desires to be
w/o needing actual chops.

2 new cuts that might play it a bit safe,
but will probably get people to check out the record
vs just talking about it the performance.

they can be tricky but if done right...could make for a funky performance...

George Clinton busted like a 6 minute 3 song medley on SNL once and killed that shit....

>or give them something new that reminds of old -
>basically 'really love'.
>
>the 2nd cut should probably be 'charade'.
>makes sense to build on that "socially-conscious" thing.
>shows d to be the guitar man he so desires to be
>w/o needing actual chops.

Haha. You lined it right up...

He looked kinda like Marshawn Lynch up there but went out of his way to try to be fly. My wife said he had on a lot of accessories.

He seemed kinda nervous on Really Love. Maybe I was so nervous for him that I made it up in my mind. Really Love is a tough song to do as a 'one song' performance, so I get it if so. He looked and sounded more 'in the groove' through Charade. He opened things up and 'took some chances' vocally instead of standing in one spot the whole time. I get it..that stage is almost on some old Five Heartbeats stuff, so you can't exactly pull a Hammer up ther.

Kendra was back there looking mighty, fine, and mighty fine.

I even waited to watch the 'huggin at the end' part to see how THAT went. Folks were up on him in a good way so that's cool. I'm super glad overall. If anyone saw those performances, I can't imagine it hurt. But it is unwise to think that all of a sudden the whole planet is gonna be all over this album. Again, I just want the folks who have no business not being on this album to get involved if they haven't already because they've been 'busy'.

Jimaveli

>2 new cuts that might play it a bit safe,
>but will probably get people to check out the record
>vs just talking about it the performance.

yeah man lol
songs were good, they kept it safe but tight, close to the album version.
performance was ok, good enough for tv anyway
strange nobody else commented on it here

>>or give them something new that reminds of old -
>>basically 'really love'.
>>
>>the 2nd cut should probably be 'charade'.
>>makes sense to build on that "socially-conscious" thing.
>>shows d to be the guitar man he so desires to be
>>w/o needing actual chops.
>
>Haha. You lined it right up...
>
>He looked kinda like Marshawn Lynch up there but went out of
>his way to try to be fly. My wife said he had on a lot of
>accessories.
>
>He seemed kinda nervous on Really Love. Maybe I was so nervous
>for him that I made it up in my mind. Really Love is a tough
>song to do as a 'one song' performance, so I get it if so. He
>looked and sounded more 'in the groove' through Charade. He
>opened things up and 'took some chances' vocally instead of
>standing in one spot the whole time. I get it..that stage is
>almost on some old Five Heartbeats stuff, so you can't exactly
>pull a Hammer up ther.
>
>Kendra was back there looking mighty, fine, and mighty fine.
>
>I even waited to watch the 'huggin at the end' part to see how
>THAT went. Folks were up on him in a good way so that's cool.
>I'm super glad overall. If anyone saw those performances, I
>can't imagine it hurt. But it is unwise to think that all of a
>sudden the whole planet is gonna be all over this album.
>Again, I just want the folks who have no business not being on
>this album to get involved if they haven't already because
>they've been 'busy'.
>
>Jimaveli
>
>>2 new cuts that might play it a bit safe,
>>but will probably get people to check out the record
>>vs just talking about it the performance.
>

1) aint that easy
2) another life
3) 1000 deaths
4) really love
5) the charade



does it really matter?

for all my fans who keep my name in their mouth: http://i.imgur.com/v2xNOpS.jpg

Gotdamn, it's even better. So many layers. I slept so hard on Ain't That Easy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krLZVo0WXdE

Definitely going to be watching for clips from the performance over the next few days -- sounds like it was top-notch.


-thebigfunk

~ i could still snort you under the table ~

Black Messiah: A Voodoo Childs (slight ) Return from Exile On Main St.


D’angelo has released his follow-up to Voodoo. After an indeterminable wait, he released it with no fanfare in an apparent rushed fashion due to the current issues regarding Travon Marton, Mike Brown, And Gardner in a move that is akin to James Brown performing a concert to quell the masses in the aftermath of the Martin Luther King assassination.


Like The Rolling Stones album Exile On Main St. (they left their native country due to excessive taxation laws, taking up self imposed exile in France), the lyrics/vocals are buried deep in the mix. At the time of Exile’s release it was panned for sloppy production and that nobody could understand what Mick was saying. While Voodoo was murky, BM’s vocals are twisted, buried, and mixed in the grooves as an instrument unto itself. Everything is to the fore equally. And it’s a shame as the lyrics are profound personally and politically.


Sensibly he saved some of the reported experimental guitar, possibly for later releases, however black Messiah still has it’s experiments with rock undertones. And like Graffiti Bridge, D’Angelo goes through four decades of black musical within the first four songs.


BM welcomes with the Funkadelic slice of Aint That Easy where he lets the audience know that even after 15 years, we cant let him go. He also tells us sincerely “I need the comfort of love, to bring out the best in me.” Open and honest. Not only does he require love for his best, he hopes when referring to his well being, he hopes it isn’t referring to “the physical shape he’s in singing “I hope its not my abdomen, you’re talking about when wondering the shape I’m in” showing some humor and male esteem that’s rarely shown, echoing the vulnerability as such soul men as Marvyn Gaye and Prince.


Politically, he raises the still burning Sly Riot flag, on ‘1000 Deaths’ war cry set to African drum circle madness that either propels you to action or get knocked the funk out. Charade is Parade era Prince, with upbeat pop psychedelica dripped in shit funk with lyrics of “wanting a chance to talk..instead we got outlined in chalk” that belies the poppy music.Really Love is delicate and tender statement of being in love, while Sugah Daddy, Brown Sugar’s sequel ala The Red Hot Chili Peppers ‘Dani Californication’ saga is Voodoo’s Chicken Grease dropped in juke joint juice production.


The swinging ‘Back To The Future’ is akin to Stevie Wonder’s ‘I Wish’ or at least ‘Every Ghetto’ from Lauryn Hill in its remember when lyrics and swing and Till It’s Done is akin to current era The Roots, leaving one awaiting Black Thought to begin rhyming ferociously but never to come in. Black Messiah reaches it’s apex on “Another Day,” the Adore of now, with a melody that floats on a crescendo of the earthiest of Marvyn Gaye’s What’s Goin On, Princes’ Power Fantastic, his own Untitled (How Does It Feel?), and a spiritual soul that’s at the same time beautiful and painful.Don’t be fooled by the tender love raps on Really Love and Another Day as it also appears that his absence has made him grittier with Dangelo using some of the most salicious lyrics throughout, ( “I hit it so I made the pussy fart” “I got just what you need, babe , all this love you'll receive, yeah, I been waitin' so long,” I love you deep when you come to my bed” ) as well as the political lyrics mentioned in 1000 Deaths and The Charade, while getting environmental on Till It’s Done with the lines“Carbon pollution is heating up the airDo we really know? Do we even care?Acid rain dripping on our trees and in our hairAre you there?”


And like Exile On Main Street, it’s a shame that the lyrics are somewhat buried in the mix as an instrument itself as they are profound personally and politically. The spirit of Sly/Pfunk, Prince, Gaye, and like one of them, their spirit shines on him and he wears them all on his sleeve and presents it in his own way/version.


And like Parade, it seems a bright black and white. And it’s a shame that the lyrics are somewhat buried in the mix as an instrument itself as they are profound personally and politically. Sometimes it sounds like though it's Rolling Stones Exile on Main Street with its murkiness or the bonus disc from Prince And The Revolutions ‘Parade’


It’s presents overall as a natural progression from Voodoo. The piano licks throughout the release are more pronounced in celebrated more than the reported guitar and at times it feels as if you’re listening to early Funkadelic or a Parade bonus disc yet still wrapped in the D’angelo’s version of juke joint music. And where Voodoo’ songs meandered or took some time to get going, Black Messiah songs are more concise leaving the listener wanting them to continue.


Whereas Voodoo’s aftermath seemingly had an effect on him emotionally and mentally, hell physically, BM predicts a positive future whereas Voodoo left a premonition of evil and for all the reported notorious troubles he has had during BM’s creation, the music is lively, upbeat, black and white and still colorful.


Regardless of the frustrations and rumors that had one dismissing the artist and the reality of it’s existence, go ‘head..like those on the cover art...raise your hands and testify.

that they have covered the entire album!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hl-jTixt6C0&feature=youtu.be

I am enjoying sitting here listening in headphones, finding all the nooks and crannies in the song.

beautiful music.

delayed til march. at least it's around my bday, though.

i heard march 6th, march 10th an even may....

whats up with this

i'm assuming this means that it's finally on its way.

it better include a digital download like the one from the OKP store. when i inquired about it originally, they basically told me hell naw.

FINALLY.

no card charging or shipping confirmation email for me yet!

oh well, I gotta be patient. if I can wait 15 years...

I'm surprised

The vinyl is in stores now over here in Europe. Got mine yesterday. It seems like the European pressing was ready a week ahead of the US pressing.

Only had a chance to listen to it once, but it sounded really good. Comes in a nice gatefold sleeve with a booklet with lyrics and credits. Only letdown is that a few of the pictures seem a bit too low res for the 12"x12" format.

>The vinyl is in stores now over here in Europe. Got mine
>yesterday. It seems like the European pressing was ready a
>week ahead of the US pressing.
>
>Only had a chance to listen to it once, but it sounded really
>good. Comes in a nice gatefold sleeve with a booklet with
>lyrics and credits. Only letdown is that a few of the pictures
>seem a bit too low res for the 12"x12" format.

my LPs (I ordered 2) are scheduled to arrive next week, so I said f-it and went to my local shop and bought a copy.

and yes, my digi download code was printed directly in the lyric book.

Probably the best thing that happened in this crummy weather in the DMV.

Can't say for sure if there is a digital voucher in the package yet (I haven't had time to open the record yet to check the content), but since I have the CD already I can just rip it from there for the moment and transfer from vinyl later if I really need to.

...hear a couple of pops of possible distortion in "Really Love?" I haven't compared to the CD yet, but it sounded like the kind of thing that could happen in pressing.