17534, VOODOO WILL BE LEGENDARY! Posted by guest, Mon Apr-02-01 06:16 AM
>In late 1999, the first single >from D'angelo's long-awaited sophmore album, >"Voodoo", was released to very >little to no fanfare. >"Left & Right", which featured >a guest appearance by America's >Most Blunted (a.k.a Redman & >Method Man) was a simple >funk number based around very >minimal instrumentation. The accompanying video, >which may have been aired >about as many times as >the last few Prince videos, >was an odd, psychedelic, sweat >drenched funk fest, featuring cameo >appearances by George Clinton, Redman, >Method Man, ?uestlove, and Cherokee. > The video's production values >weren't too far removed from >those commonly seen in early >80s pop videos. While >I understand and can appreciate >the idea, it's not a >very smart way to begin >promotion for an album that >many people have patiently waited >for. The video quickly >faded from television and failed >to make a dent in >radio. Folk just wasn't ready! I bought this video, and it is still one of the most requested vids to be played at partys-but then the age group (30 & up) has a lot to do with it too!
>A few quick months later, January >2000 arrives. Y2K fever >has passed and the number >of days until the release >of the album that many >said would revolutionieze R&B music >are dwindling. To make >up for the near disaster >that "Left & Right" turned >out to be, the follow-up >single was wisely chosen. >"Untitled (How Does It Feel)" >is a slow, 6/8, sexy >song reminiscent of Prince during >his hey day. The >song and its simplicity are >brilliant. Raphael Saadiq, co-producer >of th etrack, laid down >a guitar line that I'm >sure made the soon-to-be-resurrected Prince >Rogers Nelson roll over in >his paisley coffin. >The music combined with those >panty-wetting lyrics assured this writer >that the revolution (no pun >intended) was well under way. > I keep tellin yall-Prince wish he DID have it like that! This vid was a good way for D to show off some newly acquired abs-but the lyrics in the song, & the way he sang it is what did it for me!
>And then the video arrived. > >I'll spare us all the details >of the video for fear >that many of my female >readers will suffer flashbacks and >become unable to finish reading. > Give us women credit for being able to look beyond the body in the video. I think a lot of you menfolk's egos have really suffered from that video.
>I was fortunate enough to witness >the tour first hand when >it stopped in Indianapolis in >August. I was also >unfortunate enough to witness the >hordes of beautiful women (gat-damn!!!) >screaming at D'angelo as if >they were at a male >strip joint. They totally >ignored the on stage brilliance >of D'angelo and the Soultronics >and focused on the biceps, >the abs, and the ass. > I often found myself >rolling my eyes at the >way D'angelo toyed with the >women in the crowd (who >really weren't women at this >point.. many of the more >mature women were acting as >if they were 10 years >old at a New Edition >concert back in 1984). Okay-we know there were some there not really focusing on the man & his music-but I also witnessed both episodes, and each time I went it was like a musical rebirth. Yes the affect of this man & his music had me moving parts of my body that I didn't know I still had. D & the soultronics-pure artistry! "Devil's >Pie" would not have worked >because the first minute or >so of the song is >done in complete darkness with >very little movement on stage.
You must didn't see D & Soultronics do this at the MTV movie awards last year! Check your local listings 'cause MTV repeats it often-and you're in for a treat!!! >Voodoo's lack of substance also hurt >it. Whereas a lack >of substance is the norm, >most people don't spend 4-5 >years working on something that >sounds like it could've been >put together in the span >of a few months. >As a whole, it is >quite underwhelming. There are >several good ideas and concepts >throughout the album (I wish >the "Booty" segment of "Greatdayndamornin" >had been developed a lot >more). If the album >had been released one year >after "Brown Sugar", I would >not be writing this paragraph. > Just another case of >"too little too late."
Looka here-the album won 2 grammys, he was awarded best live perfomance of the year by Rolling Stone, and (not that this sways me one way or the other) that says a helluva lot! Voodoo will be legendary. It is not your average R&B album-not by a long shot!
I don't want him 'cause of what he doin to you-and you dont need em-'cause he 'aint ready!-Ms. Badu
If I needed you to be cooool with my strength, could you do it?-Jill Scott
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