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And I need to say, I loved the record much more than Brain C. Hild. I can tell. I fell out for the minimalism of it. And b/c I LISTENED intently, repeatedly, intoxicated(ly) I hear all the work that went into it. The record is so heavy to me. Every track, but especially "The Root", "Spanish Joint", "Devil's Pie", and "Untitled". Anyway, I digress. Onto his little thang here.
>I just feel that such an >ambitious project was unnecessarily, and >possibly unknowingly, self-destructed.
Yes, it was. Here's the part where I can get w/what he's talking about: > >In late 1999, the first single >from D'angelo's long-awaited sophmore album, >"Voodoo", was released to very >little to no fanfare.
A fucking travesty!!! I thought "Untitled" was the FIRST single & video. >"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.
Killer. I mean, damn.
> 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. > >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. > > >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.
Lord, have mercy on my soul!
>It really is unknown what the >exact intent of the video >was, perhaps its intentions were >many: > >A. To stimulate the women >in a way normally reserved >for men. >B. To increase the number >of Ab-Rollers and health club >memberships sold. >or >3. To present D'angelo to >the public with no bells >and whistles.. just the man >and his music. > >I'm sure if you asked D'angelo, >Dominique Trenier, or Paul Hunter >what their intentions were, they >will point you towards number >3, being that it is >the most "artistically respectable" of >the 3 possibilities. They >may have actually planned it >that way, but in between >the writing of the video >treatment (which I'm sure was >about 5 words long: D'angelo, >naked, plain background, ch-ching!) and >the airing of the video, >I'm sure the concept was >lost. D'angelo's (ahem) enthusiasm >towards the end of the >video prompted many a viewer >to wonder whether or not >D'angelo was alone on the >set. The many close-ups >of D'angelo's body dripping with >perspiration just turned him into >a sex object for women, >thus taking their attention away >from the brilliant song and >focusing on their moistening nether >regions. > >I'm not making judgment on D'angelo's >artistic integrity or whether nor >am I saying that D'angelo >was wrong in exploring (or >should it be "exploiting") his >sexuality. In its pure >form, it is a great >idea, but seeing as how >man perverts (once again, no >pun intended) everything, it should've >been obvious to all involve >that trying to maintain artistic >integrity while being butt booty >naked on television is virtually >impossible. I hope D'angelo >was fully aware of the >risk he was taking. >If not, he must have >received one hell of a >wake up call when the >tour began. > >Episodes 1 and 2 of the >Voodoo tour can be summed >up in 23 words. > >1. Screaming >2. Women >3. Ripped >4. Wife-beater >5. "Take >6. It >7. Off" >8. Hardcore >9. Funk >10. Music >11. Good >12. Times
I almost cried at this show. I had awful seats, and I heard "I wanna know how it FEEEEELS, nigga!" & "Take it off!!!!" more than I cared to. I was on the verge of tears b/c I was sad for the women who were missing out on what D & the Soultronix were laying down. They had me there, even from the balcony (in the back, y'all). I couldn't believe they couldn't feel what I did.
>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.
That's what I just said.
> 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). >I wished that there had >been more of a balance >between D'angelo's libidinous energy and >his musical passion.
He's an Entertainer...as well as a musician. You gotta give 'em what they want and slap 'em w/what they need.
>Okay.. to sum up all the >sex stuff, it overshadowed the >music and brought people >(women.. and a few guys) >away from what *I* thought >the whole Voodoo project was >about: bringing songwriting and >good musicianship back to the >forefront.
Honey, I was 1 of those guys. U shoulda seen me getting all up close to my TV everytime that video was on. I thought maybe I could see more than I had previously. Like, ooops! I was a damn fool, but I still was geeked off the song itself. >>Midway through the tour, Virgin Records >released the third single from >the album. "Send It >On." Oh no. >Another slow song. Obviously >milking the sex god image >that was surrounding D'angelo at >the time, Virgin thought this >would be a good idea.
I was so upset about this. Here in Chicago, they were already playing "Feel Like Makin' Love" on the radio. I thought it was a great choice...especially going into spring. But then we got "Send It On", one of the musically least interesting tracks on the record - but the lyrics are a mutha! I knew it would go over folk heads.
> It was also thought >by many that releasing a >live performance video would be >a good idea. It >would serve double purpose: >promote the tour and show >people that D'angelo is still >all about music.
Exactly. And I love performance videos.
The >only problem with this reasoning, >I feel, is that the >"Send It On" clip did >not accurately represent what was >going on during the Voodoo >tour. Yes, clips of >other portions of the show >were interspersed throughout the clip, >but it was quite distracting >to see D'angelo and his >backup dancers doing some high >energy step while the band >crawled through "Send It On."
I know, right? It was kinda awkward. But they were having a good time up there, that was clear.
>Upon further thought, the live video >concept would not really work >with *any* of the songs >from Voodoo as they were >performed live on tour. >"Feel Like Making Love" would've >lost some points for being >a cover tune (although I >can count on one hand >the number of people I >know that knew that it >was a cover).
That song needed to be heard.
"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. > So, in my >opinion, the concept should've been >scrapped. > >While looking at the rest of >the songs that "Voodoo" has >to offer, the only other >obvious single was "Devil's Pie" >which had already been featured >in the film "Belly." >None of the other songs >on the album were really >suited for release as a >single.
Well, after (or before) "Feel Like Makin' Love".
Many of the >songs suffered from being repetitive >midtempo songs that often ended >in similar fashion to the >way they started... all groove, >very little substance (once again, >i'd like to refer you >to my opening statement).
Here's where we diverge. I hear so much going on in all the songs. And Roy Hargrove tore it the fuck up on the horns & horn arrangements. I mean, good God - there was so much melody going on, and his vocals were incredible. When you remember he sang every note of those multi-tracked harmonies, it's clear why the album took so much time. Why it must have been a labrous process. So much overdub. I think it's brilliant.
> >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.
See my last comment. I mean, how can you deny those vocals???
>As a whole, it is >quite underwhelming.
Still has my jaw stuck to the floor.
There are >several good ideas and concepts >throughout the album (I wish >the "Booty" segment of "Greatdayndamornin" >had been developed a lot >more).
I could have used more of "Left & Right", actually. Extended version of "Spanish Joint"? Pleeeease??
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."
The impact would have been huge coming out of Brown Sugar, but the public still wouldn't have embraced it like the 1st record. "Lady" was a great pop tune, Voodoo doesn't really have any pop. Except "Send It On". >Okay... I"m beginning to ramble here, >and unlike D'angelo when recording >"The Root" and "Feel Like >Making Love", i'm going to >stop before this gets any >more tedious.
Stop knocking my song!!! I'm living for that one. It's all about repetition. Hasn't he heard any Afro-beat? Any house? Any James Brown? (20 minutes of "Hot Pants" comes to mind, or how about 20 minutes of "Make It Funky"?). Hell....any GOSPEL, blues, even jazz. WTF? _________________
Currently playing:
The Love Bite, "Take Your Time"
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