Re: D'Angelo Revisited

From: Jason Witherspoon (arzachel@speakeasy.org)
Date: Thu Apr 20 2000 - 21:42:09 MET DST

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    At 12:18 AM -0700 4/20/00, Elson Trinidad wrote:
    >I haven't heard the entire album, but I've heard quite a few tracks...
    >
    >
    >I might be wrong, but so far most every song I've heard off the album
    >sounds like a carbon copy of each other. Loud, tight drums, soulful - but
    >very low-mixed vocals, and only when vocal harmonies kick in does it stand
    >out in the mix. There's bass and chords in there somewhere, but it's kind
    >of burind somewhere underneath the beat.
    >

    Just got this album, & haven't even listened all the way through
    twice yet, but so far I think it's excellent. Whoever said it's more
    of a "modal" album than a chord-progression album hit the nail on the
    head.

    It's kind of funny how the above critiques could also, say, be
    applied to _There's a Riot Goin' On_-- the comparison has been made
    before & not w/o validity.

    I can tell all the songs apart though-- the instrumentation is really
    similar from track to track, but that just makes the odd little
    elements stand out more when you listen a little more & they start to
    bubble up from under the surface. The bass is right there tied to
    the drums; as any funk fan knows, everything else is icing! And
    subtlety is the key here.

    I forget what album had the "play twice before listening" disclaimer
    on it, but I suspect that might be good advice for folks not
    instantly taken in by _Voodoo_ (as I was). It simmers, it's sultry,
    & it's deeper than the surface at first lets on.

    -- 
    

    Jason Witherspoon ICQ #62837760

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