Copied from Jarrod Lawsons FB Page.- Jarrod Lawson -My thoughts on DAngelos Black Messiah- Ok...I think its time to say a few things about this new DAngelo album. Ive been hesitant to speak on it until I really had ample time to fully assimilate it, but Ive now had 5 thorough and intent listens on it and I feel compelled to share my observations. I apologize for my lack of brevity. First, I have to say that, unlike the presumed majority of folks out there, I didnt set myself up for disappointment. Ive been fervently following all news regarding this album for years now, so, after months ago reading an interview in which Questlove explained that this album was not gonna be AT ALL what people expected... that DAngelo had been listening to really obscure and bizarre artists such as Frank Zappa and David Bowie...and observing the myriad of obstacles that D has faced in the past decade with substance abuse, image/identity crisis, etc., I was fully prepared for this record to underwhelm me. Putting out an album titled Black Messiah with the intent to make such a bold political statement and not doing the listener the courtesy of making the lyrical content aurally intelligible is irritating. I got online and read ALL of the lyrics to find that they are actually quite relevant and poignant, (though, my impression is that Ds lyric writing partner for this album, Kendra Foster, is largely responsible for this) SO, wouldnt you want to make the words easily understood? Come on, D! In addition to this, the lead vocal doesnt seem to be mixed to sit on top of the tracks in many cases, creating a situation where Im almost aching, listening so astutely to hear whats being sung. I dont wanna have to labor to take music in, ESPECIALLY on a political concept album where the message should be a main focal point. My other complaint is that the songs are not as developed as I would like. There is not a lot of progression within each track, not much forward or upward movement, or, for that matter, much dynamic fluctuation in any direction. I love playful, infectious, groovy vamps just as much as the next guy, but where are the songs? These tracks, with the exception of a few, dont take me on a journey, and thats the greatest disappointment of all. All of this aside, I actually love a lot of things about this album. DAngelo continues to be unpredictable, consistently reinventing himself, making musical choices that no one would have expected. I think his voice still sounds AMAZING, despite the self inflicted abuse that he has subjected himself to. I found his stylistic choices on this album to be quite a thorough inclusion of the historical roots of soul music, incorporating more rhythm & blues, jazz, and rock elements than weve heard from D previously. This is, without a doubt, his most subversive, thought-provoking, and lyrically relevant work to date. I just wish that his message was carried on the back of more developed musical compositions. DAngelo secured his position long ago as the greatest R&B artist of our time, the monarch of neo-soul. There are very few voices that I like more to listen to. I love and respect him on a level that I dont put many others at, so, I hope I dont come across as too harsh here. By all accounts, hes still one of my greatest heroes, and Ill love and support him until the end. D is doin D... keepin it real, and although this album may have gone over a lot of peoples heads, I wouldnt be surprised if, years down the road, this is regarded as his most important work. After all, geniuses are rarely appreciated in their own time. #2014
Posted on: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 12:11:18 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015