This is D'Angelo's first release in 14 years.called "Black Messiah" and is his third album. In that time he has gotten much better on guitar. That being said,on this album,he plays guitar more than any other album of his.His voice is what he really is a master at. D'Angelo has that classic "baby making music " sound.. I can't say it was well worth the wait, but it is still really really great. If D'angelo was one of my all time favorites, that might be a different story. Don't get me wrong, I still think he is awesome. That saying ( well worth the wait) is so cliche with anything that comes out with a long gape between releases. D'angelo's sound is always rooted in 70's funk /soul and gospel but he also taps into all the genres of African Americans. (Funk, Jazz, Gospel, Hip Hop, Soul/R&B, Blues and Rock and Roll). Even though it is "retro sounding", it doesn't sound old. The album for the most part is fairly quiet, laid back. free sounding and sounds if he his glad to be making music again. It taps into the blues vibe of "it's not the notes you play, but what's in between them." Much of the album has political undertones and coincides with the recent happenings of Eric Gardner and the Ferguson riots. I absolutely love the backing band on this album Some of the performers are James Gadson on drums (One of the most recorded drummers in R&B- working with such artists as Beck, Charles Wright, Herbie Hancock,Marvin Gaye, Blue Mitchell, Lalo Shifrin, BB King, Albert King, Freddie King, Bill Withers, Temptations, Quincy Jones,Paul McCartney and many many others), Kendra Foster from P funk, Pino Palladino on bass (whom is regarded by many as one of the best bass players ever, playing with such artists as Peter Gabriel, Eric Clapton, BB King, Erykah Badu, Common, The Who, Nine inch Nails, Jeff Beck, Herbie Hancock,Adele,Brian Eno, Steve Gadd,The Herbaliser, Derek Trucks, David Gilmour, Chaka Khan,, Steve Luthaker, and many many others), Q-Tip and Questlove. This album has a musicianship vibe all over it..I really dig all the experimental sounds and samples throughout the album. I also really enjoyed the mixdown sound of the drums and bass. Keeping with the 70's vibe, "Black Messiah" is recorded in analog using tape and and emphasis on vintage instruments.Questlove has stated that this album is the black version of the Beach Boys's "Smile"
Born Micheal Eugene Archer in Richmond, V.A. of a Pentecostal preacher father. Gospel is ever present in all of D'Angelo's music. D'angelo is mostly recognized for his 90's hit song and video "Untitled/ How Does it feel".D' Angelo also plays drums, bass,and keyboards. Throughout D'Angelo's life, he has seen his fair share of ups and downs . Hopefully he will continue to create great music without such long pauses in between and he stays on the up swing. Rhett Taylor
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"Black Messiah is a hell of a name for an album," reads the album introduction by D'Angelo. "Many will think it's about religion. Some will jump to the conclusion that I'm calling myself a Black Messiah. For me, the title is about all of us. It's about the world. It's about an idea we can all aspire to. We Should all aspire to be a Black Messiah.
"Its about people rising up in Ferguson and in Egypt and in Occupy Wall Street and in every place where a community has had enough and decides to make change happen. It's not about praising one charismatic leader but celebrating thousands of them. Not every song on this album is politically charged (though many are), but calling this album Black Messiah creates a landscape where these songs can live to the fullest. Black Messiah is not one man. It's a feeling that, collectively, we are all that leader."- D'Angelo
The song above is "The Door"
The song above is "The Door"
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