Review #28: Voodoo, D’Angelo
#28: Voodoo, D’Angelo
Look, it’s D’Angelo from Lauryn Hill’s album!
I’m going to admit that I hadn’t really heard of D’Angelo before beginning to work my way down this list, which makes me ferociously uncool. I saw that this was released in 2000, and noted that in RS’s blurb they quote D’Angelo as having said “I’m looking at [this] as just the beginning…I’m on my way now.” Then I was confused because I thought he might be dead. So I looked him up and it turns out that he just took a fourteen-year hiatus from music to deal with personal issues. That sucks!
I thought Voodoo was wild and gorgeous and like nothing I’d ever heard before. I wouldn’t call myself a soul or R&B fan but this album makes me think that I could get into it more than I am. But man, that album cover is not doing D’Angelo any favors. He looks like 50 Cent on Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (#280). Don’t get me wrong, both of them look great, but this just screams “2000s gangsta rap” to me, which is an accurate description of 50 Cent but not D’Angelo! He should have a flower or something avant garde, like a mirror in an empty room. That’s what I think.
FAVORITE SONGS:
“Devil’s Pie” — Possibly the earwormiest. I would love a slice of devil’s pie, even though D’Angelo would probably judge me.
“Left & Right” — Oh my God, Method Man from the Wu-Tang Clan is on this! M-E-T-H-O-D Man!
“Send It On” — This one is slow but it’s got that funky guitar and some crazy harmonies, so I love it.
“Chicken Grease” — I love the “singing from a telephone booth” vocal effect.
“One Mo’Gin” — This one has the coolest music to me. Love the random speedy jazz breakdown at the end.
“The Root” — Honestly if it weren’t for the background vocals this song would probably be too slow for me, but it sounds like D’Angelo hired sirens.
“Spanish Joint” — The guitar, the horns, incredible. This sounds like it could be a Stevie Wonder song!
“Greatdayndamornin’/Booty” — I really didn’t want to like this song but it is a straight-up jam. Also I 100% thought that D’Angelo had a choir of women singing behind him this whole time — turns out D’Angelo does all of the singing on this, he just has a godlike voice.
“Untitled (How Does It Feel)” — His backing vocals are so lovely. He sounds like Prince here.
“Africa” — This song sounds like magic to me. Also EEK, the backwards vocals at the end! Isn’t that a vinyl thing?
LEAST FAVORITE SONGS:
“The Line” — D’Angelo has a beautiful voice, but this song is — say it with me — too slow.
IS RS FULL OF IT?
No, because honestly I feel like this album is nearly perfect. Shame on me for not knowing who he is. For thinking that he was dead! How disrespectful.
