Re: My last rites about Voodoo...

From: Mark Allerton (Mark@warmspot.cix.co.uk)
Date: Fri Feb 25 2000 - 10:47:42 MET

  • Next message: Park, James R S: "Couple of questions"

    Where would we be without assholes? For that matter, where would this list
    be without opinions?

    So here's another: I now have "Voodoo", "Black Diamond" and "Infinite
    Possibilities". Only one of these records is a classic, and it begins with
    "V". There's some pretty good stuff on the other two LPs though. I'd rate
    Amel's LP second out of the pack - "Ini", the title track and "Down" are
    gorgeous tracks. The Angie Stone LP is nice enough, but there's nothing that
    really blows me away. And how, in the year 2000, can anyone really expect to
    base a whole damn song around rhyming "funky", "junkie" and "monkey" and be
    taken seriously?

    ----- Original Message -----
    From: BAO <tunde@arches.uga.edu>
    To: Dirk van den Heuvel <dirkv@groovedis.com>
    Cc: Deep Soul <jjeudy@hotmail.com>; <acid-jazz@ucsd.edu>
    Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2000 8:25 PM
    Subject: RE: My last rites about Voodoo...

    >
    > opinions are like assholes.
    >
    > On Thu, 24 Feb 2000, Dirk van den Heuvel wrote:
    >
    > > Well I bought both the new D'Angelo CD and Angie Stone CD and overall
    I'm
    > > very disappointed by both of them. It's not anything as abstract as what
    > > their influences are or aren't, or that I am or ain't diggin' their
    > > vibe/sound/etc, it's just the songs aren't that good. Plain and f'ing
    > > simple. These are the kinds of CDs that compilation tapes (or mini discs
    in
    > > my case) were made for. Take the 3-4 great tracks off the D'Angelo album
    and
    > > the 2 tracks I like off Angie Stone and put them on a mini disc
    compilation.
    > > I hardly buy any music we don't distribute. When I do it's almost always
    > > r&b. I had high hopes for these records. I WANTED to like them. But,
    > > listening to them I was struck with the feeling that the songs just
    weren't
    > > at the level I expected. YMMV but that's my opinion.
    > >
    > > Dirk van den Heuvel (dirkv@groovedis.com)
    > > Groove Distribution
    > > http://www.groovedis.com
    > > Your Guide To The Underground
    > >
    > > -----Original Message-----
    > > From: Deep Soul [mailto:jjeudy@hotmail.com]
    > > Sent: Thursday, February 24, 2000 11:24 AM
    > > To: acid-jazz@ucsd.edu
    > > Subject: My last rites about Voodoo...
    > >
    > >
    > >
    > > I think that a lot of people who are downing the album have put
    themselves
    > > outside it's reach. To say that it doesn't encompass that old-skool soul
    > > flavor is to clearly miss the mark. Influences of greats like Sly,
    Marvin,
    > > and Prince are well apparent. However, D'angelo adds a jazzy yet still
    > > soulful spin to his expression. In comparison, a song like "Heaven Must
    Be
    > > Like This", or "Your Precious Love" done by both D'Angelo and Erykah
    Badu
    > > would probably be more palatable since it's more of a classic soul
    style.
    > >
    > > It's ironic that Stimp mentioned how much he disliked "Voodoo" and how
    much
    > > he liked "Black Diamond" by Angie Stone. Both artists have worked
    together
    > > for several years and are VERY close friends (close like D being the
    father
    > > of one of her children!) If you check closely, most of the songs written
    on
    > > Voodoo are co-written by Angie Stone. "Everyday" on Angie's album was
    > > co-produced with D'Angelo.
    > > Not surprisingly, I get similar enjoyment from both of these albums.
    > >
    > > Initially, I had reservations about Voodoo since hearing Devil's Pie
    which
    > > came out back in '98. For me, I thought this was what to expect of D's
    album
    > > and thus I wasn't pressed on getting it. Now that it's out, yeah there's
    > > tons of reviews, shots and praises about the album. My General Rule: why
    am
    > > I going to let the opinion of people swayed by winds of expectation and
    > > their own biases affect how I feel about an artist and his music.
    > > There are only two entities to really compare this album with: the
    generic
    > > radio tune from the various urban hit factories
    > > (BadBoy/Timbaland/DarkChild/etc); and D'Angelo's first album, Brown
    Sugar. I
    > > shouldn't have to explain the differences in the first category. But
    it's
    > > really into looking where D has been to what he's trying to do now that
    the
    > > real enjoyment comes. I loved Brown Sugar and it definitely stands out
    among
    > > less aspiring r&b albums, but it still left me wanting for something.
    Maybe
    > > someting personal that I DID get from Badu, or more recently Amel
    Larrieux
    > > (foreshadowing...) Even he admits in his liners that he could easily
    have
    > > used the same formulas and aproach towards this album and enjoyed
    similar
    > > success as he did previously. But this was personal project to expand
    his
    > > artistic self and to honor those possesive forces and people that drive
    him
    > > to make music. "Untitled" is out and out an ode to the now untitled
    artist.
    > > Instead of drum machines and snappy samples, you have talent the like of
    Roy
    > > Hargrove, Charlie Hunter, Ahmir Thompsoin of The Roots, and Raphael
    Saadiq
    > > to add a living spirit to the album. Listen to each song... Recognize
    that
    > > each is done without overdubs or looped orchestrations. This isn't radio
    > > playlist music for passive ears. Every cuts is a live jam that echoes in
    > > your mind when you open yourself to it. You can't just browse through it
    > > like you can a Marvin Gaye or otherwise more "formatted" album because
    the
    > > format is different. The same way you can just browse through Miles
    Davis or
    > > Sun Ra.
    > >
    > > What I would tell anyone about this album is to ignore everything that
    you
    > > have heard and remove all expectation. Listen and enjoy it like you
    would
    > > that smokey jazz club away from the pop life. See if you too get caught
    up
    > > in the voodoo.
    > >
    > > Deep_Soul
    > > ______________________________________________________
    > > Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
    > >
    > >
    >
    >



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