Re: My last rites about Voodoo...

From: BAO (tunde@arches.uga.edu)
Date: Fri Feb 25 2000 - 17:10:51 MET

  • Next message: Masaki Morisaki: "Re: Couple of questions"

    Ive seen people disagree with opinions without flaring up.

    On Fri, 25 Feb 2000, Mark Allerton wrote:

    > 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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