UncleJam said:

I remember when I used to get this excited for new Prince albums.

I remember when I used to get excited about getting high, but after doing it for a good number of years the novelty wore off.

Does anyone else think the piano on the last track is out of sync with the rest of the instruments? At least during the intro? Sounds a lot like a latency problem with HD recordings, although I've understood this one was done to tape.

After 2 full listens I still can't sing any of it back. The production and musicianship is fantastic but I as songs they just don't hold up very well. Which is fine of course, as the project is clearly intended to be listened to as a whole but sometimes I just don't have the time/patience for that.

It's a decent album but I'd much rather listen to The Symbol Album, TGE or Come. I think alot of people are listening to this album and telling themselves they should like it.

[Edited 12/16/14 9:37am]

i love it as well. Incredible production values as well. Good to hear quality music.

Is the drumming on Prayer out of time on purpose? It sounds like it keeps slipping. I think it's on purpose, but it keeps making me notice it's doing it.

dandan said:

After 2 full listens I still can't sing any of it back. The production and musicianship is fantastic but I as songs they just don't hold up very well. Which is fine of course, as the project is clearly intended to be listened to as a whole but sometimes I just don't have the time/patience for that.

I'd much rather listen to The Symbol Album, TGE or Come than this. I think alot of people are listening to this album and telling themselves they should like it.

Yikes!

breakbeat said:

Is the drumming on Prayer out of time on purpose? It sounds like it keeps slipping. I think it's on purpose, but it keeps making me notice it's doing it.

Yes.

breakbeat said:

Is the drumming on Prayer out of time on purpose? It sounds like it keeps slipping. I think it's on purpose, but it keeps making me notice it's doing it.

Hah, yeah. The first track has that thing going on too. The handclaps are totally out of sync towards the end.

I'm starting to think he moves the tracks around like that in order to give his stuff that loose feel. Like inserts a short delay on some tracks and experiments with it until it sounds right to him. I mean, that's pretty much what it sounds like to me, but of course I can't be sure.

I suppose that Alan Leeds fustration with Prince of late, is about seeing a talented artist squandering his talent with a Hanna-Barbera sound while listening to new D'Angelo tracks.

It sounds like a good CD. I just think its sounds a little distorted. I just think it should of been better sound quality.

Militant said:

Neversin said:

In the last 14 years Prince has released at least 3 albums worth of music better than anything on "Black Messiah"...

"Black Messiah" suffers from the same blandness that Janelle Monae's albums have;

- first listen, really good album
- second listen, notice too many misses and annoyances

- third listen, album has become stale

It's just disposable music on a disposable album and not worth 14 years of waiting...

After 14 years D'angelo still can't sing and his mumbling and squeeling schtick is old and tired...
Really good production and musicianship on the album though, got to give him that...

Neversin.

Agreed with this.

I'd say there's 3 good songs on the D album. That's it.

Brothaman needs to learn to write a catchy melody, stop mumbling, and learn how to write a good chord progression.

I tend 2 agree. Every song sounds so bland and dull. And that mumbling is ridiculous. Sing the damn song. Overrated snoozefest.

I thought the same...

also about the 'Latency' on the keys.. I wondered about that too...

Im not sure that i totally believe the 'All tape' Story..

He's been down and out for a decade!

Tape is expensive!

I think they may have recorded to tape then transferred to Digital for editing.. its commonly done..

novabrkr said:

breakbeat said:

Is the drumming on Prayer out of time on purpose? It sounds like it keeps slipping. I think it's on purpose, but it keeps making me notice it's doing it.

Hah, yeah. The first track has that thing going on too. The handclaps are totally out of sync towards the end.

I'm starting to think he moves the tracks around like that in order to give his stuff that loose feel. Like inserts a short delay on some tracks and experiments with it until it sounds right to him. I mean, that's pretty much what it sounds like to me, but of course I can't be sure.

KingSausage said:

1000 Deaths is Life Can Be So Nice for the 21st century. Somebody above suggested putting AOA and Black Mesiah on shuffle together. I need to try that!

That was me and these two albums on shuffle now thats near perfection!

Some of the "negative" things being said here are hilarious!! Sure, disliking the album as it isn't for you is cool...but criticising it for things it is purposefully doing is funny.

It is supposed to be devoid of melody....the melody is boring, lets bring actual musicianship back, yeah? Sly Stone made mumbling cool as fuck, D thought it was cool too, so he also does it....just like Prince uses Sly and George's "Camille" voice.

Of course it is the same tone throughout! It's a groove! A fuckin' CONCEPT ALBUM! I know we have been devoid of concepts since Prince began going pop from 2004, but this is a concept and it flows unbelievably.

And to the person who claims it decreases in value upon further listen....what the actual FUCK?! It does the exact opposite as it is a layered, artistic statement for the times! it is there to figure out for time to come.....again, i know we have been devoid of that since Musicology, but come on!

This is an absolute mile stone for, not only the genre, but music. Don't be mad that Prince didn't make it this year....he chose FunkNRoll remix and U Know instead....

[Edited 12/16/14 13:08pm]

loving this so much

about moved to tears and only on spin 2

There are 12 songs on this, and I can honestly say I only like about 4: "Really Love", "Till It's Done", "Betray My Heart" and "Another Life".

I can also say that the album, and tracks like Another Life, would REALLY benefit from better mixing. I know they were going for a certain sound, but Voodoo didn't sound muffled and unclear - it's actually a landmark in in the sense that it had that super warm "cozy" sound while still being crisp.

For instance, I don't know WHAT the hell is going on in "1000 Deaths" and the whole early part of the album...unlistenable.

dandan said:

After 2 full listens I still can't sing any of it back. The production and musicianship is fantastic but I as songs they just don't hold up very well. Which is fine of course, as the project is clearly intended to be listened to as a whole but sometimes I just don't have the time/patience for that.

It's a decent album but I'd much rather listen to The Symbol Album, TGE or Come. I think alot of people are listening to this album and telling themselves they should like it.

[Edited 12/16/14 9:37am]

Agreed.

Ego101 said:

I thought the same...

also about the 'Latency' on the keys.. I wondered about that too...

Im not sure that i totally believe the 'All tape' Story..

He's been down and out for a decade!

Tape is expensive!

I think they may have recorded to tape then transferred to Digital for editing.. its commonly done..

novabrkr said:

Hah, yeah. The first track has that thing going on too. The handclaps are totally out of sync towards the end.

I'm starting to think he moves the tracks around like that in order to give his stuff that loose feel. Like inserts a short delay on some tracks and experiments with it until it sounds right to him. I mean, that's pretty much what it sounds like to me, but of course I can't be sure.

Some of these "slips" sound like track glitch errors or something. When I worked as a sound editor I often knocked stuff out of sync to get it to sound "right", but the drum slipping on Prayer just sounds like a mistake. I'm just going to have to assume these were all done on purpose, cause some are so obvious they could only be so.

Personally i'd say it's far, FAR too early to either dismiss it or hail it as a masterpiece. It's clearly meant as a dense, layered, cohesive piece and not a pop album. It'll be weeks or months before we'll see whether it sticks with us or not. I'm liking it so far but currently struggling with staying interested start to finish. Time will tell.

Graycap23 said:

At least a handful of people are being realistic.

All is not lost.

Lol, how mature. Anyone who disagrees with me is unrealistic! My opinion is fact! Wake up sheeple majority conformists!

getfunked said:

Graycap23 said:

At least a handful of people are being realistic.

All is not lost.

Lol, how mature. Anyone who disagrees with me is unrealistic! My opinion is fact! Wake up sheeple majority conformists!

Ohh lawrd.

breakbeat said:

Ego101 said:

I thought the same...

also about the 'Latency' on the keys.. I wondered about that too...

Im not sure that i totally believe the 'All tape' Story..

He's been down and out for a decade!

Tape is expensive!

I think they may have recorded to tape then transferred to Digital for editing.. its commonly done..

Some of these "slips" sound like track glitch errors or something. When I worked as a sound editor I often knocked stuff out of sync to get it to sound "right", but the drum slipping on Prayer just sounds like a mistake. I'm just going to have to assume these were all done on purpose, cause some are so obvious they could only be so.

The holds and slips in Prayer are majestic in building a golden edged funk monster. Reminds a bit of New Position in the way it's built. I feckin love it. ; )

I would, every now and then, **would like to*** be able to hear what he's saying, but most of the time it, not so much.

[Edited 12/16/14 13:14pm]

0.5 is the number of songs I like on this album. Tried 2 listen 2 it twice becuz of the reviews. Have to admit that I've never been a big fan, tho!

Its an easy enough fix, just download the lyric sheet.

It goes without saying that some people just don't like D'Angelo and thinks he's garbage. It didn't help that Questlove was out every other month for the past few years teasing the damn thing. I bet he and D have a love hate relationship because Quest just can't keep a secret.

In all honesty D probably has been seriously working on the album for about 4-5 years. Like Prince he never stops toiling around in the studio, but for a time I think he was over the whole industry thing especially with all the drama. Remember he did almost die in a car crash. Someone close to him died. frequent rehab stints. Yet you got your right hand man blabbing to the media like the MW he is.

2nd day.... hasn't left my player. songs have improved for me. 9.8/10 yesterday was 9.5/10.

I still think it's a terrible disservice to both artists to compare Prince and D'angelo.

Here's what I think are the terms of where I am impressed.

14 yrs is a long time, this album is fresh and pushing boundaries of melody, groove, and structure again.

the vocal layering again, 2nd to only Marvin with his ability to do so

This deserves support and praise... I wish more artists were still pushing envelopes.

KingSausage said:

1000 Deaths is Life Can Be So Nice for the 21st century.

I'm curious about what makes you say that. Both great tunes, but so.... different.

I think the listeners reviewing this album on the org can be divided in a few different groups...

Funk heads that knows how to appreciate a groovy vamp, where the quality is very much about the rhythm, groove, how the melodic instruments speaks rather than doing a very western european melodic approach. Those who could love listening to Aint It Funky by james brown.

Soul heads that appreciate much of the same, but tend to love the melodic approach a bit more.

Pop heads wants a catchy hook, super articulate lyrics and easy listening music that doesn't challange you that much. Some of these guys does love a challenge, but only if has catchy hooks and verses.

Hipsters that wants to collect coolness points amongst other hipsters. How can I be as cool as that dj I know? He says D'Angelo is the shit. Let's show him that we also can be music enthusiasts.

Rock heads can often be in similar veins of pop heads. They want a hook, a bridge, a second hook, an instrumental part, raw and upfront guitars and vocals. They want the different parts to stick out.

Prog heads hate it if it doesn't sound like it's changing ALL THE TIME. Wants rhythm changes, chord changes, tempo changes, dynamic variation like no other.

Jazz heads love the feeling of something sounding like it's improvised.


THere's a alot of different combinations also, and I know my description of each group isn't neccesarily precise. However I'm basically saying that Prince fans are extremly different, and love/hate different songs. His key to pleasing his fans was a smart combination of all styles.

D'angelo is a bit more of a niche artist, as he is doesn't really appeal to those who wants a bunch of hits, or song driven album. His album is a trip, and not a bunch of different songs imo. And even though D'Angelo is more of a niche artist, I'm pretty damn sure this album will sell ALOT more than AOA and Plectrum Electrum combined, even though I loved AOA.

I haven't made up my mind completely yet, but my first impression is that this album is a great grower. I still have to absorb this fantastic record before I can say that it's a classic though.

Replica said:

I think the listeners reviewing this album on the org can be divided in a few different groups...

Funk heads that knows how to appreciate a groovy vamp, where the quality is very much about the rhythm, groove, how the melodic instruments speaks rather than doing a very western european melodic approach. Those who could love listening to Aint It Funky by james brown.

Soul heads that appreciate much of the same, but tend to love the melodic approach a bit more.

Pop heads wants a catchy hook, super articulate lyrics and easy listening music that doesn't challange you that much. Some of these guys does love a challenge, but only if has catchy hooks and verses.

Hipsters that wants to collect coolness points amongst other hipsters. How can I be as cool as that dj I know? He says D'Angelo is the shit. Let's show him that we also can be music enthusiasts.

Rock heads can often be in similar veins of pop heads. They want a hook, a bridge, a second hook, an instrumental part, raw and upfront guitars and vocals. They want the different parts to stick out.

Prog heads hate it if it doesn't sound like it's changing ALL THE TIME. Wants rhythm changes, chord changes, tempo changes, dynamic variation like no other.

Jazz heads love the feeling of something sounding like it's improvised.


THere's a alot of different combinations also, and I know my description of each group isn't neccesarily precise. However I'm basically saying that Prince fans are extremly different, and love/hate different songs. His key to pleasing his fans was a smart combination of all styles.

D'angelo is a bit more of a niche artist, as he is doesn't really appeal to those who wants a bunch of hits, or song driven album. His album is a trip, and not a bunch of different songs imo. And even though D'Angelo is more of a niche artist, I'm pretty damn sure this album will sell ALOT more than AOA and Plectrum Electrum combined, even though I loved AOA.

I haven't made up my mind completely yet, but my first impression is that this album is a great grower. I still have to absorb this fantastic record before I can say that it's a classic though.

>

Remember how long it took for VooDoo to be considered a classic though. If I remember correctly it got mixed reviews from critics. Even though it finished high on Village Voices Pazz and Jop Critics Poll (4th) it still wasn't #1 or #2, telling for an album that everyone remembers and is considered a classic. Maybe the VooDoo tour started solidifying its reputation. I predict we'll know for sure in about a year.

Lammastide said: