This is VERY good news! Glad to see D back on the scene.

Mong said:

Hey, I love grooves - and I love D'Angelo's vocal arrangements. I just think that there's not much substance to D'Angelo's stuff once you get past the grooves. It lacks the interesting aspects of Lewis Taylor's stuff, for example - Lewis has often been accused of not writing songs, but he can...and often just prefers to be obtuse. But he's fascinating when he does this. I don't feel the same way with D'Angelo. I know that the new songs aren't being presented in amazing quality via YouTube clips...but I'm not feeling any excitement from what I'm hearing. It is good to hear someone doing proper funk but it leaves me with the same slightly empty feeling that I got from Voodoo tour shows...great band, but it's D aping Prince's live Parade shows...and Prince in turn was aping James Browns's show, but there was a vitality to what P was doing that made it feel fresh.

I just think you are asking D'Angelo to do something that he does not do and are un-

fairly faulting him because he doesn't meet your expectations. You mentioned Lewis

Taylor - his grooves are much more intricate and sophisticated (not nearly as funky,

however) than D'Angelos but again, your comparing D'Angelo to Lewis Taylor is off the

mark. You would not make the comparison between a Fela Kuti groove and a Lewis

Taylor groove, would you? No - so why do it with D'Angelo?

I've never seen D'Angelo live (and don't want to) and I saw Prince back when he was

promoting Musicology (when he was clearly passed his prime); I don't share the same

concerns for witnessing a rewarding live experience that you do. I prefer to listen to

albums and think the live experience is slightly overrated.

And I still think you off when you claim that D'Angelo's music lacks substance, as if

Lewis Taylor's studiocraft is permissible in covering up the lack of substance heard in

his grooves but D'Angelo's sparse approach to his vamp construction is somehow a

detriment to his musical output.

D'Angelo Offers Two Awesome Peeks At His Third Album

January 27, 2012

It is hard to not root for D'Angelo, the long-dormant R&B genius who, in the 12-year (!) period between his classic album Voodoo and now, has had run-ins with the law and mean-spirited internet giggles directed his way.

But in December, Roots drummer and longtime collaborator ?uestlove told Pitchfork that the singer's long-gestating followup to Voodoo, James River, was almost done, and that it would be pretty mindblowing.

D'Angelo's getting back in the swing of things with a couple of shows in Europe; last night in Stockholm he played the first, and yes, there are clips of them online, and yes, he threw a couple of new songs onto the set list. And they are really really good.

D'Angelo, "The Charade"

?uestlove told Pitchfork about the recorded version of this song: "One song we worked on called 'Charade' has this trombone patch that he re-EQ'd and then put through an envelope filter and then added a vibraphone noise on top and made a whole new patch out of it.

He's the only person I know that takes a Herbie Hancock approach, or Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff—the two musician/engineers who programmed all of Stevie Wonder's genius-period stuff—approach. That's the last time I ever heard of somebody building patches. We'll see if history is kind to it."

D'Angelo, "Sugar Daddy"

There's no release date for James River yet (?uestlove said it was "97% done" when he talked to Pitchfork last month) but these two songs are making me hope that it comes very soon. Very.

Link

duccichucka said:

Mong said:

Hey, I love grooves - and I love D'Angelo's vocal arrangements. I just think that there's not much substance to D'Angelo's stuff once you get past the grooves. It lacks the interesting aspects of Lewis Taylor's stuff, for example - Lewis has often been accused of not writing songs, but he can...and often just prefers to be obtuse. But he's fascinating when he does this. I don't feel the same way with D'Angelo. I know that the new songs aren't being presented in amazing quality via YouTube clips...but I'm not feeling any excitement from what I'm hearing. It is good to hear someone doing proper funk but it leaves me with the same slightly empty feeling that I got from Voodoo tour shows...great band, but it's D aping Prince's live Parade shows...and Prince in turn was aping James Browns's show, but there was a vitality to what P was doing that made it feel fresh.

I just think you are asking D'Angelo to do something that he does not do and are un-

fairly faulting him because he doesn't meet your expectations. You mentioned Lewis

Taylor - his grooves are much more intricate and sophisticated (not nearly as funky,

however) than D'Angelos but again, your comparing D'Angelo to Lewis Taylor is off the

mark. You would not make the comparison between a Fela Kuti groove and a Lewis

Taylor groove, would you? No - so why do it with D'Angelo?

I've never seen D'Angelo live (and don't want to) and I saw Prince back when he was

promoting Musicology (when he was clearly passed his prime); I don't share the same

concerns for witnessing a rewarding live experience that you do. I prefer to listen to

albums and think the live experience is slightly overrated.

And I still think you off when you claim that D'Angelo's music lacks substance, as if

Lewis Taylor's studiocraft is permissible in covering up the lack of substance heard in

his grooves but D'Angelo's sparse approach to his vamp construction is somehow a

detriment to his musical output.

Many compared the two at the time - hell, the two of them were meant to collaborate.

I think it's a very valid means of comparison - the two have a similar approach to BVs arrangement.

You're reading too much into my words, I'm afraid. I only see someone retreading what they've done before as well as someone who's guilty of having meandering "songs" based around a groove. It's not his fault that he's been built up to this person having a near legendary status but it really is a case of "is this it after 12 years?" for me. Nothing substantial for me. Or do I have to start adding the idiotic acronym IMHO?

Mong said:

duccichucka said:

I just think you are asking D'Angelo to do something that he does not do and are un-

fairly faulting him because he doesn't meet your expectations. You mentioned Lewis

Taylor - his grooves are much more intricate and sophisticated (not nearly as funky,

however) than D'Angelos but again, your comparing D'Angelo to Lewis Taylor is off the

mark. You would not make the comparison between a Fela Kuti groove and a Lewis

Taylor groove, would you? No - so why do it with D'Angelo?

I've never seen D'Angelo live (and don't want to) and I saw Prince back when he was

promoting Musicology (when he was clearly passed his prime); I don't share the same

concerns for witnessing a rewarding live experience that you do. I prefer to listen to

albums and think the live experience is slightly overrated.

And I still think you off when you claim that D'Angelo's music lacks substance, as if

Lewis Taylor's studiocraft is permissible in covering up the lack of substance heard in

his grooves but D'Angelo's sparse approach to his vamp construction is somehow a

detriment to his musical output.

Many compared the two at the time - hell, the two of them were meant to collaborate.

I think it's a very valid means of comparison - the two have a similar approach to BVs arrangement.

You're reading too much into my words, I'm afraid. I only see someone retreading what they've done before as well as someone who's guilty of having meandering "songs" based around a groove. It's not his fault that he's been built up to this person having a near legendary status but it really is a case of "is this it after 12 years?" for me. Nothing substantial for me. Or do I have to start adding the idiotic acronym IMHO?

So exactly how do u feel about Sade?

Her music's a great insomnia cure.

Voodoo Outtakes & Rehearsals anyone? http://funkit.virose.net/?p=1804

COME 2 DETROIT

I know I'm digressing just a little here but you guys HAVE to hear this:

http://www.youtube.com/wa...M3KEst71es

This is my fave track off Voodoo and boy did well!

Mong said:

duccichucka said:

I just think you are asking D'Angelo to do something that he does not do and are un-

fairly faulting him because he doesn't meet your expectations. You mentioned Lewis

Taylor - his grooves are much more intricate and sophisticated (not nearly as funky,

however) than D'Angelos but again, your comparing D'Angelo to Lewis Taylor is off the

mark. You would not make the comparison between a Fela Kuti groove and a Lewis

Taylor groove, would you? No - so why do it with D'Angelo?

I've never seen D'Angelo live (and don't want to) and I saw Prince back when he was

promoting Musicology (when he was clearly passed his prime); I don't share the same

concerns for witnessing a rewarding live experience that you do. I prefer to listen to

albums and think the live experience is slightly overrated.

And I still think you off when you claim that D'Angelo's music lacks substance, as if

Lewis Taylor's studiocraft is permissible in covering up the lack of substance heard in

his grooves but D'Angelo's sparse approach to his vamp construction is somehow a

detriment to his musical output.

Many compared the two at the time - hell, the two of them were meant to collaborate.

I think it's a very valid means of comparison - the two have a similar approach to BVs arrangement.

You're reading too much into my words, I'm afraid. I only see someone retreading what they've done before as well as someone who's guilty of having meandering "songs" based around a groove. It's not his fault that he's been built up to this person having a near legendary status but it really is a case of "is this it after 12 years?" for me. Nothing substantial for me. Or do I have to start adding the idiotic acronym IMHO?

Many comparing Lewis Taylor to D'Angelo doesn't mean it's a just comparison to be

made.

And I'm not apologizing: don't write shit like "Voodoo has no substance because its mostly

grooves" and when I call you out on it, in a friendly way, to explain how Lewis Taylor's

grooves do, then resort to "Well, it's true, but true for me." That's not how intelligent

discussions on music are supposed to be handled. Lewis Taylor stacks his grooves with

studiocraft (plugins, elaborate mixes, self-indulgent musicianship, instrumental over-

dubs, grouped vocal harmonies, etc); but that doesn't necessarily mean that his grooves

are better than D'Angelo's more gutbucket approach.

D'Angelo's legendary status has merit: he co-authored an entire movement in music with

those meandering grooved based songs.

You aint no christian!

Mong said:

Her music's a great insomnia cure.

Mong said:

It's like the Voodoo tour part 2...12 years on...no progession and he still can't be bothered to write songs. Count me out on going to gigs.

Agreed, I think a lot of the praise is due to him not being quite as crack-addled and unprofessional as they expected. As it stands this is an uninspired, slightly worse re-tread of the excellent Voodoo tour. I saw it at the time and as such don't feel the need to attend this one.

A lot of y'all are WAY too critical based off one gig

scriptgirl said:

A lot of y'all are WAY too critical based off one gig

SDMF etc sound exactly the same just with a slightly worse band and a less vibrant D'Angelo. There's nothing new to see. I would recommend it to someone who didn't see the Voodoo tour.

scriptgirl said:

A lot of y'all are WAY too critical based off one gig

Girl you forgetting its the org. Mofo's going to find SOMETHING to bitch and moan about...always.

missfee said:

scriptgirl said:

A lot of y'all are WAY too critical based off one gig

Girl you forgetting its the org. Mofo's going to find SOMETHING to bitch and moan about...always.

[Edited 1/27/12 16:46pm]

I love all the excitement that this is generating. The clips sound good for hand held footage on YT. I really like how happy D looks.

Figured I should post this review here: http://www.dominionofnewy...holm-show/

"The Resurrection of D'Angelo: An Eyewitness Account of the Stockholm Concert"

Full disclosure: I'm the music editor for that website but not the author of the review. We were super excited to get a review from somebody who was there and is a professional musician, too.

[Edited 1/27/12 19:40pm]

utopia7 said:

Mong should be FLOGGED for that SADE comment ...

Actually.........Mong is correct.

As for positives:

The Charade sounds the pick of the new songs, very promising. Don't hear much to rave about in Sugar Daddy, plenty of jamming with very little song attached.

The Root wasn't performed in many Voodoo shows, which is a shame as it's a great song. If the full video starts circulating do post it:

Graycap23 said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

I knew he hadn't lost it......A lot of these judgemental peeps on here can't say nothin now...

He still has been missing in action 4 over 12 years. That is a FACT that can't be erased.

I'm loving the concert footage though.

Who cares how long he's been gone - he came back and kicked ass, that's all that matters.

Graycap23 said:

utopia7 said:

Mong should be FLOGGED for that SADE comment ...

Actually.........Mong is correct.

Mong is the same person who bitched and moaned about no new music, just a couple posts after a video containing...new music.

I think dude (or dudette) might not be all that bright so I can't really take their views on anyone or anything, all that seriously.

And...Sade is a goddess.

Dren5 said:

Graycap23 said:

He still has been missing in action 4 over 12 years. That is a FACT that can't be erased.

I'm loving the concert footage though.

Who cares how long he's been gone - he came back and kicked ass, that's all that matters.

Exactly.

Dren5 said:

Graycap23 said:

Actually.........Mong is correct.

Mong is the same person who bitched and moaned about no new music, just a couple posts after a video containing...new music.

I think dude (or dudette) might not be all that bright so I can't really take their views on anyone or anything, all that seriously.

And...Sade is a goddess.

And you contribute nothing but personal slander. Pathetic. Please expand upon your opinion if you can, in an articulate manner.

duccichucka, you're obviously a thoughtful intelligent person. No slight intended towards you. I just find what I've seen of D live in 2012 to be uninspiring and less than I expected.

Mong said:

Dren5 said:

Mong is the same person who bitched and moaned about no new music, just a couple posts after a video containing...new music.

I think dude (or dudette) might not be all that bright so I can't really take their views on anyone or anything, all that seriously.

And...Sade is a goddess.

And you contribute nothing but personal slander. Pathetic. Please expand upon your opinion if you can, in an articulate manner.

duccichucka, you're obviously a thoughtful intelligent person. No slight intended towards you. I just find what I've seen of D live in 2012 to be uninspiring and less than I expected.

Dren may have overreacted, but I did think it was daft of you to post complaining about no new music when 2 of the first 4 youtube clips uploaded were new songs...

Can't help but to think what this set would have sounded like with the gifted guitarist Jesse.Seems like Prince karma is @ it again....

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

Can't help but to think what this set would have sounded like with the gifted guitarist Jesse.Seems like Prince karma is @ it again....

Hopefully, Jesse still joins the band at a later time. Jef Lee Johnson is a damn good guitarist, though.

Dren5 said:

Graycap23 said:

He still has been missing in action 4 over 12 years. That is a FACT that can't be erased.

I'm loving the concert footage though.

Who cares how long he's been gone - he came back and kicked ass, that's all that matters.

I'll take it......but 2 answer your question, who cares? I do.