2
Sure, it's peak 90s R&B but is that really saying much? For what it is, it's good. It's just that what it is isn't much, you know? It's an entire album of shallow sexism wrapped in a thin veneer of so-called romance. Nah. Pass.
Brown Sugar is the debut studio album by American singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist D'Angelo, released on July 3, 1995, through EMI. The album was recorded during 1994 and 1995 in sessions at Battery Studios and RPM Studios in New York City and at the Pookie Lab in Sacramento. Its production, instrumentation, arrangements, and songwriting were primarily handled by D'Angelo, who employed both vintage recording equipment and modern electronic devices. The songs feature earnest lyrics about love and romance, set against a fusion of contemporary R&B and traditional soul music with elements of funk, quiet storm, and hip hop music. Brown Sugar debuted at number six on the US Billboard Top R&B Albums chart, selling 300,000 copies in its first two months. With the help of its four singles, it spent 65 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart and received platinum certification within a year of its release. Brown Sugar was also met with widespread acclaim and earned D'Angelo several accolades, including four Grammy Award nominations. Regarded by music journalists as a pivotal release in neo soul, the album brought commercial exposure to the burgeoning musical movement amid the prominence of producer-driven, digitally approached R&B.
Sure, it's peak 90s R&B but is that really saying much? For what it is, it's good. It's just that what it is isn't much, you know? It's an entire album of shallow sexism wrapped in a thin veneer of so-called romance. Nah. Pass.
Very soulful and chill sounding. Great instrumentals create a true R&B experience. The lyrics weren't my speed, they were overly sexual without the nuance. It was very to the point where as other R&B achieves the same sensuality but in a more poetic way. His voice is great and I think for a debut this one was ok. It's like "getting in the mood music but for high-schoolers"(Which I might have rated higher 20 years ago)
This album was definitely a cornerstone for the genre, pulls in a lot of great ideas, and D’Angelo is a competent singer. But man, I just did not enjoy this. He may be a good singer, but he is also a boring one. No excitement, the same energy the whole way through. And the melodies don’t help either. What’s the opposite of an ear worm? They seemed to slide off the folds of my brain and out my ears before the songs even ended. If they ever would end; the songs all go on for two or three minutes doing nothing new or interesting. I see why people like this, but it has so many of my pet peeves baked into it.
dear lord am i glad that's over.
Lol this was wank
He’s got a nice voice but I honestly hate this kind of music
The best bit was the wiki. I found this tediously dull
My goodness, I love neo-soul. D'Angelo's voice is nothing short of heavenly. That voice combined with groovy, soulful instrumentals makes Brown Sugar an R&B classic. Some standout tracks include Alright, When We Get By, and Brown Sugar.
8/10 smooth, buttery smooth, smooth, I feel made love to by D'Angelo's pure, primal, non-toxic, sexual, raw smoothness
Ma che noia… musica da salone di bellezza Non mi capacito sia inserito tra i 1001
FIVE STARS!!!!! FIVE STARS!!!!! AHHHHHHHHH!!
Better than Maxwell's Hang Suite, would get away with it on a first date.
Mellow, lovely sound
Delicious R&B. Chill and rythm.
WHAT A VIBE
1995: Brown Sugar, Lady
Not my music but nice when played in the background
1/2 really not my jam. the music itself is pleasant enough, the singing is a lot of moany noises.
Very not my thing
Dated, but a couple of cracking shagging songs. 3/10
Flunk. Not enough Funk.
It's rhythmic, not unnecessarily profane, and kind of works as an ode for his beloved... but there's just way too much cliche going on here. Way too much... not sure if his version of "cruisin" is better than Huey Lewis and Gwyneth Paltrow's version...
Not really the kind of music that I choose to listen to but, this is a very nice album. I like his version of Crusin' but it isn't unique enough from the original Smokey Robinson version to make it stand out. It is nice that he is able to bring the song to a new generation of fans. 2/5
This was exactly the kind of nothing R&B bilge that used to get me really animated in the 90s. Not now though, I’m chill. 😎
Not my bag. The two albums I had before this were absolute bangers so only fair I get this to even things out.
Schmoov futhermucker. Never been my thang.
I mean, it's not literally the worst thing I've ever heard... but... it's not great. His falsetto sucks and the whole thing felt bland and boring after the first song. That being said, 'Shit, Damn, Motherfucker' is clearly the pinnacle of songwriting and no one should attempt to surpass it. I like how he said the three words over and over and over and over. Quality stuff. This album did help me find religion, though. I didn't think at the beginning that I would be praying for it to be over, but here I am.
Doesn't even scrape a 2. It's really dull musically, and the lyrics are both cliches and throwbacks to the creepy lyrics you'd get in 50s/60s music but without the innocence that gave the oldies a bit of an excuse. Would've got a 2 had I only been half listening to it, but the lyrics drop it down to a 1 as it made it actively unpleasant to listen to.
Is mid-90s neo-soul the hardest genre to listen to now? Beware of any artist who has his/her top off in their photos as a USP. One star for the first track, but boy this is inconsequential.
Is there a sexy word for ‘boring’?
No.
Not my vibe
No more please, make it stoooop
p769. 1995. 1 star. The background music they use in stores selling Gwyneth Paltrow's "This Smells Like My Vagina" candles. Wannabe Marvin Gaye for the 90s, only without the talent or the voice. This was a key influence on Craig David - so! We finally have someone to blame! Can't be doing with high pitched male voices, especially when they are used on such bland material. This is soulless and instantly forgettable.
He's got a good voice but R&B does nothing for me. Lyrically uninteresting. Would not listen again
Not for me at all, dull even by r and b standards.
Did not enjoy
This music makes me very nervous, overproduced, all character removed, like swimming in a pool instead of a sea full of waves.
How come you taste so shit?
imagine my disappointment when i found out this isn't about heroin.
This Neo soul is really not my jam. Couldn't get thru this one and for the record, the Stones did Brown Sugar better.
eu ouvi a primeira musica, tem um som legal mas n é muito meu tipo de musica. prefiro o dos stones
Awful. Repetitive. I had to keep skipping to the next song because the repetition was getting on my nerves.
Urghgghhhhhhhhhhh A mix of cringe and boring. Just not an enjoyable record at all. Would not listen again. Best track: Lady Worst track: Alright, Jonz in my Bonz, Higher, Brown Sugar, Cruising
Rubbish. Boring, whiny RnB, like there's good RnB but this was terrible. Who even is D'Angelo? Literally never heard of him. Too many of the songs were drawn out and way too much of that "woo woo yah yah" crooning that kinda gives me the ick. Best: Brown Sugar Worst: When We Get By
Shocked at how boring and not good this was. I'm amazed this is always so critically acclaimed, other than the first track it put me to sleep.
Saw the cover and thought this is gonna be awful. By half way through the first song that was confirmed. Somehow, it then continued to get worse. It manages to offend and bore me at the same time.
not my thing
Very soulful!!
You gotta love soul/jazz and prince for that one. And I def. do
This album is so silky smooth, from start to finish. I love every single song, there's not one on here that I don't love. I think I've fallen in love with this album. 5/5 stars.
Love the album
Shout out to all the grown-ass adults who were conceived to this album back in the 90s. This is smooth and seductive! I love the sense that the lyrics are utterly at the service of the music and D'Angelo's vocals, more about evoking a mood. It's a dream.
Great debut album - pretty perfect. I say 9/10 but only because the follow-up, Voodoo (assume it is the list too) is even better (10/10).
Come ON! Try to top it, what is sexier than this?
D’Angelo one of the best to ever do it
Superb. 90s R&B at its finest. Every track is gorgeous, and I love his rendition of Smokie Robinson's Cruisin. A new favorite.
Muy bueno, chill, para trabajar o ir de viaje. Hasta para una cena en el lounge.
Not always a huge fan of R&B, but damn, this man has soul. Love the album.
Undeniable the greatness of this album. Made us all listen to music differently again. Could be released today and win awards.
This album fucks
Exelente, sensual, neo-soul
Smooth
Brilliant album, start to finish.
Genre defining
sexiest album ever made
chill as hell :)
Hard to be left unsatisfied after hearing this album. It's just exquisite. It SOUNDS like D'Angelo at his most unconscious, his most musically free and unwrought. Just effortlessly making incredible music. But... apparently he spent ages, recording all of the instruments himself?? At 21?? Unreal. I couldn't believe that because it sounds so effortless. It just sounds like, an early incarnation of D'Angelo, with an incredible backing band. Well, it turns out that that's D'Angelo as the backing band. Wow. Still a classic, still an incredibly fun time. 5/5
he actually cannot make bad music
This album was fire during my University years. People lost their damned minds when D’Angelo came to town to perform. A re-listen rekindles. This was the start of neo-soul.
Great album all the way through
Rating: 10/10
Love this album
I don't really like rnb/soul music but this floated my boat, pretty impressed. and reading wiki the dude is like a musical genius. wrote and played the whole thing himself, produced most as well. crazy that i'd never even heard of it before. 4/5.
90’er rnb, neo-soul, lækkert, fløde
I kind of love it.
Excellent album, all the way through! Great voice, and great vibe.
So good! Smooth as butter.
Ur-neo-soul. Have loved this record since day one. 4.5.
Sweet und sommerlich, urban und zeitlos. Klingt für mein ungeschultes Ohr wie ein männliches Pendant zu Erikah Badu. Perlt, hat die richtige Menge Soul und Jazz. Top-Entdeckung hier, Digger, no diggity!
I think I liked a majority of the album (as in I saved almost 3/4ths of the songs.) But there wasn't any songs that really stood out and forced me to listen on repeat like "Girls just Wanna Have Fun", "Blue Suede Shoes" or "Tutti Frutti". I enjoyed listening to it and will revist it though, it's MORE OF A SOFT FOUR than a HARD FOUR LIKE the other two
4.4 - Sophisticated R&B jams, smooth vocals with radiant falsetto, lush instrumentation. A vibe good enough to warrant an immediate repeat listen.
Pretty good album. Brown Sugar was a great track and liked Crusin’ more than I was expecting. A good mellow sound throughout. Shit, Damn, Motherfucker is an A+ name for a song
Our of gis time.
Den va nice, I like it. Lite sensuell typ, blir def 4/5
Saved Prior: None Off Rip: Brown Sugar; Me And Those Dreamin' Eyes Of Mine; Shit, Damn, Motherfucker; Lady Cutting Edge: Cruisin' Overall Notes: Smooth as butter. Didn't really think soul was my genre, but I've heavily fucked with the soul albums I've gotten thus far on this thing. Vibes on vibes on vibes.
Great album! The epitome of cool!
Smooth, groovy, very sexy. Love the jazz undercurrents.
Nice chilled songs, good background listening
Nice chill soul music. Good for background listening
Not the best D'Angelo album but still very good
Good album. It's weird but I somehow couldn't shake the feeling that the lyrics were nonsense. Maybe something about them being so literal made me feel that way. Honestly I have no idea. His cover of Cruisin' is pretty damn good though.
memories of being in my ex's bunk bed age 14! Very smooth, lovely rich sound. Great voice. Some bits were definitely the inspiration for some Flight Of The Conchords songs.
I didn't believe sex music existed before this album
Musically, a really beautiful album, and D'Angelo's vocals are heavenly. Soulful, sexy, great mood music. Some of the lyrics are a bit much for my old lady ears, but that's me. Fave track: "Alright."
I liked this one! Not that complicated lyrically but for what it is, it's beautiful :)
That's a smooth album.
Aww man the band here is so in the pocket it's ridiculous. Love that jazzy keys sound. First time hearing this album, and it just works straight outta the gate. What a talent! Can't wait to listen to his other albums. Bonus points for naming one song "Shit, Damn, Motherfucker". Is that the greatest song title of all time?! Every track here is awesome.
Will need to listen again, still, definitely enjoyed it. D'Angelo sounds very cool and collected, and the instrumentals were great.
Fanar!’mmmm