Reviews (page 4 of 8)
The best. Both Artist and album.
Strange that they didn’t rig the app and have this come up when he died last month. Oh well, it’s here now and it’s ready to fuck (quite literally). D’Angelo is smooth as hell and this is an easy and pleasant enough listen, but it suffers from being too long (every song is 5 to 7 mins long) and too much of the same thing over and over (every single track is about sex and how good his girl looks). A solid R&B album, but nothing spectacular. A solid 3/5. RIP D’Angelo, thanks for ‘Unshaken’ on the RDR2 soundtrack
Best to ever do it. RIP.
Classical and neat hip hop
Unimpressive
Im more here for the instruments than the vocalist. A decent love album, though the "caught them cheating" song still sounding like a sex ballad was hilarious. Favorite track was Crusin
3/5
Palabras mayores, cualquier disco de D´Angelo puede, debe estar en esta lista. Un disco que es lo que siempre soñó el gran TTD en poder hacer. Al nivel de Prince? Al Green? Sí. Las influencias de estos, como las más obvias de Native Tongues o Eric B & Rakim. 10/10
Nice production, decent vocals, vibe is on point, instrumentals are fire But don’t like it. Too much of the same and i bit icky
Bit too repetitive
RIP
So fire, shit damn mf!
It's aight, 4/10
🩷🩷🩷🩷
It's good, it's smooth, I get it. Just not really in my wheelhouse. I don't really listen to slow jams.
Ascoltato un po' passivamente
**In-Depth Review: *Brown Sugar* by D’Angelo (1995)** *Released: July 1995 | Label: EMI | Producer(s): D’Angelo, Bob Power, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Raphael Saadiq* --- ### 🎤 **Overview** D’Angelo’s debut album *Brown Sugar* is widely regarded as the **blueprint for neo-soul**, a genre that fused classic soul, jazz, funk, and hip-hop into a modern, organic sound. Released in 1995, it arrived at a time when R&B was dominated by New Jack Swing and glossy production. *Brown Sugar* rejected that formula in favor of **lo-fi warmth, live instrumentation, and sensual minimalism**, helping to usher in a new era of black music rooted in authenticity and musicality. --- ### 🎧 **Music & Production** - **Sound & Texture**: The album is **lush, humid, and analog**. D’Angelo built tracks by laying down drum loops first—often sampled or programmed—and then layering keyboards, bass, and guitar on top, **reversing the traditional soul workflow** . - **Influences**: You can hear **Stevie Wonder’s harmonic richness**, **Prince’s falsetto sensuality**, and **Marvin Gaye’s emotional vulnerability**, all filtered through a **hip-hop lens** inspired by producers like J Dilla and Ali Shaheed Muhammad . - **Engineering**: Bob Power’s analog engineering gave the album **tape warmth**, soft transients, and a **midrange-heavy glow**, making it feel **intimate and lived-in** . --- ### 🖋️ **Lyrics & Themes** - **Love & Sensuality**: Most tracks are **love songs**, but they’re **grounded in realism**, not fantasy. Songs like “Alright” and “Lady” are **tender and reassuring**, while “Me and Those Dreamin’ Eyes of Mine” explores **longing and emotional vulnerability** . - **Subversion & Duality**: - The **title track** is a **double entendre**—a love song to marijuana disguised as a romantic ballad . - “**Shit, Damn, Motherf**er**” is a **shocking outlier**—a raw, cinematic tale of **infidelity and violence**, told with minimalist funk and a chilling vocal delivery . - **Spirituality**: “Higher” closes the album like a **gospel hymn**, with layered vocals and church-like piano, pointing toward **transcendence and redemption** . --- ### 🌱 **Influence & Legacy** - **Neo-Soul Genesis**: *Brown Sugar* is **ground zero for neo-soul**. The term itself was **coined by D’Angelo’s manager**, Kedar Massenburg, to market the album’s **retro-futuristic sound** . - **Cultural Shift**: The album **reintroduced live instrumentation** and **analog warmth** to R&B**, influencing a generation of artists including **Erykah Badu, Maxwell, Lauryn Hill, Jill Scott, and Musiq Soulchild** . - **Longevity**: Over time, *Brown Sugar* became a **cultural touchstone**, still soundtracking **date nights, dinner parties, and late-night playlists**. Its **sensual minimalism** and **emotional honesty** continue to inspire contemporary artists like **Jordan Rakei, Daniel Caesar, and H.E.R.** . --- ### ✅ **Pros** - **Timeless Sound**: The **analog production** and **live instrumentation** make it feel **as fresh today** as it did in 1995. - **Vocal Mastery**: D’Angelo’s **multi-tracked harmonies**, **falsetto**, and **vocal layering** are **ethereal and soulful**, often compared to **Stevie Wonder and Prince** . - **Genre-Defining**: It **launched a movement**, influencing **two decades of soul and R&B** and redefining what **black music** could sound like in a post-hip-hop world . - **Emotional Range**: From **seduction** to **betrayal**, **spiritual longing** to **playful euphemism**, the album covers **a wide emotional spectrum** without feeling disjointed . --- ### ❌ **Cons** - **Repetitive Tempo & Structure**: The **slow-burn pace** and **similar song structures** can feel **monotonous** to listeners seeking more **dynamic variety** . - **Lyrically One-Note**: While emotionally grounded, the **focus on romantic love and sensuality** may feel **limited in scope** compared to later D’Angelo work like *Voodoo* or *Black Messiah* . - **Not for Everyone**: Some listeners find the **falsetto-heavy delivery** and **minimalist arrangements** **boring or overly mellow**, especially if they prefer **more percussive or pop-oriented R&B** . --- ### 🏁 **Final Verdict** *Brown Sugar* is **a landmark album** not just for D’Angelo, but for **modern black music**. It **redefined R&B** by **looking backward to move forward**, blending **vintage soul** with **hip-hop swagger** and **jazz sophistication**. While it may lack the **political urgency** or **sonic experimentation** of his later work, it remains **a masterclass in restraint, sensuality, and soul**. **Rating: 9/10** **Best Tracks**: *Brown Sugar*, *Lady*, *Alright*, *Me and Those Dreamin’ Eyes of Mine*, *Shit, Damn, Motherf***er*, *Higher*
90s r&b with a little jazz infused here and there. Not obnoxious. Not a challenge to listen to but this record is completely inconsequential. Did nothing for me good or bad.
Дуже гарний альбом. 101 база рнб жанру, зрозуміло чому така впливова платівка. Top tier RNB.
Personal favorite of mine. Love the laid back, neo-soul, 90s RnB sound - a lot of gospel, blues, jazz and hiphop mixed together. There’s not a bad song on here. Very warm, relaxing, groovy and has a lot of depth compared to some other RnB.
1.9 Comical. Imagine someone actually buying this and playing it regularly. I had my cringy phases of music - emo etc, but at least I never went through a 90s/00s RnB phase. Fuck me. Just have sex already mate.
Not something I would listen to again for ME, but it was nice
Fucking amazing from start to finish, have never listened to a full D'Angelo album before but legitimately loved this. High 4 low 5 for me, could see me bumping this up with time! Fav song: Me and Those Dreamin Eyes of Mine
<Pulls out spray bottle> No! Bad! Stop It!
Modern R&B isn't my bag, but I'm aware enough of D'Angelo to know this album is the GM of the genre. For me and my involvement in this list it adds some variety to a bland British landscape. 3/5
I mean the swag and dripp of it is undeniable , felt like a soft rap, really really liked it, I will totally listen to the songs in my life
I appreciate sex jams, but they’re not exactly my first listening choice. I still remember that Maxwell album that was one of my lowest rated on this site. D’Angelo on this album is doing almost the same thing, right? Sexy sounding songs about sexual desire. But wow he really elevates the material with these luscious instrumentals, which sometimes sprawl out for a little while and feature some great, subtle soloing. And his vocals and melodies are a little more slinky, and less…I dunno, horny? It’s hard to say why but it’s just a little less over the top and obvious than the Maxwell record or other similar albums. It’s got a touch of shy mystery to it. I love that. Anyway, RIP D’Angelo. I’m glad I’m starting with the first album. This is must-listen #239.
point1.
I enjoyed this. D'Angelo was in the news recently because he died. I wonder if this is intentional, the same happened when Ozzie died.
It's just not my kind of music
Langweilig! Shit!
Sounds like it was written by a 15yo. He definitely has a good voice, just a pity he didnt explore its limits
Smoooooth
A classic. Smooth and cool.
it’s a bit boring but not bad at all
7.1
Most songs sounded very similar. Wasn’t sure if I had listened to it before or if it was still going
This isn't my style, but I am really enjoying the melodies. Apparently D'Angelo died 7 days ago (10/14/2025)?!? Fuck Cancer! Me and Those Dreamin' Eyes of Mine was excellent.
Pretty alright.
Worst for me.
3 -4 days after he passed and this album pops up. Wasn’t at all familiar with his music. This album a bit repetitive but he had talent. Another gone too soon.
He can clearly sing, and I can see why he was a big pioneer in the development of neo soul/ modern R&B. There is a nice groove to the songs and great vocals but it's not my kind of thing. I have a bit of a feeling that some of these tracks are too long and don't go anywhere - Lady being a good example
The album title honestly says it all. Just a smooth, gorgeous album.
3/5
Brown sugar is attractive with a repetitive tune.
Solid R&B record
So good. R.I.P.
I didn't like this one too much. It was listenable, but nothing caught my attention really.
Favorite Track: Brown Sugar
Smooth, proto-90s boy band vocals, but not my style
Not my usual go to genre but he sure can sing and leave a smooth beat.
Wild timing...Brown Sugar hit my queue the same day D’Angelo died. Someone at HQ scripted that, right?! The record is all glow and silk, a slow exhale of soul and smoke. It shows the promise his later work would fulfill, but he’s still coloring within the lines here. Reverent to the past (Marvin, Stevie, Prince) without yet transcending it.
The instrumentals were better than the lyrics.
Smooth, sexy, easy listen
All tracks felt like they should have been no more than 90secs long. Would have made good interlude tracks on a hip hop album but lacked any real structure or hooks to keep me interested.
This rips. I thought it sounded ahead of it's time, and turns out the producer is Ali Shaheed Muhammed from A Tribe Called Quest. It dropped at a time where more soul was digital, but this was produced with real analog instruments. 8/10
The lyrics on this album are loaded with some 90s cringe. Just tough to listen to. Pair that with the fact that the harmonies sound just so uncanny. They're like computer generated perfect, and it's so unsettling. There are things about this album that are good. The bass generally rips. In the context of the 90s, I can envision this actually being a pretty good album. It just didn't age very well. It's not bad, per se, but there's bad bits to it, and they keep the good parts from really shining. The closest this actually gets to good music is during "Higher", but even that song just doesn't actually get that high. Favorite Song(s): Higher
Meh
Prefer his later stuff
There is really nothing I like about this album. Very same'ish songs, and none that does even OK in any musical aspects, be it rhythm, harmony, melody, or lyrics. What is left is a general "sound" which happens to be not for me even if I am very eclectic. I truly did not enjoy this album, and what's worse, it sounds like D'Angelo wasn't either. I'll give it a 2 because there is definitely skill involved.
Dieses Gefrickel… geh mir weg!
Kompetent RnB, inget speciellt. En trea
Muito bom!
Hmm. Gave the score immediately and wrote the review after he died, which is a bit awkward because I basically didn't enjoy it at all, but it seems that he is revered in R&B circles and a Good Guy. As such, I'll just say it's not for me, that's my fault and let's call it a day.
***An ok easy listening album
Shit Damn Motherfucker hyvä biisin nimi :D Ja hyvä biisikin. Chilliä ja tyylikästä neo soulia, vähän joistain instruista saa trip hop viboja. Parhaat: Shit Damn Motherfucker, Cruisin', Lady
This album got a lot better once I started paying more attention to what I was listening. There'are loads of nice touches, but they are sort of hidden if you aren't actively paying attention. The beats are nice and D'Angelo can twist and form his voice in all sorts of crazy ways that wonderfully blend in the songs. That said, I'm still not generally a fan of 90's R&B and the album did bore me at quite a bit of occasions. Undoubtedly a great album, but not my thing.
The rap equivalent of Simply Red? Not awful, but not my bag. Easy listening rap? It's putting me to sleep
Maybe just wasn’t in the mood for it but I didn’t find it memorable. Next!
I get it. This is like THE record to have sex too. But at 53 minutes 16 seconds long, what is anyone supposed to do with the other 51 minutes and 15 seconds? Talented? Absolutely. Wasteful? Also yes.
I am not much of an R & B guy, but this is good. Reminds me a lot of Prince, but just more mellow and not as fun. A lot of the songs seem to go on just a tad too long, but overall a fine album. This feels like a 40 minute album stretched out to 55 minutes Low 4.
Not my cup of tea
The stereotypical sound of 90s r&b
A beautiful journey through Neo Soul! Phenomenal music!
Based off the ratings, seems like most of the people on this site don't fuck. 4/5
𝘉𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘚𝘶𝘨𝘢𝘳 is a smooth, soulful debut that shows off D’Angelo’s remarkable voice and effortless sense of groove. Blending classic R&B with a fresh neo-soul vibe, it feels both timeless and forward-looking. A confident start from an artist who would go on to push the genre even further.
J'ai bien aimé, mais manque un peu de juice. Mes critiques sont vraiment devenu plate depuis un certain temps, je sais pu quoi dire
Day631 - a little bit on the nose with the lyrics
I've heard Sh*t, Damn, Moth*rfucker before and I really can't remember where It was alright but I still reckon Bla Bla Bla is his best song. The second half was more boring, almost brought it down to a 2
Quite okay
I listened to this on iPhone 16 speakers while walking home from dinner with my wife. I was surprised how good the speakers sounded. As for the album, we talked over most of it. Sorry, D'Angelo. But... great background music for a neighborhood walk! 😃
Sexy/10
His voice is beautiful and the songs are chill and easy to listen to. It's just... not my taste at all
For a soul album from the 90s, I think the vocals and the instrumentals were good. However, I feel that this album is incredibly boring. It just makes you wanna fall asleep. Not to mention, it is pretty long. It is okay for a debut but I feel as though D'Angelo could've shorten it a bit because it feels as though a lot of this album is filler. Favorite Tracks: Brown Sugar, Jonz in My Bonz, Lady Rating: 3/5
D’Angelo has the voice of an angel… A very sexy and sexual angel but still. And this angel has only granted us 3 albums over 30 years and each one is a gem. I’m not as familiar with his debut as the other two but this one didn’t disappoint. The jazz instrumentation isa gorgeous accompaniment to D’Angelos passionate and soulful vocals. The production is a little dated for the early 90’s R&B which is the only knock I’ve got land that’s just compared to the timeless production on his other albums, so a pretty high bar. Best tracks- “ Brown Sugar” “Shit, Damn, Motherfucker” 8/10
I cooked bacon and eggs on a Sunday to this. Album was smooth as a motherfucker.
well deserved 1
Oh, yeah, a-ha, repeat 567x times and voila. Soul wibes and influences are good thing This is hard to rate, somewhat boring lyrics and vocals but ok beats and istruments. Didnt like that much
Yeah okay fine.
Another day, another hip-hop album for me to review--oh wait, it's soul. That's a bit of a surprise. I didn't know soul was still kicking it in the 90s, though I guess that makes sense. I'm curious to hear what a more contemporary take on this genre will sound like. Yeah. I mean, it's soul. One of the many genres that I find difficult to feel one way or another about. As a modern take on the genre, this is definitely competent. The production is decent, the vocals are solid and the variety is commendable, though there isn't much in here which appeals to me. The album also has a real length problem as it piles on 5+ minute song after 5+ minute song, most of which don't really go anywhere. "Alright" is a good time. I appreciate the muffled, lo-fi instrumental and funky bassline. The vocals are standard fare for soul, though they succeed at being competent. "Cruisin'" has a good chorus, and some nice strings later in the track. Book time. "...pioneer of the neo-soul movement". D'Angelo was 21 when this released. Very successful. Wikipedia reveals that this album was a critical slam dunk and won a few awards. I've said this before with resurgence of 80s synth music in contemporary pop, but I don't think revivalist movements have much merit on a "must-hear" list. I'm no soul aficianado by any means, though this also doesn't strike me as anything particularly exceptional within it's genre. It's been a while, but I think I'm gonna snub this one. In place of this album, I humbly submit Gorillaz's Plastic Beach for inclusion on the list.
Not a R&B fan, but listenable - very much a 5/10, but will give a 3 star
i'm biased but this is me and my baby's album so deal with it
incredible work of art. that's a lover. that's r&b.
Not an R&B guy but this was ok.
Listened to it some days ago and can't really remember anything...wasn't as bad as I thought it would be...
This was smooth
Single handedly fighting back against the drop in Western birth rates
Making sexy time!
Baby making music. You don't want something too generic in the background, you want something good that you don't need to get lost in. Set the mood, but focus on that other person. Having this in your library is like having a date night perfume. First listen felt a bit like background music, but the good kind. So I listened again, and my ear fell into a musical nook. I started hearing jazzy influences and solos. A bit of digging and I realize most of the solos are the co-producers flexing a bit, and allowing D'Angelo to not be the exclusive star of the effort. This man writes, composes and arranges pretty much everything on the debut, but he also plays about 90% of the instruments we're hearing. I might be exaggerating, but there's an orchestra and like 5 additional musicians, just off the memory of the absolutely beautiful credits. The end result is not bad, it's just not ~great~. I feel like there's a deeper appreciation to know this wasn't really a team effort, but the talents and influences of a young man in the '90s. This is my first time actually listening to D'Angelo, and I'm impressed. 3.4/5
для любителей рнб.
i like the vibe
No
He had a lovely voice but wow I did not enjoy this at all. Very dated, but I can't imagine this being much good at the time either? 2 ⭐️
Shit damn motherfucker was a good song.
I feel guilty about this one. I listened to it twice, which is my minimum for a review. I feel like this is one I need to spend more time with, in the right mood to appreciate. Hopefully someday I will, but for now it is time to move on. Beautiful sinking, interesting instrumentation spanning several genres, but I haven't yet put my head around how it goes together, if it gets together.
Early-mid nineties R&B music. Kind of has an Usher vibe - pretty similar to that 90’s r&b sound - Boyz II Men comes to mind too. Brown Sugar, Me and Those Dreamin Eyes of Mine, Lady, Higher are probably my favorites.
Forgettable
2chill
ihan hauska
Smooth and funky a sense of what comes later. Beautiful but also a bit restrained.
Listened to the first song, and didn’t want to waste any more time on it…I knew it wasn’t for me.
Seminal work; all timer. Standout: title track
Really surprised this is rated a couple of percentage points lower than the Maxwell record from the same era. I'm not really a neo-soul guy but this is clearly much better vocally, groove and production-wise. That said, apart from Brown Sugar and Shit, Damm, Morherfucker there's not much here to come back for.
Not good. Generic slimy RnB
meh.. r&b... not my thing.
1990s sex jams. The vibe is great and D'Angelo's voice sounds great but the songs don't go anywhere.
A bit too smooth
what kind of music does this site like if THIS is a 2.9????? somehow also his worst album
Yeah this is on the other end of the spectrum of music made For Me and I think it’s a touch long but the grooves are insane I think I’m pregnant now
Although I don't think D'Angelo did Smokey any favors with a protracted version of Cruisin', there is a smooth vibe to this album that I did enjoy.
Smooth. Very smooth.
Lame r and b.
Smooth as fuck, but definitely one of those albums you gotta have sex to before properly rating it. This is soooo close to a 5 but too many songs just fall to the background, presumably so you can continue porking some chick. But damn when this album hits it really hits and holds my attention
Crap
i never listen to this type of music but this was cool!! obvious jazz influences throughout kept me listening happily
3/5. Могло быть лучше.
9/10 Favorites: Brown Sugar Jonz In My Bonz
Easy to listen to.
W teorii mogłabym dać 3/5 bo nic mi ta płyta nie zrobiła. Ale gdy myślę o innych, które dostały te ocenę to nie mogę tego zrobić. Paskudne pościelówy, soul bez duszy. Utwory jak na przesłuchaniach do talent show. Nie przemawiało to do mnie wcale. 4.5/10 równane w dół.
groovy and fun the whole way through. maybe a little cheesy at times but that's OK
9/10 hot
It's this album! I always remembered seeing this album in the best buy and Target sales papers that we'd received in the mailbox. I knew he was soul r&b but at the time this was not my style of music to listen to. I highly respect this style of music now and will happily check this out. Yeah, this is good.
smooth vibes great play. throw this on when cruising around w a lady
D'Angelo is indisputably very talented and this is basically objectively amazing, and his music has many of the pieces of something that should appeal to me, so every time i give him a shot i feel like i should like him more than i do musically there is of course a lot to like, but the whole thing is just too consistently down tempo for my tastes, and this R&B vocal style has never been to my tastes in the slightest. and of course you get the strong feeling that the keyword he always has in mind is "sexy" which is simply not something i look for in music. a great album that i gotta give it up for, but not for me
No.
The title of track 5 is definitely what I'd say if I discovered my best friend and my wife.
Hell yeah! Incredible album
My brain is butter now.
There's great soul and then there's offensive schmaltz like this.
Not my favourite genre, but solid soulful stuff.
A little boring, but super chill and extremely 90s.
4/10 Crikey, I dislike this kind of music. The widdly, jazzy electric piano (setting 03 on my old Casio) plinking incessantly. Backing vocals meandering like a slow moving brook of milky tea, trying to give the impression they know where they're going. Strings and synth that layer everything to ensure there are no edges that might pique interest. I try to concentrate on the bass, which is the one thing I can at least get something from. But then Mr D'Angelo drifts into my attention with his inanities about what he wants to do to his long suffering girlfriends. Sounds like Flight of the Concords parody. Give em a break and take a shower. It gained a mark (but not a star) cos it kind of got a bit of rhythm and funk going on in the second half.
Ok
R&B with a solid hip hop lean. Lots of good falsetto
7/10
Sounded very smooth and lovely but just couldn’t get into it. Ended up relistening to the Archandroid instead. Sorry D’Angelo!
If you wanted to simulate the experience of waiting in a long endless queue, this album would be that. My brain screamed for some stimulation, it couldn't take the monotonous drone of this same same album for another minute. If this was innovative in any way I can't see it, its an evolutionary dead end imho. Hard Pass.
Good singer, inoffensive but quite samey and a bit dull.
Boring.
Uma mistura de rap, hip hop, soul, funk, e black pop music....é ate legal mas depois parece que fica tudo igual e enjoativo...entre 2 e 3 no máximo...daria 2,5 então vou arredondar para baixo.
Leichter R&B ohne nachhaltige Titel.
Pretty solid. I like the gospel vibes
This one's fine. Well mixed, fun lyrics, not probably going to need to go back to this one due any specific purpose, though Shit, Damn, Motherfucker is pure poetry.
Not my kind of music, never really listened to anything like this before. It's interesting. I can see the appeal, but I personally didn't really enjoy it.
This was a soulful album and his cover of Cruisin' was justified. D'Angelo has a nice voice that brings a calming energy to the listener.
Horny but decent
What a voice. This kind of neo-soul/R&B is slippery and hard for me to dig into, but this was a lovely listen and certainly not hard to get through. I’m curious about D’Angelo’s other albums now as well.
A perfect debut, funky and melodic production, and soothing vocals. 9/10
Serious bops, all over the place
Cool vibe, soul
What an absolutely nothing album. I’m really trying to hone in on the actual content and discern the differences between the tracks but it’s so difficult. It’s all one long, indistinct, gentle waft of an album.
This sounds nothing like the Rolling Stones classic I was expecting. Rock legend Mick Jagger tries his hand in a falsetto register while the band seems to be just about pulling off an RnB flava. I'm disappointed that this one doesn't include their popular hits Bump 'n' Jack Flash or (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction, Motherfucka.
Excellent.
It is this stuff which makes this process unpleasant. Lazy low fi, languorous, lacking in invention and or innovation. A pastiche of a pastiche, I don't think this is what Marvin Gaye had hoped for. How's the snare rim tap drumming going? Seriously, it sounds like Jack Black taking the piss. Awful. And I listened to the whole thing. Dimery death freaks: don't bother.
Ground zero for neo-soul, yes please. You could make an argument that D'Angelo's subsequent albums are even better (enhanced by top notch collaborators, like Pino Palladino, the Roots, Dilla, etc), but it's hard to complain about this classic soul album. D'Angelo draws heavily on the soul greats (Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, Prince, Sly, Stevie Wonder) without slavishly copying or feeling lightweight in comparison. This is an album that regularly turns up on my turntable because it is just a really great listening experience. It knows what it wants to do and delivers perfectly. Chef's kiss, no notes.
Smooth R&B Jamz!
Prefectly fine r&b / soul album but there is nothing particularly stand out here 3*
Sexy smooth.
I actually did enjoy this album, but I’m not sure I would end up listening to much of it later, thus I’ll give it a 3.
Its hard for me to really get into this, because it is so obviously sex music. I guess what's cool is how you hear that clear line between early blues, juke music, and how that became R&B. I just watched Sinners, so it was fun to kind of hear that progression with this record. However... I'm probably not listening to this again anytime soon.
This was really good and somehow made me understand and appreciate more recent alt-r&b somehow.
Wasn't expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. Great consistency of mood and feel throughout.
I've listened to his album Voodoo before based on a recommendation from a podcast, so I was aware of D' Angelo, but he's not someone that is in my daily, or even monthly, line up. After listening to Brown Sugar, that might have to change. That was seeexxxxxyyyyy. Hmm...
As the name implies.
I think some D’Angelo songs are great (how does it feel? + I’ll stay) but this wasn’t amazing to me. This album didn’t really show off the vocal range enough and didn’t have stand out music
Damn that boy smooth
This album is an incredible accomplishment: it achieves a level of uninterestingness that surpasses even that LTJ Bukem drum and bass compilation album. 237 albums rated so far and this would be in my bottom 3.
Instrumentals were honestly solid but as a vocalist I just wanted more out of D’Angelo. Not enough power vocally, stayed very subdued and within a single register rather than changing tambre
aw
I thought this was pretty boring.
Alright. This one is Smooth. It had me Cruisin’
Ja dit is R&B. Dit is soul. En vooral: Dit is pure sex. Maar toch, het pakt me niet helemaal? Het glijdt heerlijk, het album is een soort boter voor de oortjes en D'Angelo klinkt gewoon lekker funky met ook de instrumentals, maar er ontbreekt voor mij echt een stuk afwisseling. Het is vrij veel van hetzelfde, met de kopstem van D'Angelo en een hele dikke baslijn. Nou is dat meestal genoeg om mij te pakken, maar nu mis ik gewoon net dat beetje extra. Ik snap het niet helemaal, hij is denk ik precies wat ik vet vind, ik hou namelijk echt van neo soul en van classic soul. Ook R&B kan ik best waarderen, maar ik mis iets? Misschien is het omdat het toch vrij veel van hetzelfde is? Ja D'Angelo, we weten het, je hebt sex. Niet nodig om dat bijna 55 minute in te wrijven. Hij zingt fantastisch, geweldige stem, maar het is gewoon allemaal een beetje saaiïg. Had dit eerlijk waar niet echt verwacht, dit was een album dat al heel lang op mijn 'to listen' lijst stond, maar ik verveel me echt en ben blij dat het album voorbij is. Het begint geweldig met het titelnummer, maar daarna is het een soort brij van middelmatige, gezapige nummers die allemaal een beetje hetzelfde klinken. Ik ga toch hard zijn en geef dit 2 sterren, als het country was had ik namelijk hetzelfde gedaan. FAVO: Brown Sugar, Me and those dreamin eyes of mine,
Es un álbum que te puede mejor el rato,la escucha o hasta el día entero con una atmósfera que genera una paz y unas fuertes ganas de bailar
muito ruim, não teve uma música que se salvou. Odiei.
I think its smoothness is fine for certain "romantic" situations. And I can see the female of our species enjoying this more than their male counterparts. Nice vocals but it does get a bit samey. In any event, about 10 minutes should be enough. Can put some proper music on then.....
Generic blah blah blah
Earwax, lovely singer but terrible spunds soz D'Angelo.
I'm sure that this is a fine album if this is your thing, but it's very much not my thing so I'll pass thanks
Ooh, yeah, I love you so much girl, slide over here cos I'm sexy, mmm, yeah like that, uh uh, yeah over here girl, that's it girl. Uh huh. Why did you walk away girl? So sexy. Now I'm lonely, uh uh.
The opening track had a good groove, then spiralled into the blandest RnB I'd ever heard!
1,3/5
It's Alright.
Have heard of D'Angelo but this was our first proper listen
Brown Sugar D’Angelo I remember listening to one song off this album when I was little. It might have been the title track. I think he was partly responsible for the neo-soul movement with guys like Raphael Saadiq and 112. I’m looking forward to getting familiar with this. Brown Sugar- of course he found a girl in Philly Alright- great groove- can barely understand the lyrics, but he’s gonna make love to someone tonight Jonz in My Bonz Me and Those Dreamin’ Eyes of Shit, Damn, Motherfucker Smooth Cruisin’ - excellent cover of a classic love song When We Get By- old school bluesy, jazz feel- would be just as home on a public radio station as Urban/R&B Lady Higher I will definitely return to this album at some point. I wish I'd been listening to it more when I was younger.
“Brown Sugar”, el álbum debut de D'Angelo, es un recital de poemas al amor, al desamor, al sexo, a los celos y a la conexión espiritual entre dos personas. Una colección de poemas acompañados de bases instrumentales muy cohesivas entre sí, con ritmos R&B/Soul y una producción brillante; el artista hace de su carta de presentación uno de los álbumes imprescindibles del género en la década de los 90. La recurrente comparación en la música entre droga y amor en la canción que da título al álbum “Brown Sugar”, conecta con el último tema del disco “Higher”, en la que el artista demuestra estar tan enamorado que ruega a Dios (a quién pone por testigo de la relación) fuerza para superar todas las batallas y vivir su amor, que trasciende a lo físico y va más allá del cielo. En “Shit, Damn, Motherfucker” D'Angelo muestra su faceta más oscura y celosa tras descubrir que su mujer le ha sido infiel con su mejor amigo. Los celos llegan a tal punto que el intérprete narra un asesinato y su detención. Una historia muy bien narrada que convierte este tema uno de los más impactantes y cinematográficos del álbum. El corte más sensual lo encontramos en “Smooth” el artista plasma en la letra su vulnerabilidad frente a una mujer que lo hace delirar y perder el control de la situación, algo a lo que no está acostumbrado (In your field i'm inexperienced, son inexperienced). Vocalmente D'Angelo demuestra tener un gran talento para interpretar música soul. Su voz hace que el oyente entre en la mágica atmósfera que crean las producciones del género neo-soul. Aunque el único punto en contra para conectar con este álbum es, desde una perspectiva personal, la extensa duración de los temas, no hay dudas de que el artista te atrapa con su prodigiosa voz, su prosa y las excelentes instrumentales repletas de teclados, cuerdas, vientos, bajos y baterías. “Brown Sugar” es digno merecedor de ser uno de los álbumes más importantes del género neo-soul de finales del Siglo XX, siendo inspiración para una generación de artistas como Solagne, Frank Ocean o Alicia Keys.
I mean this guy has a good voice but this is just not music that I enjoy. I basically hated every minute of this. Nothing else really to say about this one. 1/5
30 years ago I would probably would have rated it a bit better but still eh
This was very much a r&b album from the 90’s. Very smooth, but kinda boring. The kind of album where a song would come on, I would blank out, and when I resume to pay attention, the same song would be playing. I was debating giving this a two, but some of the later songs won me over a bit. So it get an extra star. Hallelujah. Favorite track: When We Get By Other hits: Crusin’, Shit,Damn,Motherfucker, Smooth, Lady
it took until Cruisin for me to really get it fully, but it is so pretty. love his voice.
There were occasional aspects I enjoyed (mainly in the bass), but overall this was not for me.
Not as good as voodoo
One of the tags for this album is just "sex" lmao So D'Angelo is probably the greatest Neo-Soul artist of all time. Neo-soul as a genre is my quintessential "rnb." It was what I grew up think was rnb and while Rnb is a much broader and honestly kinda pointless grouping of genres, Neo-soul has always been THE rnb genre in my eyes. So when I say D'Angelo is the king of Neo-soul, that is a MAJOR compliment. Is it the masterpiece that is voodoo? No, but it is a fantastic album and an insane debut. I feel like I could do literally anything and this in the background would make it better. Great album 9/10
01/07/2025 I wanted to hate this album, but I just couldn't. It was a little boring though.
I like the idea here more than the execution. Long, mostly slow, sex jams. While this must have been pretty novel in Soul at the time, I don't think it holds up too well. There just isn't enough happening in these songs, they mostly just plod along for 4-6 minutes. Key tracks: Brown Sugar
2,5
Den lilla torsken...
Respect the hustle but not for me
Outstanding. Began amazingly ahead of his peers.
This album was cool. Really cool. Will be going back for another listen.
Gear: HEDD Audio HEDDphone Two Artwork: 🌽🧥🔥 Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🧈🍆🔁 Rating: 🍬🍬(🍬)/5
Obviously a very talented singer and musician. Very easy listening but only a couple of the songs actually hooked me in.
D'Angelo has some insane vocal talent, no one can argue that. I only wish he'd use it for something a little more dynamic than virtually the same track on repeat for an entire album. Most of the songs here just feel a little aimless, like we're meant to just be swept away in crazy vocal runs on top of static R&B beats.
D'Angelo's veritable voice varies velvetly within smooth R&B trappings and sensual jazz grooves.
Eh, not my jam. Good R&B I guess.
So, so, so very good! ME AND THOSE DREAMIN' EYES OF MINE, subtle and beautiful. CRUISIN,' LADY, and HIGHER, close out a great album. When describing what Rhythm and Blues should be, this is it. Too young to appreciate this when it was released.
Smooth but not the music I really seek
I think this is just not a genre that I love. I thought that this album was fine
Prime example of 90s R&B, which i think i find very boring. This dollar store prince genre almost comes off as a joke nowadays, like corny "mood-making music"
i liked it but it felt kinda repetitive. maybe i’d give it a go another time.
Not even the best D'Angelo album out there, there were some highlights, but with an average song length of 5:18 it ended up feeling slow and repetitive.
Not something I enjoyed. Was mostly waiting for it to be over and dreading I might miss when it repeated and have to listen to it again.
A strong second half let down by a frist half with very little substance. Very cool and lovely sounds throughout.
Wanted to love it. Nothing inherently wrong with the album.... Sexy vocals, good smooth groovy music. But when it ended there was silence in my headphones for maybe 5 minuets and I didn't even notice. I want to give it a 2 🌟 because I can only think of one or two songs that aren't background music, primarily "smooth" but die to sex appeal it reaches a touch higher.
Pretty enjoyable r&b album, some of the vocals weren't great and it was a bit repetitive but overall not bad
Un álbum muy agradable a la escucha. Me gustó la sonoridad que buscó D'Angelo. Es un álbum que combina perfectamente un estilo R&B pero conceptualizado desde la música electrónica. Beats y loops tratados digitalmente, pero desde instrumentación analógica. Excelente combinación de elementos. Los temas me resultan un poco largos, pero creo que también se trata de relajarse y entregarse a la escucha.
you know the albums gonna be good when the people on this site hate it
I vaguely remember this album coming out among a slew other R&B albums in the 90s, but it didn't really register at the time. I'm glad it made this list because, in retrospect, it's much more impressive than a lot of its peers. His cover of Cruisin' is beautiful. I vibed to the whole thing.
Not for me. I’m not into “oh baby” music
This album is fine, I guess. Not my cup of tea
The production on this is a clear 5 - damn cool! He has an insane voice and flow as well, but I’m a bit alergic to this level of pretty-boy ness.
Repetitive, but peak 90s. In one ear and out the other, I will be forgetting about this album quickly not purposefully but because this was so insignificant and not noteworthy.
5/10 Plain label R&B. I nothing this 6-10-2025
It's nice... not my thing, but it's nice.
No jednak nie
None of these songs should be over 4:30 minutes Its always: verse, chorus, verse, chorus, chorus, chorus, chorus Monotone
Brown Sugar has a smooth, laid-back R&B sound that’s easy to vibe with, and D'Angelo’s talent is clear. However, the album as a whole comes off a little boring. While the grooves are undeniably warm and soulful, there’s not a lot of movement to keep things engaging over a full listen. Also, some of the lyrics could benefit from a little more subtlety, at times they feel a bit too on-the-nose. It’s a solid debut, but not one that leaves a lasting impression on me.
The Emperors New Soul?
Now I know why 90’s R&B is not my thing. There were some potentially cool grooves on here, but they were wasted by boring, repetitive, largely incomprehensible lyrics. Does he have a good voice? Yeah, I suppose. Can he sing? Nope. Nothing of any interest. And to make matters worse, he ruined a good song (Cruisin’). I still don’t understand how he messed that up. I think I actually hate this more because of the decent rhythms that came to nothing than if there wasn’t anything good about it at all. But I’ll give it an extra star just because there wasn’t anything once promise there.
Solid 3.5-4
1/5
Pretty standard fare R&B album. Nothing stands out too much good or bad, just a nice easy listento relax to. Top tracks: Brown Sugar, Me And Those Dreamin' Eyes Of Mine, Cruisin'
2.4 2x almost a year i let this one linger, but caught up 5/14/2026
i am a punk and heavy metal guy at heart, and apparently also a d'angelo guy cuz this shit slaps lol. nice surprise
If Lady was the only song on here it would still be a perfect score. Thankfully the album is full of R&B gold, D'Angelo is so talented and the whole listening experience is just top notch.
Do you think D’Angelo would have sex with a mid 30s hetero white guy? Asking for a friend
One of the best neo-soul albums ever, a beautiful and consistent vibe throughout.
Boring!! Not bad tho
Was initially quite bored by this album. Just felt like standard R&B, set structure and backing track ion loop with soft, whiny, annoying, high vocals. However, came to appreciate the jazz and musical arrangements featured throughout. Tired of the voice, feel and subject, but some good use of instruments in places and more techy than usual modern R&B backing. Neo-soul? Just 2/5 for overall quality experience, but easy 3/5 for arrangement/jazz features so probably scrapes 2.5
Really excellent. Like Prince’s mellow but sexy side.
He has a really good voice
I cannot but feel bored. It's all so slick and perfect. All is shiny and soulless. That may be the typical 90ies production, but O never bothered to try anything else from the artist after listening to this one. Good quality material behind, though, as well as capable musicians...
Despite his undeniable smooth and sexiness , I was bored. Idk man. He was cool but all the songs had a boom boom and then nothing.
Man - this guy is a talented musician. But the smooth mid 90s R&B (which he might be / is partially responsible for?) is just so....boring? It's a lazy adjective to use, I own it, but sometimes boring is boring. I don't remember any songs here other than "Shit, Damn, Motherfucker" which was pretty good. TL;DR: Funky and soulful and sounds .... too good? It's just too chill for my liking - not tons of dynamics or tempo and mood changes, just kinda waited it out until it was over... 4/10 2 stars
rip to dangelo man
Featuring songs such as Jonz in my Bonz, Brown Sugar is a nasally mess. Proof that popularity doesn’t equal quality.
I’m not an impartial judge of this album. But that’s kinda the point. I love this album, I love D’Angelo, and I love neosoul. This album has an improvisational life to it while still feeling incredibly tight. This synthesizes so many of my favorite aspects of Prince, Herbie Hancock, and Wes Montgomery. It’s so good.
9/10 loved the production here, and he has a wonderful voice
smooth jams. the lyrics don't do much for me, but toss this on and invite her over for dinner.
Volgens mij beste relaxte RnB, zover ik kan bepalen. Niet per see mijn genre, maar op zich goed te luisteren. **
I fell asleep one minute and 22 seconds into the first track. The bus I was driving plunged over a cliff and took 13 lives in the crash. You’ll be hearing from my lawyer, D’Angelo.
i NEED to get Greg pregnant
i knew this was a album bout fuckin
Not my cuppa tea.
Really easy listen. Everything is the same level. All decent . Bass and vocals are excellent. Higher 3
2.5 decent jazzy soul
It's a great album that did so much for RnB and neo soul. D'Angelo is a true musician when you look at how involved he was. That's something a Kanye West never achieved since he was always aided by tons of folks around him, more creative than him. So D'Angelo deserves the 'genius' label. I won't rate it 5 stars since here and there you'd would want so more variety.
Not his best work but a great introduction to an enormous talent that I wish gave the world more music
D'angelo's debut album is not as good as his other 2 albums. Which isn't saying musch considering how close "Brown Sugar" is to being perfect. The melodies and singing and production on this album hit so much. Pretty Much a perfect album 9/10 Favourite: Lady Least Favourite Jonz in My Bonz
This was a pleasant surprise, such a sexy album. Didn't listen to much neo-soul before, I do enjoy soul and the related genres, so this was a nice continuation of that. This guy feels like the logical and spiritual successor of Stevie Wonder. Is he that good, no, is he good is general, heck yes. Regardless of what the listeners think, art has to evolve, it's been like that since the beginning of time. New and progressive styles have to emerge from, and as an answer to, the existing ones. This is one such example, just about every aspect of soul is evolved. The music is more minimal and incorporates electronic instruments, but still has that distinct cool soul vibe, with nice rhythms, bass fills and melodies. The lyrics are more direct instead of subtle, even though this was true for some of the older albums as well. Everything just sounds so smooth, polished and slick. The vocals are a highlight for sure, with nice color, range and feel. Great album, I'm converging more and more towards funk and soul as the list goes on.
I wasn’t familiar with today’s album by D’Angelo. I can’t wait until I finish this in three years so I can read the book this challenge is based on to see what the criteria for inclusion is. Anyway, I thought he had a decent enough voice for R&B / Soul and it’s not an unpleasant album, but honestly I found it only slightly more engaging or interesting than complete silence. If you want to listen to some music but don’t want the raucousness of smooth jazz, this album is for you. I figure if a song called “Shit, Damn, Motherfucker” is a snoozer, what chance does the rest of the album have.
Smooth music for the late evening activities
Even if I was in the mood, I still wouldn't listen to this. Smooth though.
This was the start of neo-soul. impressive how many instruments D'Angelo played himself on here. i love the production. Its basic and repetitive but in a good way when setting a scene...
Such a tough one to rate. Love the tunes, great music. D'Angelo has an incredible singing voice, no doubt. The amount of falsetto and its presence and reliance upon in every song wore me out through.
I have heard this album before so this isn’t my first time listening, but I got to say this time around was a lot better for me. The first time I thought it was boring which it seems like a lot of people here agree with, but after this time with the slowness of the tracks in mind I enjoyed it a lot more. The album is very consistent in sound, which gives it a nice and coherent tone throughout which of course makes it feel like an album. I still have a few parts I overall think are a little too much of a slog to listen to but I like this way more than I used to. Favorite Tracks: Shit, Damn, Motherfucker, Me and Those Dreamin’ Eyes Of Mine, and Smooth Adding this later, R.I.P. D’Anglo
(33 known/69 new)
I can tell why it’s considered a classic by many.
Groovy and peaceful, with rich instrumentation and a relaxed vibe. Some songs feel extended longer than necessary, but the musicianship and atmosphere earn it high marks, even from someone not typically into 90s R&B.
Sexxyyyyy Fave song: Me and Those Dreamin' Eyes of Mine
c: cruisin’
I really couldn’t get into this one.
This was like the male equivalent of the Mariah Carey album I just had.
Remember how large the r&b section was at the record store at the mall? Was it because of this guy?
Great background music but didn’t grab me. Love brown sugar and lady. A low ish three.
Souly, chill and happy, but not really my style
Not my go to genre with the neo-soul/r&b but I liked more than I expected. I don’t really have strong feelings about this album (no stand out live or hate tracks) but moderately positive towards it
This was a staple among the Jazz choir crowd in high school, and Gaesser actually recommended it to me. I still love it. Smooth and catchy, with impeccable vocals.
When I saw neo-soul come up I was not expecting to like it but it wasn’t bad. Not my style but it was worth a listen.
Good.
Smooth as butter on a hot piece of toast!
Oh so smooth. You’d be hard pressed to find a better example of vocals as an instrument. Incredible for what it is, though the repetitive nature and subject matter of the genre prevent this from quiiite rising to something personally transcendent for me. Listened to: on a bus to Providence. Favorite tracks: Brown Sugar, Me and Those Dreamin’ Eyes of Mine
Took me a few tracks to get into the groove. Second half of the album I enjoyed more. Luscious and funky sounds. “Smooth” and “Cruisin’” were my favorites
Brown Sugar is a refreshing R&B album that draws instrumentals from jazz and funk. D'Angelo has a great voice and the album shows it off, as well as throwing in harmonizing with backup singers. The only bad thing I can say about the album is that some of the songs overstay their welcome, but even when they do, it's still a groove. Favorite track: Lady
I really enjoyed the instrumentals on Brown Sugar. The bass lines are clean and had a nice groove. Still, nothing else on the album really grabbed my attention, even though it's good 90s neo-soul/R&B. I'm just not that into the genre--a bit too repetitive for me.
Not for me. Too syruppy and sweet.
This album sounds like pouring honey in my ears it’s so sweet it’s only real flaw is that a lot of songs sound similar
I believe this album has fulfilled my falsetto quota for quite a while.
Nice r&b, however largely repetitive. Think his other albums are better
I'm a fairly big fan of Neo-Soul. I haven't ever really connected too much with D'Angelo's music. Sometimes I find his songs to be a bit too long, which triggers my short attention span. The songs are slow and just incredibly soulful, so it's hard to deny this is a pretty damn good album. Plus, it brought the Neo-Soul movement to the forefront (helped create it?) and led to other artists in the genre becoming relevant. I like his version of "Cruisin'," as it sounds less kitschy than some of the other versions of the song. I don't know if I would visit this album again but I think it has a place in the book. Shit, Damn, Motherfucker is a great song about cheating, though the slow tempo of these songs makes Brown Sugar requiring some repeated listens. There are a lot of highlights here: Brown Sugar Shit, Damn, Motherfucker Jonz in My Bonz Cruisin' Smooth Lady
Definitely not for me.