Reviews (page 4 of 7)
Smooth, but not too smooth. I saved Alright and Cruisin' to my playlist
Just like a black girl should! Oh not that one. This is classed as 'neo-soul' but the moniker makes me neo-nauseous, and brings to mind wannabes in tight-knit woollen-hats trying to be Marvin Gaye, but sounding like Ginuwine. This is simply soul. Via jazz. With gospel. I'll tell you what it isn't - Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite (aptly titled cos you want to hang yourself when you're there). This is clearly on a higher plain. In fact 'Lady' made me think of the cool, funky stylings of Thundercat. A delicious bass groove. There are plenty of groove-laden basslines, often quite jazzy, such as the walking bass of the smooth 'When We Get By'. D'Angelo is clearly a great singer even if he leans into just going 'oo, oh, oh, baby' quite a lot. I was minded to put it to a four but I think that's the surprise element talking. This is a completely solid three.
It's not bad, but there's a surprising lack of depth both musically and lyrically for a neo-soul album.
Sferig 3,5
Instrumentalt är det toppen men jag tycker att hans sång är smörig tyvärr. Fint att det banade väg för så mycket annan bra neosoul!
Mid 90s neo soul/soul album, I don't know much about this era of the genre but this album sounds very good, relaxed, and smooth, the production is top notch. Not sure I will relisten it soon but I liked it at first listen.
A bit long and repetitive
Funky!
Way too smooth for the morning commute.
Neo soul, covering Smoky, Prince wannabe Jonz in my bonz Lady
This is the go-to album for neo-soul. It's all about sensual minimalism, taking cues from old soul legends like Marvin Gaye and Prince, but with a chill, lo-fi hip-hop vibe. The production is super smooth and atmospheric, with smooth vocals and groovy basslines, perfect for late-night chill vibes. Tracks like "Lady" and "Brown Sugar" really show off D'Angelo's talent, creating a sound that's both timeless and intimate. Sometimes the lyrics are a bit cheesy and predictable, and the falsetto can get a little repetitive. But overall, it's a classic debut that captures the 90s R&B vibe perfectly. It's cool and influential, even if the slow groove isn't for everyone.
Honestly I think the things it inspired is probably better then this album itself, I don't neccessarily think this holds up to a full album listen. I can do with albums that all center around similar topic matters, Clipse have been rapping about that one time they sold cocaine for 30 years and I am yet to be bored of it, but at the least there's got to be diversity in the WAY the subject matter is talked about. That's not really the case here and the result is an extremely one note affair, especially with the delivery being very similar throughout. It sort of makes all the songs feel interchangeable with one another.
Men in Black if it was D’Angelo instead of D'Onofrio: “More..brown sugar.” Chalk it up to this just not being my genre so I really felt the length, but I never had a bad time. & Shit Damn Motherfucker made me laugh out loud so a bonus star
🍫🔥😩🍆💦
Heard of D’Angelo but never listened to an album. Brown sugar is pretty good. Catchy chorus. Good production. Very mid 90s. Alright was fine. Very forgettable. O thing special or unique to it. Production on jonz in my bonz is a lot better. Songwriting is lacking. There’s barely anything going on with the last two songs aside from the production. Too much auto tune too. Much better songwriting on me and those dreamy eyes. This is a good song. Production on shit damn is really good too. Rest of it is eh. Smooth is the opposite. Good writing but not as big of a fan of the production. Good piano tho. Cruisin is really good. Good vocals/lyrics and really good production. This is a banger. Chorus is going to be stuck in my head. Piano in all these songs is so good. When we get by is another really good song. Horns and drums with the piano are elite. Good songwriting again. Trumpet solo towards the end🔥🔥. First half of lady isn’t my favorite, second half is much better. Really good production. An again great production on higher. So soulful. Great way to end the album. Very 90s but I like it. Overall good not great album. Some really good songs but also some really forgettable. Overall, 3.3 stars.
It’s good but barely memorable
Solid smooth tunes. Not my jam but enjoyable.
Fine music, but not my thing.
Pleasant, not my favourite neo-soul but decent. Lady was my favourite.
At first I wasn't into this. As the album went on I got into it more and more, and I have a feeling that repeat listens for this are very rewarding. 3 for now, but perhaps trending upward in the future.
His voice is gorgeous but the album as a whole is a bit repetitive, still the songs are gorg 3.25/5
Very interesting, felt like i was playing GTA or watching an early 2000's movie. Not exactly my jam, but not terrible.
Smooth
Decent R&B album
Ok background music
I thought it was def a vibe. Good background music for working.
EH TURMA ESSE AQUI EH PRA QUEM CURTE PUTARIA SEXO LOUCURA MALUCA DEBAIXO DO EDREDOM 🥵😈🥵😈 bem importante pro r&b esse aqui, hein. um pouco cansativo pro meu gosto, mas não foi ruim não. bem bacana ver de onde veio essa leva de r&b safadão do início do século!!
Nice
chill
Very cool
nice enough
This falls safely into the basket of "I really liked this but probably not likely to listen to it again". Extremely 90's R&B, so think it fits this list pretty well even if there's not a huge amount of song variety.
First listen Saved 5/10 Top track: Brown Sugar
Voodoo is better. Honestly, it all kinda blends together
rip brown sugar- 6 alright- 5 jonz in my bonz- 5 me and those dreamin eyes of mine- 5 shit damn motherfucker- 5 smooth- 5 cruisin- 5 when we get by- 5 lady- 5 higher- 5
Nice!
Not a lot of musical variation, but what an absolute vibe of an album! I think this is the perfect album for a romantic dinner, etc.
An okay album, no real stand out songs.
Brown Sugar Shit, Damn, Motherfucker
Very smooth R&B and a pretty good listen. There isn't a ton of variety, and the vocals are pretty basic, but this was much better than I thought that it was going to be.
Not a big D’Angelo fan
have to admit that seeing a track with the title ‘Shit, Damn, M*F*er’ on this album made me a little trepidatious, but I didn’t need to worry too much. This is very much old school R&B in the style of Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson with a 90s smooth sensibility. There’s a touch of soul, a pinch of smooth jazz and a hint of Prince in the delivery and the end result is pretty good for a debut album
Não conhecia muito do D’Angelo, apenas uma faixa ou outra, mas vi a repercussão nas notícias de seu falecimento. Certamente despertou em mim uma curiosidade e vontade de conhecer o seu trabalho, então obrigado 1001 álbuns pelo empurrãozinho. A voz dele é boa. Ótima até. Mas achei o disco, como um todo, um tanto quanto pedestre. Não me cativou totalmente. Achei as composições fracas e desinteressantes. O que carrega o álbum é o estilo vocal de D’Angelo, se colocar qualquer outro vocalista nesse álbum seria uma grande bomba. Senti falta também de um hit forte, com um refrão chiclete e uma produção viciante. No máximo, temos a canção titular do álbum, mas ela não cumpre esse papel nos meus olhos. Enfim, é um disco decente, mas não mudou minha vida. Linda voz, mas infelizmente aqui ela foi desperdiçada com composições e produção medianas. 3/5
Groovy! Super enjoyable listen.
3.5 I was excited to listen to this for the first time, since I know it’s supposed to be legendary. First listen - it’s alright. Maybe it’d grow on me with more listens. It’s not bad at all. But only a few songs really connected with me.
Two great songs - others are nice. Was groundbreaking back then but normal now
Not for me
nice
Hmmm, I have mixed feelings on this one. It's pure cheese. The lyrics on all the songs are pretty overtly sexual with a slow R&B/Soul feel, delivered passably. Lots of falsetto. The music is decent enough, very chill. It's a little slow, not really my vibe. I looked up D'Angelo because I'm not familiar with him and was pleased to see he's a multi-instrumentalist and played a lot of what is laid down in the album which is always nice to see. Standouts were "Me and Those Dreamin' Eyes of Mine" and "Cruisin'." In the end, this album was exactly like how I imagined it would be. Nothing super special or unique, but nice low-key ballads. Smooth listening, but I didn't hate it. 3/5
I've got this album and liked it all right when it came out.
One of the better 90s R&B records.
Never have listened to D'Angelo before, but I heard he has recently passed away, so may he rest in peace. This is a huge influence on neo-soul movement in the 90s and actually sounded more or less what I expected it would sound like. Not exactly my kind of soul (I prefer classic sounds), but this is still good, just about the middle of the road for me. Not a huge fan of lyricism here, but bass bunches through, and it is mixed well. P.S. On 2nd listen some tracks did stood out like Shit, Damn, Motherfucker or When we get by. I am tempted to check his most famous album "Voodoo" which is surprisingly not on this list! So this artist is perhaps the one to REVISIT? Planning to maybe give 3.5/5.0 on RYM and 3 stars here
Not for me. Deeply boring to me, but I guess a 2 is unnecessarily critical.
Very smooth.
6/10
He’s got a kind of nice voice but just every song sounded the same. 5/10
This is definitely not a genre I listen to often, but overall this isn’t bad. Probably not something I’m likely to go back to, but I definitely enjoy the instrumentation. 3+ stars.
Good laid back R&B, something I'd revisit on a lazy Sunday morning.
Some nice production, like this a little less than Voodoo, some interesting parts but overall not the most memorable thing ever
Chillout R'nB
Great beats, good voice, average lyrics, but ultimately forgettable.
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
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
Bit too repetitive
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
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.
Not something I would listen to again for ME, but it was nice
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
it’s a bit boring but not bad at all
Most songs sounded very similar. Wasn’t sure if I had listened to it before or if it was still going
Pretty alright.
3/5
Brown sugar is attractive with a repetitive tune.
Solid R&B record
Favorite Track: Brown Sugar
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.
Smooth, sexy, easy listen
Kompetent RnB, inget speciellt. En trea
***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 stereotypical sound of 90s r&b
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
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
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
Yeah okay fine.
Not a R&B fan, but listenable - very much a 5/10, but will give a 3 star
Not an R&B guy but this was ok.
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.
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.
ihan hauska
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.
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
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.
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.
Easy to listen to.
Not my favourite genre, but solid soulful stuff.
A little boring, but super chill and extremely 90s.
R&B with a solid hip hop lean. Lots of good falsetto
7/10
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.
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.
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.
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 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.....
It's Alright.
“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.
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
01/07/2025 I wanted to hate this album, but I just couldn't. It was a little boring though.
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.
Smooth but not the music I really seek
i liked it but it felt kinda repetitive. maybe i’d give it a go another time.
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.
5/10 Plain label R&B. I nothing this 6-10-2025
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.
Solid 3.5-4
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'
i knew this was a album bout fuckin
Really easy listen. Everything is the same level. All decent . Bass and vocals are excellent. Higher 3
Not his best work but a great introduction to an enormous talent that I wish gave the world more music
Smooth music for the late evening activities
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.
(33 known/69 new)
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
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.
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
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.
Nice r&b, however largely repetitive. Think his other albums are better
Cool but not grabby? Except for a few tracks. Makes me wanna listen to his other stuff tho.
Was vaguely aware of D'Angelo in the 90's. Never really listened to his albums so didn't know what to expect. this was fine background music while working. but nothing really caught my attention.
Enjoyable. Mellow and low-key.
Great album.
Great for making sweet sweet love. Not very interesting when you’re just driving for work.
Das Debütalbum Brown Sugar wurde in mehreren Studios in den USA aufgenommen, darunter die Battery Studios in New York City und die DaMic Studios in Virginia Beach. D'Angelo ist ein US-amerikanischer Musiker, der sich vor allem als Sänger, Songwriter und Multiinstrumentalist einen Namen gemacht hat. Das Album ist dem Neo-Soul zuzuordnen, wobei es auch klare Einflüsse aus R&B, Jazz und Funk enthält. Zu den bekanntesten Titeln zählen der gleichnamige Opener „Brown Sugar“, das gefühlvolle „Lady“ sowie „Cruisin’“, eine Neuinterpretation des gleichnamigen Songs von Smokey Robinson. Diese Stücke spiegeln die stilistische Bandbreite und das musikalische Selbstverständnis des Künstlers wider. Insgesamt ist Brown Sugar ein stilprägendes Werk, das einen persönlichen Zugang zu Soul und R&B der 1990er Jahre bietet und gleichzeitig D'Angelos Handschrift als Musiker verdeutlicht.
Good, but very samey.
I’m really not a fan of this genre but this was some of the best R&B I’ve heard
Found some of this pretty groovy, especially the final track. With that said served more as background music for my drive. 6/10
Beautiful singing, but it could have used a little more pep in the production aspect. Favorite Track: "Brown Sugar".
A good voice but the music is nothing special. 3 stars or C-.
When I saw “brown sugar” I was expecting brown sugar bubble milk tea with cinnamon sea salt pumpkin spiced cream on top. But I was given a cube of brown sugar in tap water. Still good tho. I like the vibes and his vocal performance.
Bit repetitive but I suppose I’m overthinking it. This album hits all of its goals. 1. Get D’Angelo laid. 2. Get you laid. 3. Get D’Angelo paid by getting you laid. 4. Profit.
All groovy songs - a good vibe throughout and D’Angelo definitely has a lot of talent. “Cruisin’” is such a good song - I didn’t even realize until after it was more than 6 minutes long. Overall I wasn’t blown away by the album, but it’s still good.
Another album on the list that would benefit from most of the songs laying off the repetitive verses to close out each song. It’s mostly an enjoyable listen and D’Angelo’s vocal talent is incredible, I just don’t need to hear the same line 15 times in a row. Shit, Damn, Motherfucker had to be written by Nick Cave and is also the exact sequence of words I grumble under my breath when I hit my toe on something. Cruisn’ could be the best cover of Smokey Robinson’s song but the length takes it out of the running. Ultimately it’s a middle of the road album that has potential. I can see its appeal as background music and I wouldn’t mind a couple songs coming up on shuffle, but I wouldn’t seek out the entire album again.
It's smooth baby! Nothing I would personally listen to, but I'm not going to fault it for that. I can definitely groove to it if it's on. I'm sure D'Angelo is on a bunch of sexy time playlists.
Very nice but it sounds like a single neverending song so it gets a little tedious
Some good songs. Enjoyed it mostly Standout songs: Alright Shit, damn, motherfucker When we get by
Putting this on with some whiskey = killer night
RnB mit Fusion-Elementen zu HipHop und Funk. Interessent zu hören, auch wenn es nicht meine Musikrichtung ist. 3/5
There are a lot of R&B records that I enjoy. This isn’t really one of them.
D'Angelo's first album, "Brown Sugar", is a precursor what would become known as neo-soul. The album showcases high production quality, with exceptional vocals and harmonies, featuring a collection of songs that seamlessly flow well together. The cover of Smokey Robinson's "Cruisin'" was my first introduction to D'Angelo in 1995; it remains true to the original while offering a richer and more expansive sound. Additionally, I enjoyed “When We Get By,” which honors the strength of love, as well as “Shit, Damn, Motherfucker,” which delves into themes of violence and infidelity. The album's strength is rooted in its ability to blend the essence of classic R&B from the 60s and 70s with modern instrumentation and production techniques, while also drawing inspiration from hip hop. Overall, it is an enjoyable record, especially if you are into neo-soul.
La définition de "smooth". La définition aussi de "un peu chiant et répétitif au bout d'un moment".
Good stuff but not as good as voodoo
Eh, smooth and groovy, I'd make dinner to this. And fuck, probably. Yeah, that, too.
We hebben het vaak over de invloed van een album, maar dat blijft altijd maar een beetje gissen. We horen vaak van artiesten dat ze na het horen van een bepaald album het licht zagen, of dat ze hem vaak op hadden in de studio tijdens de productie van hun eigen stukje geschiedenis. Maar het blijft vaak anekdotisch, en de werkelijke invloed is zelden fysiek. Dat is in het geval van 'Brown Sugar' van D'Angelo wel zo. Iets met een cassettetape, een heet avondje bij de Source Magazine Hip Hop Awards in 1995, en Questlove, de drummer van The Roots. De rest was historie, en het zou voor eeuwig zijn sporen achterlaten in Soul, R&B en zelfs Hip Hop. Want alhoewel dit album an sich niet de body, de hits, en de muzikale finesse heeft als we later zouden horen op 'Voodoo' en 'Black Messiah', hoor je wel echt de 'prehistorische' sound wat het fundament zou gaan vormen voor zoveel (alternative) R&B acts van vandaag de dag. Of het nou Thundercat is, Hiatus Kaiyote of Anderson .Paak, de template geschreven door D'Angelo lijkt zoveel belangrijker dan al die andere R&B acts uit de jaren 90. En naast zijn geweldige stemgeluid is het dan vooral de instrumentatie waar ik het over heb. Dat je classic soul, R&B, jazz en Hip Hop op zo'n organische manier om weet te zetten in een compleet nieuw doch retro sound is uniek, en geen wonder dat muziekgoeroe Questlove hier een volledige revolutie van een genre in zag. Je merkt wel dat D'Angelo ook dat duwtje in de goede richting nodig had, en de assistentie van meer gelijkgestemden die dat rijke pallet aan aroma's alleen maar nog lekkerder zouden laten smaken. Dat hoor je op de volgende plaat. Deze staat nog met één been in de traditionele R&B wereld van de mid-90s, waardoor het soms iets té smooth en glad is, waardoor het bijna futloos aanvoelt. Maar als je je volledig focust op wat er op de achtergrond gebeurt, met allerlei micro-ritmes (geen wonder dat J Dilla uiteindelijk ook zijn weg vond naar D'Angelo), dan hoor je wel dat er met deze plaat een hele generatie muzikanten werd geboren (los van dat het waarschijnlijk ook een plaat was die het goed deed in menig slaapkamer). En god, wat is de titelsong een belachelijke jam. 7,5/10 Highlights: Brown Sugar Me And Those Dreamin' Eyes Of Mine Cruisin' Lady
A Marvin album for the mid-90's.
kynferðislegt nýsálargaul. frekar einhæft en ágætur söngur og það allt. ekki meir.
I don't think I really care for R+B
Loved the drum and bass grooves, simply but effective... oh wait, there are vocals? Nothing exciting, quite boring overall... But 1 extra star for the bass.
There's a good voice there, and good instrumentation, but nothing in the lovey lyrics stand out to me.
Excellent. 3.5. I love 90s era neo-soul. I don’t listen a lot anymore, but it was my jam back in the day, and this was amongst the best.
I have no doubt that D'Angelo was a huge R&B star in the 90's I have no doubt that this album is a great example of that genre in that decade. I also have no doubt this simply isn't for me. So much about this genre is foreign to me. It's music that is simply made in a different way from what I know better, from the ground up. Different ideals, different priorities, different focuses, different attitudes. It's really hard to relate to. I can find the grooves to be nice and danceable, but the constant vocal runs, falsetto, the backing vocals, and some of the production choices just aren't for me. That said, the production is exceptional. Nothing about this was bad. Not even close. It just isn't for me. That's ok. I still respect the hell out of it, but I can't get there. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Brown Sugar, When We Get By
This album sounds precisely like I thought it would by looking at the cover. Not my go to, but still enjoyed it a lot!
I want to go 4, but it is just shy of that. I bet Mikey is going to rate this well.
drei minus
D'Angelo was obviously a key player in the neo-soul movement, but I'd really like to think that this is not his best album. Based on what's here, he's clearly a very talented vocalist with a great soul voice, but the music isn't very exciting. It's a debut album, so fair enough. But to read the Wikipedia page, you'd expect a lot more, as it cites influence from the likes of Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, Sly and Family Stone, Isaac Hayes, and Prince. Honestly, I really don't hear much of that in the album. D'Angelo could afford to take some risks and diversify the sound, and hopefully he manages to do so in some later works. But this is the one the generator gave us. It's good for what it is, and clearly had an audience. It's an ok listen, but not too exciting.
Smooth 80’s / 90’s R & B
Started off really digging this album, then got slowly annoyed at the length and repetitiveness of some of the songs as the album progressed. It's a really good album to just chill to while doing something, but I think if I was just sitting down and listening to it, I couldn't get through it. Tough rate for me, because I did really enjoy it at times, but slowly started feeling distain. Guess that makes it average.
Böse Entspannt
Occational nice rythms and beats. But not entierly my thing all the way through.
Better than expected
Yeah this was pretty dope. Gave me serious Marvin Gaye vibes but still had its own thing going on. I dug it, though it was a bit long.
Not my thing
This seems like it was probably a great R&B record when it came out. Tough to say, this is not my wheelhouse. But I hear a lot on it, I hear some Prince, I hear Sly and the Family Stone, I hear jazz. Great sound in general.
Not my cup of tea
It was alright
Overall, I didn't really care for this. However, track 5 - Shit, Damn, M**********r was wildly unexpected.
Smooth R&B, hints of jazz, warm apple cider by the fireplace - Nice vocals and complementary instrumentals - Can see it as inspiration for some modern R&B artists - Nothing outstanding, easy to listen to but a little dull
I really like it but I honestly think I would like it better as a list of back tracks for a rap album rather than a soul album. He's got a really nice voice but the meandering wailing just doesn't do it for me. It gets pretty repetitive but it's still an enjoyable listen.
Recht abwechslungsreich und interessant.
I like this album, although not as much as his later release “Voodoo”. It’s the same fusion of jazzy vibes with R&B grooves but “Voodoo” just takes it to another level. That being said, this is a very good effort. Typical D’Angelo… very sensual, and explores the gamut of lover’s emotions from shock and betrayal, to one night stands, to being deeply in love.
Smooth
Errr, yeah, this was fine - smooth enough that it disappeared into the background on both listens. On the one hand, that's kinda what you want from an R&B album, for gettin' it on purposes, but it would still be nice to have some stand out moments, or, I dunno, for the vibe to be a touch more lively? Fave tracks - "Brown Sugar" is a good opener. And, I dunno, "Cruisin'" maybe?
This isnt a great album. Its not terrible, either, but its all kind of same-y and never goes anywhere. I can see celebrating the success of a young artist who is mostly self-made, but it doesnt make for a lasting album. 3/5
Quite mediocre, innit? I don't see why this deserves to be on the list. I could've died and not cared if I'd never heard this.
D'Angelo is a good singer and this is a nice R&B album. A nice change from some of the poppier hip hop I've had from this era. It's a little oversexualized for large stretches, but I suppose that's the genre. The beats are smooth, though safe. My favorite one by far is When We Get By. The songs are all maybe 90 seconds too long with the last minute constantly repeating the chorus for that duration. Overall, fine album, something I wouldn't have listened to before and probably won't return soon. But I enjoyed it enough.
Brown Sugar 3 Alright 2.8 Jonz in My Bonz 2.5 Me and Those Dreamin' Eyes of Mine 2.9 Shit, Damn, Motherfucker 3.2 Smooth 3 Cruisin' 2.8 When We Get By 2.7 Lady 2.4 Higher 2.8 Score: 2.81
love the vibe
would i have liked it better if that Smooth was the Santana Smooth. Maybe. maybe.
Not my cup of tea. Didn't like it much
🌽
I normally don't listen to R&B, but this is a nice change. Great as background music when you're working 👩💻
Common from a day before wishes he was D'Angelo. Really good and pleasant. YYN
Not my thing
great sound engineering and production, boring songis
#391. I think this album is decent. If you want to pop on some 90s R&B, then this is a solid choice. But is it a great album? Something thar one needs to listen to? Not really. It's just one of the choices to pick from that isn't terrible, but that's about it. 3/5: alright.
Not my thing, though I recognize D’Angelo’s game.
More like C minus Angelo. Fine enough R&B, but nothing that really grabbed me. Guy can really sing but there’s not much else, no quirky Prince embellishments.
D'Angelo renovó el R&B tradicional con éste, su álbum de debut en el que introduce la actitud propia del hip-hop pero mantiene las líneas fundamentales del soul y el estilo tradicional. Destacan la canción que da título al disco, "Brown Sugar" y, sobre todo, "Lady". Pero contienes otras buenas canciones, como la versión de la canción de Smokey Robinson, "Cruisin'" y la mezcla con sonidos procedentes del blues contendia en "Shit, Damn, Motherfucker".
I've never been drawn to R&B, but I can't deny this album is very jammable. D'Angelo's instrumentation and vocals are showcased well here, it's a very fun album.
Not bad...not great.
Never heard of this before. There were a few small surprises musically amongst a pretty pedestrian Soul/R&B album. There are clearly influences from Prince and Smokey Robinson on this album. And although there is some talent on display, the overall result isn't that special and pales in comparison to the music it's influenced by.
It was fine. I am very picky about the neo-soul genre and it is not enough to be sexy - you genuinely have to bring something new to the table.
Smooth jams, all kind of sound the same so that's a little boring, but they got my head slow bopping.
Biggest downside is how all the songs sound pretty similar. Not a huge fan of his highest pitch vocals. Instrument work is pretty good though. Don't think I'd actively listen to this much but it's nice low background.
Soulful, but too samey for a 2nd listen
It's more vibes than songwriting.
More panty dropping music
It’s fine!
Not my thing really, but the music is interesting at least
Not my thing but it's not unlistenable so that's good.
90s chill r&b Favorite track: brown sugar other picks: lady, jonz in my bonz, shit, when we get by
I liked this. Had a classic RNB feel and good vocals. Not the deepest music in the world but nice relaxing background music. Reminded me a bit of Craig David.
This is quintessential 90s R&B, sure to delight fans of the genre. The smooth vocals and soulful melodies are undeniably skillful. That being said, it's not something you’d usually find in my playlist.
STANDOUTS: There's not a specific song, just very relaxing R&B OVERALL: 3/5
This album and style of music just isn't for me. There are some R&B songs and albums I can get into a bit, but this album is not one of them. I have nothing against it, as a whole, and there is some great playing, and I could see how this would be important to a lot of people.
Mid, not great not terrible. Impressed that he played all the instruments and I do like his voice.
Interesting album musically. Vocals wear a little over time. 3.5 stars.
3.5 stars. Solid if unspectacular neo-soul R&B album. Standouts are "Higher", "Lady", and the title track.
Might be a bit boring and monotonous but it has some good concepts that work quite well
Very smooth vocals.
Grato descubrimiento. No conocía a este músico y me gusto este álbum. Particularmente disfruté Brown Sugar, Shit, Damn, Mothefucker; Smooth y Higher.
nix besonderes aber very chill
Okay but not really for me (3)
sorry guys- just wasn’t that sweet
Good R&B. I wouldn't mind listening again, but I wouldn't choose it.
reading the wiki its clear to me that historically this album is interesting and good as is the production value but to me its just a typical soul album
"Хит" Brown Sugar -- запоминается, но не вызывает прям восторга. Первая часть вообще довольно слабая. Во второй уже поинтереснее -- больше динамика, более прилипчивая музыка, но 3 дня спустя могу сказать, что альбом полностью выветрился из головы. Большая длина каждого трека лишь ухудшает положение. Но на один раз вторая часть альбома -- неплохо.
An alright 3*
Favorites: shit, damn, motherfucker higher Would like to hear some of the songs without vocal track, as the music is great.
Solids R&B album front-to-back from a VA legend, but I've always felt Voodoo was better and more complete.
Mellow, pleasant listening. But it would probably be much more enjoyable if he was singing in a language I don't understand very well.
Þetta varð allt annað en það sem ég bjóst við að ég væri að fara að hlusta á. Ég bjóst við einhverri hörmung en svo var þetta bara allt í lagi þó svo að þetta hafi verið svolítið svona 90s kvennabósalegt. Ég mun líklegast ekki setja hana aftur á en það var samt allt í lagi að hlusta.
this almost sounded like a modern day version of stevie wonder. it was interesting, but i’m not sure i’ll listen to it again.
Some nice sounds and easy to listen to. But there was nothing to really catch me and no songs of particular interest.
Some nice music, but not really anything warranting listening to the full album. I’ll give it a 3, though, because it doesn’t deserve the same rating as Calenture, which I rated yesterday.
Not bad.
Maybe I just don't know neo-soul enough to enjoy one of its most revered artists. It was pleasant enough but honestly I couldn't really find what was so special about it.
Sweet seeet voice and some great bass on this one. I wish this had decimal points tho because this feels like a 3.5 to me .
Certainly 90s R&B. Smooth and not as icky feeling as the Maxwell record on the list. A bit too long for me to keep my interest the whole time.
Better than I expected.
Love making music right here
Listened quite a lot to "Voodoo", but did not like this debut album as much. It's ok but not as good.
i didn't know what to think going in but have always heard great things about d'angelo. i enjoyed this! super smooth r&b. his voice is incredible and the production is fairly solid. at times, it has a little bit of a jazzy feel - although the jazzy feel of 'when we get by' does, at this point, feel pretty dated and funny due to its use of synthesized jazz instrumentation (it kind of sounds like a nintendo 64 game song lol). i particularly enjoyed his cover of smokey robinson's 'cruisin'' which i think even though it was recorded 15 years prior, fits the sound of this album very well. you can definitely tell that d'angelo and the other producers of this album have a lot of reverence for old school soul music, which i think is what i appreciate about this album the most. it feels like a natural progression from the likes of smokey robinson or perhaps al green. just a solid, chill album.
Either my brain is fried, or I'm not horny atm, or that it's actually a dull and generic soul wankery. Either way, it all just washed over me. But I guess I did bop with it a bit.
Smooth but not amazing...
I enjoyed this. It's not really for me. I can see why people are into it. I played this around Susan and she wasn't into it. It didn't work as intended. :) Almost dropped a star for not working.
It’s groovy but my problem with D’Angelo is that I always like the first song or two and the. It just gets too similar. A lot of space in this album. But it sounds great. Kind of torn but think I have to go high high 3.
He doesn't sound like he gets laid as much as Prince did, or even enjoyed brown sugar as much as Mick Jagger. It's all more PG-13 than it is R rated, which I guess is fine. But when you title one of your songs "Shit, Damn, Motherfucker" I'd like my smut to be smuttier.
D'Angelo's talent and skill as a musician is apparent, and while this definitely has cool chill vibes going for it with decent grooves, there isn't a lot of substance. Basically, this is fucking music for those who were having sex in the 1990s. If this CD was found in your collection, the probability that you were getting laid was fairly high.
yea
Solidly okay by my standard. This singer has an excellent voice. The songs felt pretty similar and didn't showcase much variety from the artist. I feel like other artists (Prince, Marvin Gaye, + more) left big shoes to fill and D'Angelo doesn't quite live up to them.
...
This is some pretty smooth easy listening.
I’m vaguely familiar with who D’Angelo is and his influence in the 90’s, but I’ve never listened to any of his music before. I’m not a big R&B fan, so I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this album. Overall, this album was fine. The singing and the arrangements were really beautiful, and I can see how this album sold really well when it came out. It’s pretty impressive that this was D’Angelo’s debut album, because musically and vocally, it sounds like it was made by an industry veteran. However, lyrically, it felt pretty juvenile in a sense. Instead of love songs, this album felt like it had songs about cheesy teenage lust. Additionally, the songs couldn’t really justify their length, as most of them were pretty boring. As pleasant and well composed as the musical arrangements were, they were somewhat boring and unmemorable, but maybe that was exacerbated by the length of the songs. Still, D’Angelo is a talented musician who’s had a successful career. Even though I’m not too hot on this album, I think it’s a big part of nineties R&B music.
Sounds like sex
Haven’t touched the genre since R Kelly music videos were popular 15 years ago, but D’Angelo fucks (I bet he has so much sex)
Dad R&B
I think this is a great example of a album that merits its inclusion in this list but isn't massively for me. I remember Brown Sugar from the first time around, but the rest of the album seems quite competent lyrically and the groove is good.
Not that many opinions on this one either, it was fun but I got a bit bored
Not a big fan of 90s R&B that sounds like moaning, but I’ve gotta admit, the vibes are great. He has an angelic voice, and I’m sure if I wasn’t a guy and born in the right era, I’d melt. Did have me bobbing my head for a good bit of it. Standouts: Alright, When We Get By, Higher.
Really grew on me smooth easy listening style
крутая музыка, but not my vibe
Возвращаясь назад, вспомнился мне один комментарий на ютубе, когда мы обсуждали Эрику Баду. Что вот мол, надо слушать D'Angelo, это и есть настоящий исток нео-соула. Окей, по поводу истоков спорить может и не буду. На мой вкус - Эрика больше раскачала. Мне оч нравится звук, но не хватает какой-то грубости здесь. Какого-то вызова для слушателя. В том же комментарии писали: "Улично, дерзко, хулиганисто и при этом очень сложно музыкально. Типа расп…и из детройта делают музыку ну очень со вкусом. Сложные аккордовые прогрессии, очень сложный грув, звук на высоте и все это делают грязные матершинники которые рассказывают о том как они жарят телок, курят шмаль и ничего не делают но при этом рассказывают это очень изящно". Ну не знаю. Грязи тут нет. Короче, @iriknuriev8378, за коммент спасибо, но я с этой частью именно не согласен.
3.4/5 Best Track: When We Get By
D'Angelo has an incredibly smooth voice that is a pleasure to listen to, and the songs themselves are real easy-listening RnB. However, there seems to be just something missing that gives it that extra kick that would make me seek this album out for repeated listening.
Apart from the title track, I had no idea. Another real grower. Chilled, mixed influences and aid definitely go back to this album.
2.75
I like the lyrics When we get by is a jam good tune In my opinion it was just a calm smooth album 3/5
I enjoyed this album, it’s more my taste now than in the mid nineties when it was released.
Big bass, whispered songs If your bedroom is your church Ecstasy abounds
Some smooth nice sound, but some very strange harmonic choices. I did not care for the weird shifted out of tune melodies
Inte helt min grej, men bra album med bra vocals och nice funky moments
God sounds, some bangers, but wayyy to repetitive