Brown Sugar

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

r&B vibe

Ég get ekki sagt að D'Angelo sé mjög eftirminnilegur söngvari, en mér finnst þessi hljóðheimur ágætur. Má alveg hafa þetta í bakgrunni án þess að pirrast.

Brown Sugar - 8.5/10 Alright - 7.5/10 Jonz In My Bonez - 7.5/10 Me And Those Dreamin' Eyes Of Mine -7.5/10 Sh*t, Damn, Motherf*cker - 8/10 Smooth - 7.5/10 Cruisin' - 7.5/10 When We Get By - 7.5/10 Lady - 8/10 Higher - 7.5/10 TOTAL - 77/100

Alright.

Not bad, I like the keys and the neo-soul sound. Not as bad as others have rated.

almost 30 years later and every album still tries to sound like this

Chill baby making music. It took a couple listens but I could definitely get down to this in the right setting. My favorite track off the album is Jonz in my Bonz

Very impressive that he produced the record and played instruments himself, and I am a fan of the R and B style, but too many of the songs sound exactly the same.

Okej mi je ali ništa posebno

Some sexy r+b, love this stuff. Nice to not listen to anything British

B’angelo

This album did not appeal to my musical taste

Neo-soul classic. Smooth, jazzy, damn near raunchy. Over 10 million children conceived to D'Angelo in '95 alone. Pretty solid album. 3.7

Certainly not bad, but just not my thing.

Kao neka seks muzika, ne vidim drugi scenario gde ovo slusam?

A great soul album, I've had a few like this so far in my run and the genre is growing on me, definitely a good sou dtracj to wrap christmas presents

-third album in a row where i don’t know the artist or album -let me tell you. this guy has a VOICE -like so pretty -these songs too are like DAMNNNN -YEAHHH THOSE HIGHER NOTES YOU TELL THEM! -also he looks AMAZING on this album cover -he is cruising through these vocals and SINGING! -these songs are very groovy -im actually enjoying the vibes we have created here -overall im giving it a 3 just because i really liked it but idk if i would listen to it on my own

Está interesante sobre todo el contexto de este dude, no lo conocía. Está chill.

Very well sung with good falsetto but it wasn't interesting to me, could have just caught me on the wrong day.

Groovy, sexist, 90's We didn't know better.

These grooves are a bit too smooth for me. OK in small doses but two or three songs in and your teeth start to itch a bit.

Neo soul. Ni fu ni fa.

3.5

Not really for me, but I can see how people would be into this. It certainly sounds a bit dated, but it could be worse.

As neo-soul emerged from a divergent timeline with hip-hop in the mid 90’s, D’Angelo rode the crest of the wave. His debut album, “Brown Sugar”, is fifty straight minutes of rich, luscious and lusty quiet storm. By nature, it isn’t especially exciting or awe-inspiring… but it’s certainly not a difficult listen. I liked “Brown Sugar” a fair bit more than the closest comparison I know, Maxwell’s “Urban Hang Suite”. Rather than overreaching by charting the full story of a misguided relationship, “Brown Sugar” focuses simply on the grooves: slinky, sensual, smooth. But it’s not all pretty atmosphere at the expense of any hooks: “Me And Those Dreamin’ Eyes” has a spiralling chorus which subtly grows and grows with each repetition, until it finds a home under the skin. “Jonz In My Bonz” is another exemplary groove, where D’Angelo’s brooding delivery calls to mind Prince at his most bedroom-ready. There’s some nice instrumentation, too: basslines rumble with low-end, filling out each mix without losing any clarity. Luscious, jazzy piano inflections and solos run through “Smooth”, and some organ enters the mix in the final track “Higher”, which lends it a very welcome gospel flavour to send the album out on. But the real centrepiece here is D’Angelo’s multi-layered vocals: appearing on almost every track, they give pillows of melody to become a hallmark of the album’s sound. Imagine “Smooth”, “Cruisin’” or the title track with only one vocal line: it would be like the Beach Boys without harmonies. All in all, though, the best albums on this list have either been a galvanising punch in the face or are beautiful enough to stop me in my tracks and rethink my life. “Brown Sugar” doesn’t quite do either, but it also doesn’t offend or outrage me in any way. Pleasant and inoffensive, it wafts by like a hot summer breeze. “Quiet storm” indeed.

He probably paved the way for Ne-Yo. The tracks are so smooth. The lyrics are not really up my alley but the music is amazing.

D'Angelo sounds like Dollar Store Usher. Not bad, I'm just not a huge fan of R&B. Conveniently though, D'Angelo has mixed his music with more upbeat hip hop so it isn't so fucking boring. He also has a pretty good voice, so that helps. There are definately a few songs on this record that fall into the "songs to play while banging" category. Favourite songs: Brown Sugar, Alright, Me and Those Dreamin' Eyes of Mine, Higher Least favourite songs: "Shit, Damn, Motherfucker" 3/5

Cat: baby makin music. Great bass lines, funky organ and guitar, smooth voice.

Funky and sexy. Fabulous mood setting background tunes while also being really cohesive and a testament to the time

Some smooth tracks. Best song is title track

It was a good r&b album, I liked it. But not really my genre.

Lovely D’Angelo, great pizza too

Smooth and cool enough, I got the impression that the songs should have ended at least a minute earlier. (Giving 3 to anybody, I don't like numeric ratings)

This is not my favorite genre but d'angelo is my favorite artist within it

Wasn't bad, but also wasn't something I'd look up to listen to again.

Not really a genre appeals to me but he has a great voice. This 'neo soul' just wishes over me.

Very smooth and accomplished, talent to spare... But the content and general vibe are maybe a little basic.

Not something i would have normally listened to. Not bad. Didn't want to skip any tracks but won't be revisiting.

3.5 I reckon

This is high quality R&B. Great voice, excellent production.

Its not my style of music but it sounds really good and has a withstanding legacy.

Smooth 3/5

Hele rustige soulvolle achtergrondmuziek. Heeft duidelijk wat weg van de stem van Prince en Marvin Gaye. De funky basis is fijn, de zang had wat minder gemaakt gevoelig mogen zijn. Luistert prima weg als je wat anders aan het doen bent, maar na een tijdje begint het wel allemaal op elkaar te lijken. Omdat het verder wel aardig in elkaar zit, geef ik het toch nog 3 sterren.

This debut is struggling to communicate one cohesive identity to the listener. Good thing his team figured out that he just needed to take his shirt off and make a thirst trap music video for the next record, otherwise he’d be lost in the shuffle and have contributed nothing whatsoever to the pop culture zeitgeist.

Not my kind of thing, but smooth and silky enough to provide some background sounds.

A very chill R&B album, nothing that stood out to me, but I'll take a three star album like this over 95% of the others we have gotten.

Title track a banger, rest sounds the same

Bit repetitive

I just listened and didnt really get anything from it. yeaah ohh uh huh yearahh

This is funky, 90s, sexy-time music at its best. Lots babies were probably made to this album.

Pleasant enough but didn't really hold my attention

Pas nécessairement mauvais, mais ce style de RnB/soul n'est pas tellement mon style. Ça me semble bien exécuté, mais c'est beaucoup trop "sucré" à mon goût, à la longue ça tombe sur le coeur. 5/10

M’n gebeden waren direct verhoord!! Echt heel prima album die lekker weg luistert, soort vibey sexy sweet jummy

cool album! i wish i liked it more (i found the sound to get somewhat monotonous :/) cause the few d'angelo songs i heard prior to this are amazing but this is still some well made sensual neo-soul. lady is EASILY my favourite song on it

You be making babies to this album...👀👀👀

Given that R Kelly is no longer a viable choice, d'Angelo is now my default for 90s sex jams.

The lyrical matter was quite sleazy and lame, but I liked the "music" part of it! Definitely something I could have on in the background as buzz. Generally not a fan of RnB, but this sat quite well with me!

I really didn't want to listen to this. This came out when I was in high school and I hated R&B at that time. I still think most of the R&B after the mid-70s blows but this definitely shows the influences of previous generations. The synthy backing tracks are pretty weak shit still but I actually kind of enjoyed this

It was OK.

Very smooth and very chilled. Falls between soul and hip-hop, while not moving me as much as either. Not my favourite

Very smooth album. I like the nods to things like gospel, smooth jazz, and even a little trip-hop on the title track. It's crazy, even a song about beating up your lady's lover can be a smooth, chill song before you realize you're hearing lines about blood and handcuffs. Plus, the "Cruisin'" cover is pretty solid too. Favorite track: "Brown Sugar"

Super repetitive lyrics, though it's quite a nice intro to neo soul.

A little lost as to what the term "neo-soul" really entails, compared to usual nineties r'n'b. Maybe it's my uneducated ear, but does the difference between digital/electronic *bland* music and the same type of music recorded with real instruments *actually* matter? Whatever the answer to this question is, "neo soul" feels far less vital than hip hop anyway. Case in point: Lauryn Hill. I love her work with the Fugees, but her *Miseducation* solo album bores me to death, in spite of whatever it was that the critics raved about when she released that solo debut. It's more or less the same drill with D'Angelo and his music. After what I've just said up there about hip hop having the upper hand compared to "neo soul", it is absolutely not a surprise that my favorite track on this LP is the opener--because it was co-written with A Tribe Called Quest's Ali Shaheed Muhammed. Everything else sounds... remote and without any real stakes to me. I don't know how to explain it better. I don't even *care* explaining it--which is probably a first for me. And not a good sign. To put it in a nutshell, this LP is certainly not "horrible" to listen to. But it doesn't scream "essential" to me. Number of albums left to review or just listen to: a little less than 600, I've temporarily lost count here Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens:  approximately a half so far  Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: a quarter (including this one: I sometimes leave a door open for albums from subgenres I'm not overtly familiar with--I'm only tougher with "middling" listens when said subgenre is more familiar to me, for better or for worse). Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): the last quarter

Neo soul. Ni fu ni fa.

Some great tracks here but as an album it doesn't wow, and it is awkward listening to this knowing Voodoo is so much better.

I’m a little surprised I haven’t heard more about D’Angelo. The album was a tad repetitive for my taste, but other than that, I enjoyed it. Forgettable, but not unbearable by any means. 3/5

It is an R&B album. It was alright. I think i only recognized Cruisin, but not this version. Better than a 2 not really 3.

Nice lo-fi, r&b vibe. Nothing outstanding but still quite nice album. Solid 3

Very soulful and classic soul sounding. Not generally what I like to liste to tough, a little overly romantic for my tastes. I guess I'll stick to Al Green when I am in need of my dose of romantic, soulful music 3.5 stars

Some cool stuff here. I see how it ushered in an era of a genre I enjoy but rarely seek out.

Very nice modern-yet-vintage soul-feel to this album. I read that he wrote and arranged nearly everything and played multiple instruments as well as sang the songs. Very cool!

I've never heard of this album but it's pretty good! I'm not super familiar with a lot of R&B artists so I don't really have a lot to say about it. The songs are on the slightly longer side but I think it's worth it.

As I've said many times, a whole album of soul without fusion is painful. Fortunately, this album  fuses. The title track is quite good because of the fusion with hip hop. The drum beats on Allright are another good example and Bob Power's guitar playing including on Shit, Damn, MF is quite good.  The fusion is good in general but the reliance on super high pitched male lead and background vocals typical in soul makes it difficult to handle the full album.

Great signing voice, jazzy basslines, good beats. Typical mid 90s R&B. It was pretty good

Smooth and sexy. Not sure I'd play it with my mum in the house and some of the album teeters into cheesy territory. But generally loads of fun.

wow, this is sensual fuck music to take your clothes off to. im super moist thinking about it. is it music or just essence du fuck? cant tell. i really cant.

Great voice - but too delicate for my taste. I appreciate the ability but doesn't float my boat.

Love a few of these songs, but a few of them are kind of meh. I like his other album better.

Meh

Smooooooth.

3.75

Great R&B album. Very smooth.

Ah yes, I remember D'Angelo - that's what everyone talked about "macking" to in high school. I was surprised I didn't really recognize any of his songs. I think that might be telling - great voice, some sexy beats, but otherwise a little forgettable. It's a solid album but I wasn't fired up by it. For what it's worth, my favorites were Brown Sugar (nice beats and innuendo), Sh%t, Damn, MoFo (I think I just liked hearing someone sing MoFo so many times in a sultry voice), and Cruisin (this version fit him well). I admit my rating might be a level too low.

So silky smooth

I don't really *get* R&B. I enjoy it but I really struggle to figure out the difference between good, bad, and excellent. Overall I really enjoyed this. I found the lyrics to be a bit naughty! My goodness. Toss this on on date night, I guess.

Pretty decent considering I basically never listen to any of this type of music. Almost every song was pleasant and catchy.

Into the music, but the rest was kinda meh.

Rap, layered sounds are clear and clean. Good rythmn. R&B lyrics (not hard west coast). explicit Suggested music after is all soft R&B and Love Song mixes. That would be pretty accurate.

Sans interêt mais je vois déjà le 4/5 de mon camarade d'écoute robplumière pointer le bout de son nez.

Sounds like it's aged well, as someone totally new to Brown Sugar. It is smooth to a fault, a little bit more material needed to stretch it to its length.

Nice

What can I say, other than I'm a big fan of the 80-90s R&B. Enjoyed grooving to this album first thing in the morning, while at work. Listened again in the afternoon. Favorite song was Lady. Made me think of my wonderful, beautiful wife. Played a few songs for her last night on the deck, while enjoying the last Supermoon of 2022. Mindy, full moon and DeAngelo. It was a great night. 3.5

This was a fun and funky album. I liked the bass but most of the time I wanted it to sit a little higher in the mix. It was a good album, just not really my thing.

"Brown Sugar" is an all-time classic track; undeniably D'Angelo at his best. Sadly, the same can't be said for the album of the same name. It's fine, but only three other tracks stand out, "Cruisin'," "Lady," and "Higher." "Cruisin'" is a Smokey Robinson cover, so of course it's good. So that really leaves three D'Angelo originals out of nine that caught my ear. All that said, a mediocre album by D'Angelo's still a solid R&B album.

A usually reliable friend was very excited about this at the time, describing it as a Marvin Gaye-level work of genius. It's not that good, but it is both tuneful and interesting which is high praise for '90s R&B.

J’aime le petit côté jazz de cet album et sa groove. Je crois que ce qui rend cet album important est ceci: «D'Angelo concentrates on classic versions of soul and R&B, but unlike most of his contemporaries, he doesn't cut and paste older songs with hip-hop beats; instead, he attacks the forms with a hip-hop attitude, breathing new life into traditional forms.» C’est peut-être pourquoi je n’aime pas tout du R&B mais que j’ai bien apprécié mon écoute ici.

It's a very classical hip-hop album but very repetitive. I liked it, but I'll probably not listen to it again.

Super smooth album. I enjoyed the fusion of jazz and R&B. Where some albums incorporate jazz elements, this one goes a bit further and quotes entire passages featuring walking basslines to draw the connection between earlier and contemporary music forms. The singing was fantastic and it suited the music well. My biggest complaint is the length of the album.

I was expecting to like Brown Sugar more than I actually did. I was introduced to neo-soul through Maxwell (who is amazing) so I had some expectations. D’Angelo is also quite respected in the neo-soul community. I don’t think this album was amazing though. I found “Brown Sugar” to be groovy, however his singing was a bit monotone. My problem with this album is that it feels like you could groove so much to it, but it’s quite repetitive and the melodies just don’t stick. I do appreciate his singing! Definitely going to relisten in the future. I do think it should be given a few more chancesZ Hopefully I enjoy Voodoo much more. Highlights: Alright, Me and Those Dreamin’ Eyes of Mine, Shit Damn M**********r, When We Get By

Smooooth, pretty nice grooves but nothing stuck with me beyond an enjoyable listen.

Shit, Damn, Motherfucker What a jam

This isn't my genre, and I don't see myself reaching to put it on again, but I can't give it anything lower than a 3.5. I'm rather impressed with his musicianship, especially for a debut album. Arrangements, instrumentation, vocals, and production done largely by himself. I also understand that this really set the tone for 90s R&B and basically created neo-soul. Unfortunately, I feel like a lot of the songs blend together after a while and no one song really stands out to me over any of the others. Nonetheless, I am very glad that I listened to this, as it's the first one that's been generated for me that I was truly unfamiliar with.

I remember the title song and still like it, but otherwise this is a pretty unremarkable album for me.

very mellow and smooth

Listened to on 3/24/22 3.5/5 Favorite song: Crusin, Lady This man is SO talented and has a beautiful voice - the album was very soulful with a hip hop vibe and was pretty good all in all

Smooth and easy listening but a bit repetitive

This whole album is a vibe. Very soulful. D’Angelo has a great voice. Not sure I’d listen to it all the time but I’m glad I did today.

Not for me, but appreciate what he's doing here. It's all very soft-focussed 90's.

This was better than expected. Was not familiar with it before.

Somehow the most average album But I do like it. 3

Funky street R&B/soul

Smoother than a fresh jar of Skippy. Been a minute since I listened to this. I love Shit, Damn, Motherfucker. The vibes and the lyrics are in such contrast lol.

Background music

Enjoyed enough but I'm not sure it'd be something I'd turn to

Vibed, but not so much that I'd go out of my way to vibe again... Ygm?

I liked most of this but hated the vocals. Would never put this on again but this list was all about expanding my taste and I didn't hate this as much as I thought I would so this was a win in my book

I've never been a big fan of slow jams, but I do have to recognize D'Angelo's talent here as singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist. It's good to hear his neo-soul version of Smokey Robinson's "Cruisin'" as a way to connect his style with more classical soul and show off his work. Overall, I just don't enjoy the slow, repetitive style of most of the album. It does intrigue me, however, to listen to "Shit, Damn, Motherfucker" as its slow, cool style is so contrary to the content. "I got a jonz in my bonz" is one of my favorite lyrics, but I am left really wanting to know more details about exactly what for. In any case, I engaged with this album more than most of its genre.

I have heard the name D'Angelo...maybe even a track or two, but I didn't really know this album at all. It was a smooth soulful ride that I enjoyed. The album has that sexy R&B feel with some funk sprinkled in. It sounds like what an album titled "Brown Sugar" should to me.

I'm not too keen on this many songs containing what sounds like earnest let's-get-it-on-ness. I liked the cover of Cruisin' and the smooth and jazzy When We Get By.

Takin me back

Well, what a boring but enjoyable ride. The sound was solid, but it never moved anywhere interesting. The songs were great by themselves, but consecutively each song is way too long.

Completely fine and seemingly representative of the style. Nothing too great and other than the somewhat annoying lyric of jonz in my bonz, everything seems like pleasant background music.

some good neo-soul, looking forward to checking out voodoo

Overall mid 3/5. Brown Sugar was my favorite by far. A bit to slow for me. Good instrumentals.

Enjoyable 90s r&b album. Pretty interesting that D’Angelo only has three albums. This was a solid 90s r and b that feels like how r and b should be made. Listened to it a few times. The cruisin cover is nice and most the songs are good. 7.6/10

Not for me

This is cool, groovy, definitely something to have to put on, but I don’t think it’d get a lot of play

Some fun tracks and some bland ones. Overall I do enjoy the sound, soul/funk is becoming one of my favourite genres on this list

Having never actually listened to D’Angelo before I enjoyed this as a first listen, nice easy listening groves and beats. Peak 90s RnB but maybe sounding a bit dated now.

Just not very entertaining. Smooth production, respect for that, but the songs just aren’t there. A lot of the run time sounds like falsetto vocal acrobatics rather than singing a song.

Not my cup of tea and a bit boring but objectively not a bad album. But also not really a good one either

I'm pretty indifferent about this album. Nice singing and funky or jazzy at times with splashes of R&B but not really my thing. Nothing really stood out as far as the songs go. 6/10.

Buena voz. Ritmo tranquilo. Mucho soul. Buena música de acompañamiento

Fine, nothing special but nice as background music.

I mean, this is all very strong. Not always my vibe, but there's something about all of it that I love. 'Shit, Damn, Motherfucker' woke me up for a second, for sure.

Didn’t get to finish it, but liked what I heard! Very sexy week indeed.

101021 11:28 3

Butter smooth but a bit boring

Plenty to enjoy here if you like R&B

A really good album in a genre I practically never want to listen to

Gutes Album, wüsste aber nicht bei welcher Gelegenheit ich sowas hören soll!

Ich bin ein alter weißer Mann. Wie ekelhaft, dass ich hier nicht über 3 hinauskomme

Nice! I like it! Easy to listen to and not something I'd normally bring up. 3.5/5 for me.

The Songs are pretty similar. From the album you could hear his influences like Prince(not last his falsetto crooning) and Marvin Gaye. (6/10) Favourite Tracks : Lady

Somewhat good soul and R&B. Its almost an hour long, and with it only being 10 tracks its kinda annoying when these songs draw on to be like 6 minutes. There are some really great songs that showcase D'Angelo's talent. He is a really good singer, especially in "Brown Sugar", "Higher", or "Smooth" And yeah, its a very great chill album but it's just very hard to pick up sometimes as how long the songs are. 7/10 As of July 11th 2021 Best Tracks: Brown Sugar, Alright, Jonz In My Bonz, Shit Damn Motherfucker, Smooth Worst Track: Me And Those Dreamin' Eyes Of Mine (I Guess)

probably good for sex! but people doing this 1001 generator thing dont have sex so HA guess we suck!

There's no doubt this music is expertly crafted - and influential. It has that enjoyably boring pace that permeates lo-fi these days. A sticky repetitiveness that I got a bit tired of. Listening to it feels a bit like wading neck-high through a thick, sweet syrup while browsing stalls at a garage sale selling quirky memorabilia and also trying to keep up conversation with a distant relative who you like, but who keeps bringing up the same conversation topics. You're also wearing very cool-looking sunglasses. It didn't really /transport/ me or anything. But it sounds great, it feels warm to the ears. I love the jazz influences. Great and versatile voice. 3.

Not my typical genre, but enjoyable R&B.

Chill. Birth of late 90s RB

Not my type of music, ok to keep In back ground but nothing special

a bit slow for my liking but definitely good music

Чтобы почилить вроде норм тема. Мелодичная, не претенциозная. Конечно, зацепить ей особо нечем, но и пустой не кажется. Какие-то мотивы улавливаются, и они довольно приятные. Подбор инструментов и партии для них довольно продуманы. У вокала есть лицо. Неплохое музло, только вот забуду мгновенно и не вспомню, вероятно.

оо музыка для спейс джема

R&B is one of those genres I always have a hard time getting into but this album really takes the cake. Lady and Brown Sugar really are 5 star songs. Mood: you're home alone on a Friday night and feeling yourself.

Nicee

Smooth and slick. Maybe a little too sugary.

3/5 this is an awkwardly erotic album

Good revision music.

I know lots of people who rate this highly but not for me. Brown Sugar the track is a classic but the rest of the album has never stuck. Talented guy though.

Relaxing to have on in the background

Impressed that he did almost everything on the album and he has fused a few genres in quite a pioneering way, playing a big role in the creation of "neo soul". Quite like the beats and the vibe. It's easy easy listening bordering on being a bit boring. 6/10

Wish I could give this a 2.5 as it was a better 90s R'nB album than Mariah's but not a whole star better. But a system is a system and every .5 I've rounded up so there we go.

Interesting R&B. Nothing wrong with this.

Good music for relaxin. I didn’t really love the vocals throughout

Pretty smooth listening. D’Angelo even makes “Shit, Damn, Motherfucker” an easy listening track. Good background music, but I won’t intentionally listen again.

Nice

Soul. R&B. Agradable aunque aburrido.

Smooth n sexy n very good easy listening. Would listen again

Lady, Cruisin, when we get by, sdmf

Solid, but not great

Nice Jazzy music. A jazz form I could listen to.

Decent.

I found the music in this really good and interesting mixed with the vocals but I didn't find the lyrics that great.

meh, this was ok

Got them dope ass R&B rhythms. Okaaayyy D'Angelo

Sopi päivään

Not my thing but not terrible music

Transante. Muito bom

Good one, sounds like relaxing lounge bar music. Nice mix of styles, genres.

Very nice! Smooth and everything flowed together, the instrumentals were catchy yet subtle and it was a solid late night album

Smoooooooth A little bit dated, not my usual thing Very slow, slow jams. Songs are done well this just isn't for me. A little bit repetitive/boring. Songs are a bit longer than necessary Feels like some of these songs just don't go anywhere? All very lowkey Great vocals! Faves - Brown Sugar No songs saved or added to playlists Overall - alright music, just not really for me Would I check out their other music - maybe but probably not Rating 3/5

Easy to listen to in the background

No idea. ------------------------------------------------------------- Shit, damn, Motherfucker, I guess this is Alright. The highlights are some absolutely bopping bass and drums. There's some really cool bass lines in here. Vocally he's very talented even if it isn't my thing - his soulful falsetto will appeal to some, but for me it's grating. This is Smooth throughout, which is a bit too one tone. I do enjoy his piano/organ chops that punctuate the rhythm. 2*

No doubt the guy is a talented singer, however, this album was pure insipid dross. Didn't appreciate the pointless swearing either.

Fine

Meh

First track like Boys II Men - who I’m not a fan of. Alright was too smooth with shit lyrics. The rest was about 50% ok - some nice mellow grooves and laid back hip hop soul. And then shite like Cruisin’. So really not my thing. Deserved 2.

D'Averago