A Seat at the Table

How did she get a record deal, does she have a famous sister or something? I joke, but I don't find this good or memorable. Solange has a nice voice and the production is decent, but it's so one-note and no songs jump out. I get that the album is offering important social critcritique but because the music is so uninspiring the message doesn't hit home for me.

Okay, I really love this. I love the stories interspersed throughout. I love the musical style. I love the message. It’s just good all around.

I still remember when this one dropped like it was yesterday. The audacity of Solange--I hadn't really heard from her since the banger that is "Losing You", and then suddenly she drops an album right up there with, if not beyond, the best work of her sister. What's her name again? Oh yeah, Beyonce. Of course, they aren't competition but I was so impressed with Solange's style displayed on here, it's got a delicate touch that reminds me of like D'Angelo or Erykah Badu, just a refreshing neo-soul cleanser to R&B that I think is always welcome. Her voice is subdued but has its own power, and the grooves throughout are so comforting. Not to mention the unwavering messages of Black empowerment that carry throughout. In a year stacked with so, so many incredible albums (2016 has yet to be matched in my opinion), she managed to get the top spot for a lot of people. Not me, but she made my list for sure. Hearing it again today, I wish I had a time machine to beat my own ass for not holding it in higher regard. This album is perfect, deal with it. Back to back 5's again, I don't mind. Favorite tracks: Junie, Don't Touch My Hair, Cranes in the Sky, Mad, Weary, FUBU. Album art: Absolutely love this picture. Hairclips looking like butterflies. She's got the thousand yard stare, the sort of jaded glare that says, without words, "don't touch my hair." 5/5

Legit the most boring album I think I've heard on this list so far. Which is a shame, because the themes Solange sings about are so powerful, but bar Cranes in the Sky, I didn't like the album: there was so much disconnect between words of anger and despair and the slow tempo and repetitiveness of the music.

Really gave this a try as had an opinion of her as just a pop stars sister, wish I hadn't as this is arty music for 12 year olds, no introspection or even a decent beat in the entire album.

Wow, what a cohesive, beautiful album. I had heard a couple of songs from this before, but listening to the whole thing through was such a treat. Powerful lyrics, beautiful atmospheric instrumentation, and great, smooth vocals.

I think the cover of this album is just about the most perfect depiction of what I felt listening to this album. The vibe of the album is intentional, pure, sparsely adorned, and holds your attention. The beats and arrangements are generally mellow and ride somewhere between jazz, hip-hop, funk and R+B. The instrumentals themselves are subtle and provide the solid foundation for the vocals, which always take center stage. Stand out tracks for me include \"Weary\", \"Mad\" (where Lil Wayne contributed some genuinely heartfelt lines) and \"F.U.B.U\". My sense of engagement with the album was disrupted by the occasional track where Solange's vocals sounded thin or strained. \"Where Do We Go\" is one such example, where I almost felt myself needing a warm cup of water and to take some extra breaths. Not sure what that was about, because it seemed really uncharacteristic when considered against the rest of the album. That aside, I found the whole album to be really engaging and a welcomed introduction to an artist I'd never heard of before.

Laid back and confident soul album that plays around with hip-hop, funk and world-music without feeling like it's trying to hard. Really good stuff.

R&B, but sort of transcends genre convention. Inventive arrangements and feels very personal. Profound and groovy, which is a hard balance to strike!

Lyrically was ok, musically it ended and spotify moved on to 4 different artist and I didn't even notice!

The politest thing to say is that this album and style of music is not my thing at all. Losing You from Solanges previous album is a great pop tune. There is nothing on this mid paced dreary r&b follow up that comes anywhere close. The interludes are annoying and the guests do nothing to add to the record. No idea how this could be in the best 1001 anything! One star is generous!

Same beat on every song. Possibly the most forgettable album of all time?

11/19/2021 Today's Album: "A Seat at the Table" by Solange - I did a little bit of research on this album when I was unable to actually listen to it and found out that Solange is Beyonce's younger sister and after listening to this album, it is obvious that the talent in the family doesn't stop at her big sister. This album was enjoyable from start to finish. Her subtle vocals, but harsh criticisms on race are complimented by simple, but effective lo-fi instrumentals that are some of the best produced ones that I have heard. The album almost flew by despite it's more than 50 minute runtime and I attribute that to the way this album kept my interest throughout the entire project. I was either appreciating her vocals, a lyric, an interesting addition to the instrumentals, or one of the biting racially charged interludes that split up the main tracklist. These interludes give the audience a clear message for the whole album, which is one of Solange choosing to not accept or take the time to learn of what America is because of how broken, unfair, and disrespectful America has been to her race. Songs like Mad, Don't you Wait, Don't Touch my Hair, and a many others all point to this idea of black culture being stepped on and abused by American systems and Solange's refusal to be okay with any of it or accept any of it. She pretty much talks to the entire white US population during the album as if she was talking about her relationship with a single person, which allows for a lot of interesting comments and critique. Overall, this album floored me. It was so subtle, but packed such a punch and every few seconds I was being surprised by a new sound, with everything sounding so organic and natural within the mix. Great vocals, great music, great message, and great vibes. This is a killer record for sure. Score: 9.5/10 A masterpiece Highlights: Essentially every non-interlude track

Incredible production and songwriting throughout the entire album. Not every song catches my attention but it’s a very unique album that blends so many different influences that it completely becomes it’s own sound. 5/5

Rather enjoyed this one. Really like the atmosphere she builds, especially with layers of vocals. For the most part fairly spare in terms of arrangements with plenty of breathing room to hear everything distinctly in the mix. Has a pristine sort of sound but the basslines and drumbeats keep it from being too delicate. Love the mixture of aesthetics from different eras blended together. Sounds great on headphones. Appreciated the clips of speech used as interludes - really adds to the atmosphere and grounds it in reality with a dramatic power. Ignorantly, I had no idea she was Beyonce's sister! This is a 4.5 for me but man I think I'm going to round it up to 5 because I can't believe this one slipped past me! Super impressed. Thanks 1001!

Every once in a while an album comes along that challenges and expands the notion of what an album can be. This is one of those albums. It's political, soothing, and is just so expansive that it's beyond classification. I didn't listen to this album when it was topping the end of the year lists in 2016 and I really should have been. It deserved its place at the top.

A Seat at the Table Although Solange’s voice doesn’t have the power and range of Beyonce’s it does have a lovely, delicate slightly ethereal tone to it, which I really like. She also doesn’t have Beyonce’s predilection for a bit of bombast, and combined with the slightly downbeat off kilter, spacey jazz tinged r’n’b soul pop music on this it gives her the air of the detached, odder, quirkier but cooler sibling I really like the feel of this Rise, the bass is great along with the simple laid back melody. The bass on Weary is also great and that little piano is lovely. Cranes in the Sky is truly excellent. I love the percussion and bass but how the musical touches like the synth that sounds like a shamisen contribute to the overall feeling of sadness of the lyrics. Great floaty vocal too. Mad has that slightly over-recorded percussion and bass sound that keeps appearing, which I really like, and another great vocal too. Don't You Wait is a lovely bit of r’n’b pop, I like the guitar and slightly over-saturated synth drum pad. This does feel like it has a kinship with the Kendrick Lamar albums we’ve had, which makes sense with Sampha appearing on Don’t Touch My Hair, another fantastic track. The horns and synths are great and the whole thing has a sense of drowsy frustration. Where Do We Go and FUBU have a similar percussive feel and I like the broken atmosphere of Where Do We Go and some of the synths on FUBU are great, with another great vocal. Borderline’s piano line evokes a kind of wistfulness, but is abruptly accompanied by the slightly discordant percussion. Maybe not the strongest melody but a great track. Junie is a lovely bit of squiggly hybrid r’n’b funk, momentarily taking us away from the detached sense of despair that populates the rest of the album. Don’t Wish Me Well returns to the off kilter patterns of Cranes in the Sky and Don’t Touch My Hair, again the pervading sense of sadness is embodied by the percussion and synths. Scales is a suitably low key closer and in keeping with the whole feel of the album. This is also, for the genre, slightly unusual in that the interludes are actually worthwhile, tying together the connecting thread of race and blackness that runs through a lot of the songs. . This really does feel like a coherent album, each track shares a common feel despite the massive list of producers and contributors, but the overall sense of sadness, despair and frustration is so well conveyed musically. The lack of ornamentation and clean but soulful production and the thoughtfulness of the instrumentation supports that feeling, giving it some room to breathe and allowing subtleties and nuances and the edge underneath it all to come through. It has enough melody and musicality to be interesting but is also rhythmically fantastic (I love the percussion throughout) and a great overall sound. I wasn’t expecting to like it as much as I did on the first listen and I enjoyed it more and more throughout the day. A great modern soul record with a slightly unusual edge to it, it's an easy 4 seats at the table for me. Definitely one I’ll come back to. 🪑🪑🪑🪑 Playlist submission: Cranes in the Sky

Very quality. One of the best R&B albums I’ve heard Although I don’t care for all the “ayo being black is sooo beautiful and amazing” shit

So is this Beyonce's sister? I am unclear who this is. On one hand, that's got to be tough. On another, what an opportunity to apparently discover her talent as well. This album has a smooth vibe. Solange's vocals are sweet and commanding. Cranes in the Sky and Mad are standout great tracks. Don't You Wait feels like it belongs in an awesome 80s action movie. Where Do We Go channels the Elton John - Bennie and the Jets punctuated piano. This album is a surprising delight!

I didn’t realize how good of a voice solange had until I listened to this. This was mostly better than the Beyoncé album I got a while back just based off the voice and production. Every song was enjoyable but there were a few too many interludes. Fav songs: weary, don’t touch my hair

I never would have heard this albumnif not for this project. I really enjoyed it. Great, jazzy, expressive singing, heartfelt lyrics and interesting arrangements 4 stars

Beautiful and powerful! Love how the interludes are worked in and add to the emotion of the music.

Honestly hesitant to listen this album. Figured it wasn't my thing because I am in the minority with thinking this family is overrated. I was pleasantly surprised to learn how wrong I was. This was a great album with amazing rhythm and beats.

This is a strong album from Solange, who emerged as her own force receiving critical praise and attention with this outing. Her voice soars and eases the listener into a smooth experience.

Thoughtful and thought provoking - a tour of ideas as well as musical styles and sounds.

I like her voice, especially her ability to layer beautiful harmonies. And the backing production is lush and spacious. But I agree with Andy Gill in The Independent, who credited Knowles for acknowledging "a world beyond romantic cliche", but concluded "there's little punch or pop charm to the album, which boasts a surfeit of luscious textures and feisty attitudes, but a shortfall of killer melodies." I want tunes that grab me a bit more. There are few songs that really leap out; Cranes in the Sky and FUBU come closest. I could well live without the interludes; I understand that they accentuate her political stance, especilly with regards to race, but it is 10 minutes of filler on an album that ambles along at best. The interludes just drag.

Minimal, jazz inflected soul and R&B. Mellowed my mind after a rough day at work.

This is pretty great. Elegant arrangements, lovely vocals, with a strong message. It has a bit of a throwback quality. The flow of the album feels a little Janet or Lauryn Hill-ish, particularly with all the interludes. She actually overdid it with the interludes, but the album was enjoyable overall. Fave Songs: Junie, Weary, Don't Touch My Hair, Don't Wish Me Well

Her voice is stunning. Moments on this album are great, lovely harmonies, funky beats, sunny vibes, provocative lyrics, and I get that it speaks loudly politically. But generally theres not a lot of catchy melodies, and I think this flavour of funk/soul/rnb is not really my cup of tea. I want to like it more than I do, cos Solange is an icon.

Some of the arrangement was really nice but overall it was repetitive

Barb couldn’t think of anything she liked about it, when I asked her. I think it’s interesting in the beats and grooves.

Acoustic r'n'b with below average melodies, a welcome first appearance from Lil Wayne on any album on this list, some sporadically fabulous drums and bass, and interludes that don't just add gestalt but also the best arrangements on the album--which is a bit weird.

This album is not a style I would normally listen to. And I found the album to be more interesting thematically than musically. The spoken tracks mixed in talking about the Black American experience was cool and was interesting to listen to. Honestly, if I was going to re-listen to this I'd consider just listening to the spoken sections. There were a few instrumental parts that made me perk up, generally when they pulled in some blues or funk elements. But it was never enough to keep me really interested through an entire song. I do like how the album flows in and out of the spoken bits into from one song to another. Overall, not much really stood out for me. I can't say that any song is bad, just that I found it musically uninteresting. Favorite Songs: Cranes in the sky

What? Why? Just why is this in the list? I can only assume that the collator of the list has some kind of deep love for warbling vibrato.

I hate interludes. Hard to hear lyrics, too soft voice

Pleasant, but immediately forgettable.

Absolutely terrible modern R&B.

Not my style

Not my kind of music.

More modern R&B. This album at least is trying to use more interesting instrumentation than some of the others on this list - it's just like other albums on the list similar to this - THERE'S NO TUNES. More interesting / random instrumentation can't make up for the fact that this music is dull. Either I'm getting too old or this music really is as shit as I think it is. And it can't be me. It's the children who are wrong. Best Tracks: Rise; Weary; F.U.B.U.

Not my cup of tea. Appreciate the messages throughout the album but the music didn't captivate me in the least. Looked forward to it ending. 1/5

Something reminds me Beyoncé, look of vocalist, some of the songs. But this probably not my type of music. Slowly and quietly. And I haven't liked that short interludes between songs in the album. Cranes in the Sky music video, 10/10.

So beautiful! I only knew Cranes in the Sky, but this is great from front to back. Go, Solange!

I remember listening to A Seat At The Table early on in this album journey after it was recommended to me on Instagram. I think I reviewed it at the time there, but I’m going to avoid looking at what I wrote back then, and review this based on today’s listen. I really do like this album. It’s hard not to compare to Beyoncé since they’re sisters (I think), though I would, perhaps controversially, say I prefer this album over anything I’ve heard by Beyoncé. This is so chilled out and sedate, and has a really nice vibe to it. Solange sings well, and there are no unnecessary diva vocal runs which usually tend to annoy me more than anything. Yeah, it’s hard to fault this album. It’s just so pleasant.

enlightening

A modern classic

I’m such a slut for 2010s alternative R&B, neo-soul in general, and a Lil’ Wayne feature from any era. The fact that it’s a gorgeous politically-motivated statement only adds to the power of A Seat at the Table. I recall this being a juggernaut on its release, but it did fade into the background for me personally in the years since. Revisiting it now, it’s aged like the finest wine, and there is no doubt that it belongs on this list. Its influence is clear, its sound is both of the time and progressive, and its songwriter is gut-wrenchingly beautiful.

This is really good. Not just beautiful pop, but poetic social commentary on ongoing current events, racism, and all the things are so much easier to hear when sung in an angelic voice with a pleasant groove.

I enjoyed it.

September 19, 2024 HL: "Cranes in the Sky", "Mad", "Don't Touch My Hair", "Junie", "Don't Wish Me Well", "FUBU" an odd note but the leader of Dirty Projectors produces several tracks quietly intense, initially thought the amount of interludes were excessive but the whole album flows together really well with their help. Some songs are so good ("Cranes in the Sky", "Don't Wish Me Well") I regret not hearing this album earlier. I had misgivings about "neo soul" early on in this journey, but between this, Erykah Badu & Sault, there's been a lot of good representation from that subgenre. Definitely have been bumping this more than the average AOTD

I’ve never listened to any of her albums so this was great to dive in. Such a strong point of view from beginning to end.

This is a pretty extraordinary album. Cohesive throughout it is filled with minimalist neo soul at times and overflows with social messaging and just the right vibes at other times. I love how understated it all is. Nothing is over the top, but it all feels important.

Really good and cool, super clean moody vibe going on. Definitely a great listen to. Highly recommend, there’s a really good aura about it. 9/10.

Picked a good week to start listening to these again

Love this album. Always appreciated the Master P and Mama Tena interludes.

A powerful and seductive album experience that I wish I had listened to before now.

Solange Listened to this album years ago but didn’t remember the second half so well. Cranes in the Sky is an amazing song Weary is cool too. Other favorites: Where do we go? Junie The interludes help contextualize the songs and album I really like her voice and the harmonies sound great. The production is great and I love the bass (Raphael Saadiq?) and keys throughout.

9/10 Don’t know how I managed to miss this, because it is really my kind of thing. Ultra modern soul and R&B with impeccable production and excellent vocals Album is a total vibe Best: Junie

A beautiful album. What an important album. I've had this album in my library for quite a while as it was one of the albums of the year on many lists in 2016. Around that time there were several albums that were released in the R&B world that had this extended narrative structure to them that felt more like a DJ set then 10 or 15 different songs. I really appreciated these albums that came out because it allowed the artists to tell a story and to dive more deeply into a series of narrative threads. This album, particularly, with its attention to empowerment, liberation, resilience, and boundaries, is such a powerful commentary on self-worth and the Black experience. It feels like a generous invitation to sit at Solange's feet and listen to her experience through her own singing and the voices of Lil Wayne, Sampha and Master P. The craft and imagination and creativity behind the music are so rich and sophisticated. As a white man, I can find myself in this music invited into a call for healing understanding and empowerment while respecting the stories and words are sourced from deeply within the Black experience in the United States.

Quite remarkable - honest, moving, poignant and beautifully delivered. Solange is a real talent.

I was quite familiar with this album already, and in my head I came in thinking solid 4. But I listened very actively as I walked the quiet streets of a Lyon industrial area and I concluded this deserves more, it’s a great album. The interludes are so well woven, the flow of the whole album is impeccable, 21 tracks never drags, and there are some real highlights too - what more can you say about Cranes in the Sky. Fave Tracks: Rise, Cranes in the Sky, Don’t Touch My Hair, Don’t Wish Me Well 4.6/5

A beautiful ride from top to bottom. No individual tracks REALLY stood out to me but I enjoyed the ride! - I take it back, don’t wish me well is fireeeee.

Damn that was smooth

Had no idea this album existed and what a surprise! Lovely instrumentals and vocals, a full trip, rnb that I truly enjoy without getting bored due to the creative beats. Saved basically all the songs.

It’s the greatest album ever

Hell yeah brother

For not being Beyonce, this album is phenomenal.

nice

estuvo hermoso owo. 9/10

I can't be the only one more into Solange than Beyonce.

This was great! Weird I disregarded this release when it came out. Tightly produced neo-soul with ambition and scope.

So much more my vibe than anything Bey does. Wish she’d put more out.

Would have never listened to this if not for this app. I appreciate her creative vision and disregard for whatever pop junk was trending in 2016. The whole album flows and feels very intentional... nothing by accident. Sometimes that's not a good thing, but in this case, it is. The interludes add depth to the album and give you something to think about in between songs. This really feels like an art piece more than an album at times

Really enjoyed this album

That was beautiful and important.

Really strong album. Doesn’t try to do too much. I’m always gonna be biased towards neo soul, but I really enjoyed this album.

a really fabulous album, her voice is of course excellent, the production is perfect, and it has a real emotional heart to it. solange has always been underrated.

Oh this is for me right here. The calm rage, the sparse but interesting instrumentals, the great features, the integration of the interview interludes. No wonder this got all the acclaim and love it did!

She has a beautiful and powerful voice, it was a pleasure to listen. All of the songs were creating a strong, unite whole. In my opinion it's much better to listen with headphones on.

Great modern R&B album; I honestly prefer this to Beyoncé’s work. It has an impactful message told through amazing songs, ‘Cranes in the Sky’ being a real highlight.

This album caught me off guard. I didn’t know much about Solange going in except that she was Beyoncé's sister and was in Destiny’s child. I expected the album to sound like the Beyoncé albums that I had heard but this is completely different. It’s a lot more experimental with elements of jazz, Funkadelic and even Aphex Twin. It felt like a concept album all the way to the end. There wasn’t a moment that bored me or a track that I didn’t like. I love how she used vocal her harmonies to add color to a lot of the tracks rather than instrumentation. This is going to be on constant repeat for a while and I’m looking forward to going down the rabbit hole and checking out more of her music.

After hearing only great things about Solange, I can honestly say that I am WOWED. She's got a gorgeous voice, her songs & interludes are beautifully told, and the vibe vibe is wonderfully chill. I've officially added her to my library. 4.5 stars *On a separate note, I wish we'd have the ability to edit our reviews since I accidentally hit the vote button before I finished writing my last review.

Beaucoup aimé cet album. Je l’ai trouvé plein de subtilité et de nuances, avec une portée sociale. Recherche musicale et belle voix sans affectation.

The album that introduced me to Solange. My favorite songs are Don't Touch My Hair, Cranes in the Sky, Mad (featuring Lil Wayne), Borderline (An Ode to Self-Care), and Scales.

C’est tres tres bon en loundge musique d’ambiance, j’ai ecoute 2x 4.95

A true classic.

Did not expect to like as much as I did

This was definitely a pleasant surprise for me. I have never had any motivation to check out any tunes by Solange. This album was a real treat though. A smooth funk groove with meaningful lyrical content. I really enjoyed it!!

Wow! Smooth and personal. A great listen this morning.

I have loved some of Solange’s songs - she has some incredible dance remixes that can rip up a dance floor. But I had not idea what lay in store for me on this album. What songs! Deeply personal and moving. Intimate. Honest. Incredible. The music is smooth without being boring. It was engaging and it slowed me down and pulled me deeper into the lyrics. Speaking of lyrics - the thoughts and feelings being expressed take this to an entirely different level. Absolutely amazing accomplishment and a wonderful gift from Solange.

Better than Beyonce. Come at me hive.

Beautiful. Insightful, Celebratory, Sadness all in one

an all-time favourite. hands down. masterpiece.

completely amazing

nice family

One of my favorite albums ever! It all flows together perfectly and has such interesting and important commentary.

It took me 3 seconds on the first song to know this was worth 5 stars.

Loved everything about it! Good songs, good interludes, great lyrics, etc

Pleasantly surprised. Has a really good vibe and super easy to listen to. Melodic and chill.

@SHACK says he enjoyed when she punched Jay Z in the face. That's my review. 'ACK.