One of the few good things to come from the COVID-19 pandemic is the alternative ideas and presentations musicians have used to broadcast their music. Up until his controversy with Megan Thee Stallion, Tory Lanez on Quarantine Radio hosted on Instagram Live was one of the most entertaining things about the nationwide quarantine.
Another such entertaining idea, one that was not mired in controversy, was the Verzuz TV platform created by producers Timbaland and Swizz Beats. What was an impromptu, on-the-spot idea from two of the most creative minds in hip hop has become a cultural phenomenon in ways no one has expected. The hit-song battles, such as Nelly vs. Ludacris, Gucci Mane vs. Jeezy, Ashanti vs. Keyshia Cole and Erykah Badu vs. Jill Scott have been the reason for that.
However, on Feb. 27, Verzuz TV hosted its first-ever solo concert headlined by R&B icon D’Angelo. This got me thinking, D’Angelo is often overlooked when it comes to the R&B artists who ruled the late ‘90s and early 2000s. Artists such as Ne-Yo, Omarion and Usher are all still discussed to this day, but D’Angelo seems to be left out of the conversation very often. Maybe it’s because D’Angelo only released three albums in 25 years and has expressed displeasure in being seen as a sex symbol, as well as him being increasingly private in contrast to his musical peers. Regardless of the reason, D’Angelo should be remembered as one of the greatest R&B artists ever.
This is why today I will be reviewing the classic 1995 album “Brown Sugar.” This album was D’Angelo’s debut album that achieved instant-classic status in the R&B world and achieved such a cult status that it is credited by some to have heavily inspired if not spearheaded the neo-soul genre, a genre that D’Angelo himself utilized in his 2014 project “Black Messiah.” Although “Brown Sugar” is not as critically acclaimed as his 2000 album “Voodoo,” the album was a precursor to the neo-soul movement and has such a profound impact that Jay-Z even mentioned it on his 2003 album, “The Black Album.”
The album is obviously influential, but more so than just being influential, it’s just incredible. Often albums risk being a product of the times and do not age well. Relistening to “Brown Sugar” in 2021, it still holds up despite the almost three decades of time in between the release of the album to now. The reason for this is even looking at the album in a 2021-lens, the album is incredibly musically diverse.
Part of the reason the album is so musically diverse is because of D’Angelo’s own background and the way he was raised. D’Angelo’s father was a minister with an appreciation for gospel while D’Angelo’s mother was a jazz fan. Songs like the title track of the album feature vocal stylings reminiscent of soul and smooth jazz. These amalgamations of different instrumentals and D’Angelo’s smooth vocals come together so well that it becomes obvious why “Brown Sugar” is timeless.
D’Angelo also has drawn comparisons to Prince and tracks like “Alright” show why he has drawn those comparisons. The similarities are there, but it never sounds like D’Angelo is ripping off Prince. At most, it is D’Angelo respectfully emulating him, something that in 1995 would be a bigger risk than it is now. Despite this, D’Angelo still brings his own style and charisma to it that exclusive to only him.
One of the universal signs of a great musician is when they can create a variety of different tones and sounds track-to-track and manage to keep the entire album cohesive and flowing. Making sure that no track is heads-and-shoulders better than the rest of the album. D’Angelo accomplishes this. On the track “SDMF” (abbreviated for explicit reasons) D’Angelo talks about being in handcuffs, a track that sounds like an homage to the blues. In the very next track, “Smooth,” D’Angelo creates an upbeat sound that is a complete contrast to the previous track. Laying out a tracklist this way can often be very jarring for the listener, yet that doesn’t happen with D’Angelo. Two tracks with such different tones have such a seamless transition, something that is rare in general for a musician to accomplish.
The most impressive thing about D’Angelo is that “Brown Sugar” isn’t even his best album according to critical consensus. “Voodoo” and “Black Messiah” are regarded as better according to critical response, something that speaks to how incredible D’Angelo is as a musical mind and performer. Hopefully, D’Angelo’s Verzuz TV has helped remind people of that fact.
In addition to his performance, D’Angelo alluded to releasing an album later in 2021. So maybe we will soon see a new generation become as enthralled with D’Angelo’s music as the previous one was.
“Brown Sugar” by D’Angelo gets a Classic/5.
Teren Kowatsch can be reached at [email protected]