Voodoo - D'Angelo (2000)

Another that you won’t need me to advocate for. It’s on many people’s all time best lists, and with good reason.

I don’t listen to a lot of R&B even now, and I was only dimly aware of it when this came out, so it’s new to me in the last few years. The sheer amount of sonic surprises is what’s so staggering. Just when you think you have this album figured out, it adds a new layer or a new sound that you haven’t heard before. It sounds slow and lazy but it’s so meticulous that it’s easy to miss.

I was delighted to learn that several of my favorites on here feature the bass-and-guitar-at-the-same-time attack of Charlie Hunter, one of my favorite jazz musicians who I’m sure will end up in this space eventually.

Tracks I liked:

Playa Playa - funky without being too aggressive or juvenile

The Line - That bassline, tho

The Root - the vocal back and forth in the second half, but also the bloops and blips of organ and guitar. One of the Charlie Hunter tracks I mentioned

Spanish Joint - Hunter track #2. a great showcase for what Hunter does, but also a great track, not to take anything away from D’Angelo’s work here.