As if it really needed to be reviewed by anyone else at this point. The unexpected release and quality of soul singer D’angelo’s first record in 14 years has caused a warrented stir in pop music as countless music critics scrambled to put it on their best of 2014 lists even with the album having a Dec. 15 release date. After all, it seemed a bit bizarre at first that the mostly forgotten artist whose name usually just triggers the “just him naked in his video” comments (yes, I’ll admit I was one of those people) would come out of nowhere to release a highly-refined and instantly acclaimed soul record. Yet even though it has exponential hype on it’s side right now, in this case it hasn’t come without giving R&B the shot in the arm it needs.
“Ain’t that Easy” opens the record withs soul that’s brimming with conviction and groove, and with a rhythm bed almost feels hip-hop at moments. And while moments like the bass matching the piano note for note in impossibly smooth “Sugah Daddy” may seem hard to top, it’s possibly the varity in songs like “The Charade” that are the most pleasant surprises. If “Ain’t that Easy” matches soul with swagger, then it’s songs like “The Charade” that present a heart-felt vulnerability that strikes a chord. The instrumentation here is rich, but it’s really D’angelo’s voice that shines brightest. There are tastefully done patches all over the place, Spanish guitar dominates “Really Love”, and Questlove and Pino Palladino are certainly no slouches. Even with the bass doing simple eighth note pulses on “Back to the Future (Pt.1)” to a laid back, 4/4 beat it’s still hard not to imagine anyone in it’s direct vacinity not getting up to dance. “Another Life” closes the album perfectly by channeling Marvin Gaye for the strongest track.
All of this aside, all of the album’s dressing wouldn’t be anything without a talent great enough to anchor it all, and D’angelo’s voice and lyrics are very much the star. This is the kind of record that speaks a universal language that you’d be hard pressed not to enjoy despite your musical preferences, I’ve already had discussions about it with people from very different walks of life and tastes. While I still think it’s far too early to fall in line with the hype that this may be our generation’s What’s Going On?, it’s still one of the best R&B albums I’ve heard in many years and a hell of a comeback. Does the album’s success indicate that the generation of R. Kelly and Drake are ready to get back to the roots of soul music? At the risk of sounding like an old, boring bar-band musician who thinks modern music is incapable of quality and depth (because sometimes I really can’t stand those types), I hope it does. After all, Black Messiah isn’t just a breath of fresh air, it’s one in the form of a perfect blending of the old and new.
9/10
The (slightly) Discerning Bassist 