Brown Sugar

D'Angelo | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 3, 1995)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Virgin Records Us
• ASIN: B000002TWN
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (98 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,280 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #2 in Music > R&B > Neo-Soul
  • #41 in Music > R&B > Contemporary R&B

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

D'Angelo is obviously inspired by the progressive soul of the early '70s, but he has also borrowed carefully from the hip-hop of his own generation. Like many of his contemporaries, he has recorded a tribute to marijuana--the album's title--but it's far wittier than most. It takes the form of a conventional love song ("Brown sugar babe, I gets high off your love ... that's why my eyes are a shade blood burgundy") and mimics intoxication in its throbbing bass lines and reverb-heavy organ. Another song, with a title too profane to print, is a blunt tale of infidelity and murder, but in contrast to most rap fantasies, D'Angelo's blues-like narrative acknowledges such acts have serious consequences. Best of all is the Prince-like "Higher," which combines the spiritual love of God and the carnal love of a woman into one dizzying, organ-fueled hymn. D'Angelo is still rather clumsy with lyrics, and he leans too heavily on ballads over dance numbers, but he has enough talent to grow in any of several directions. It will be an exciting story to follow and one would be foolish to miss the first chapter. --Geoffrey Himes

Product Description

An urban CLASSIC! Confident 1995 debut that brought the organic sound and emotional passion of R&B to the hip-hop world.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Brought the soul back... June 24, 2002

By "essence_uk"

Format:Audio CD

Minister's son, Michael D'Angelo Archer really made a massive impact with his organic soulful sound on this his 1995 debut.

Making his name on "U Will Know" (Which he co-wrote and co-produced) with Black Men United the talented, multi-instrumetalist Richmond VA native made his own muse apparent here. Instead of following the mainstream definitons of what "R&B" had come to define, D took it all the way back. He clearly is a true lover of peak era soul music, wearing influences like Marvin Gaye, Al Green and Prince on his sleeve. This can be observed right down to a superlative, chilled cover of Smokey Robinson's classic "Cruisin'".

That song is a true highlight and was a single release. As was the anthemic title track, which is a head nodding, drugs/female double entendre (Not unlike The Rolling Stones did with same title 25 years previously) opening, which incoroporates Mr Archer's hip-hop generation roots.

The album has a laid back, jazzy vibe throughout and the Raphael Saadiq co-produced ode to his woman "Lady" exemplifies this.

There isn't a weak song to be found but other favourites of mine include the brooding ...and gospel soaked closing number "Higher". "Dreamin' Eyes" was a worthy single release as well.

D'Angelo took a five year break before his next album but the influence of this album endured all the while and proved one of the main catalysts in the genre the media came to know as "neo soul", although beyond categorisation, this album is just superb music.

Check out the "Live At Jazz Cafe, London" Japanese import CD too for the live experience.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful, gorgeous debut of an exciting soul singer March 5, 2000

By MilesAndTrane

Format:Audio CD

R&B singers in need of a Teddy Riley or Babyface are put to shame here by the one-man-band-Prince-in-the-making D'Angelo. With his sultry voice gliding over every cut while nursing his smoky organ, D'Angelo emerges as one of the very few relying on the old school to create the new school, staying away from rickety drum machines & cheesy keyboard effects. His influences are obvious; but what makes this record so refreshing is that he uses his influences to help create his own vision instead of just emulating his heroes. "Cruisin", with it's never-ending chorus and sublte violins, is something you'd expect to hear on one of Stevie Wonder's 'super' albums. "Jonz In My Bonz" sounds like a wonderful omission from Prince's "Sign 'O' The Times". Every other song sounds as if D'Angelo is channeling Curtis Mayfield & Marvin Gaye all at once.

Every song on this album works wonders, D'Angelo has a wonderful falsetto and his organ playing wavers from funk to jazz with ease. Hearing this album is a great example that now is a good time to be alive.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Masterpiece! October 17, 2000

By Mike

Format:Audio CD

I first heard this album back in '95 when it first came out, and what with me just venturing into rnb music at that time (and being only 15 years old) I really didn't take to this album at all. I wasn't shy to admit it then, and I'm not shy to admit it now, what I lacked then was maturity in my musical tastes.

Back then all I wanted to do was dance, which is how rnb fit in quite nicely. My tastes developed into hip-hop pretty much through BIG, Ma$e, among many others. Still in the dancey stages of hip-hop, that eventually slowed right down towards the mellower/moodier sounds of hip-hop through artists like The Roots, Method Man, Tribe, Nas, Common and Gangstarr (again, among others), and through that route came my undying appreciation for soul music, which is where artists such as Maxwell, Eric Benet, Jill Scott and particularly, D'angelo shine through.

D'angelo has constantly stayed true to his roots and to the music that he puts out there. He breathes life into any track that he features on and is such a credit to the music world. He is almost a symbol of what music should really about - from his writing, to his producing, to his singing, to the instruments he plays. With 2 masterpieces behind him, while he is still in his mid-20's, we can only wait patiently for more.

I hope that hasn't bored you senseless, I just wanted to put my opinion out there.

Thanks for your time.