Voodoo [EXPLICIT LYRICS]

D'Angelo

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 25, 2000)
• Original Release Date: January 25, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics
• Label: Virgin Records Us
• ASIN: B000035X1M
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (328 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #28,804 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com's Best of 2000

Like Robin Hood working on a tip from Chuck D, D'Angelo has stolen back the soul that was missing from the just-add-water R&B scene. Voodoo is a simmering cauldron of sound, a magical collection. Stained with sweat, longing, and rage, this is an album with trouble on the brain. But it also includes sacred sweet nothings and rapturous raw rhythms to get you through the night. --Lizz Mendez Berry

Amazon.com

Halfway through the languid midtempo ballad "Send It On" from D'Angelo's new sophomore effort, Voodoo, the young retro-soul maestro and band shift tempo and melody. It's a move so understatedly dramatic that it elicits comparisons not just to obvious touchstones Marvin Gaye and Al Green, but to the Jimi Hendrix of Axis: Bold as Love and Electric Ladyland. While Voodoo is hardly in a league with such major statements, it's a record inviting enough to attract repeated plays of its 78-minute length. As on his 1995 debut, Brown Sugar, D'Angelo covers a wide range of concerns--sex, home cooking, the destructive side of current street life--in a deceptively offhand manner. But he's a crafty craftsman: even a throwaway workout like "Chicken Grease" is blessed not only with a slinky groove and a guitar lick that deserves to be called just that, but bursts of Gaye-style vocal harmonies; the whole track, for all its retro flavor, ends up sounding like nothing else around. Throw in the blasts of anger that fire "Devil's Pie," the restatement of Bono's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" in "Greatdayindamornin'," and the complete takeover of Roberta Flack's "Feel Like Makin' Love," and Voodoo proves one jam that was well worth the nearly five-year wait. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite R&B album of all time., February 16, 2004

By	Christian Hunter "Christian hunter" (Austin, TX and Santa Barbara, CA,) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I could never be an artist, I simply don't have the temper for it. As an example, I spent the last 10 minutes sitting here at 1 in the morning, the steady melodic thumping of this very album coursing through the background with my head in my hand, nodding back and forth in disbelief, and frustration with some of the negative reviews of this album.

I wanted to lash out, to say bad things about those that disparaged this masterpiece. But I'll abstain. I guess I had to come to the conclusion that music is a very personal thing; certain rhythms, styles, and lyrical content have natural appeal to some, not others. Speaking nothing of the memories associated with certain albums. Ahhhh, when I think about the summer of 2000, D'angelo brought his soulful delicious voice to most every passion drenched night. Sorry, I could ramble on forever about Voodoo's personal meaning to me. But for everyone else...trust that this album is objectively beautiful. There is a seductive cadence in his rhythm, and delicious instramental accompaniments that is unique to him.

There isn't a song I don't really love on this album, although I think he's at his best when moving at a slower pace, it amplifies the sultry, nonchalant, almost "half here, half gone" style he's such a deliberate master of.

I hope this in some way prompts you to consider buying this album, it's just priceless!!!

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Voodoo: The new opiate of the masses, March 23, 2000

By	Faith Pennick (Brooklyn, New York USA) - See all my reviews

I love this CD. LOVE IT. LOVE IT. LOVE IT! From the second "Playa Playa" came on (which is such an infectious jam) to "Africa," I danced around my apartment and sporadically stared at my stereo thinking, "My God, this brother is brilliant." And keep in mind, I was not that deep into D'Angelo before this album. I mean, "Brown Sugar" is okay, but it didn't rock my world. But this did. Across the board, the songs are rich ("Spanish Joint"), full of electricity ("Chicken Grease"), haunting ("One Mo Gin"), and seductive as hell (especially "Left and Right"--my favorite cut on the CD--and of course, "Untitled"). "Voodoo" proves that D'Angelo has matured as an artist, the music and his vocals are so tight (the best example is "The Root." The multi-layered harmonies and the round-robin vocal approach at the end of the song is simply SPELLBINDING). Most importantly, this album stands up as a heady, masterful contribution to the annals of R & B music. It's very easy to instantly compare D'Angelo to Prince, Marvin, Curtis Mayfield, etc. But the great thing about "Voodoo" is that he found his own groove, his own voice. Yes, those influences are obviously there, but "Voodoo" is a straight up D'ANGELO record and less of a derivative of other artists. It's early in the year, but there's no question that this CD is a frontrunner for best album of 2000. Buy it. Buy it now (And if his tour stops where you live, check out his concert as well. I recently saw him in NYC, and it's one of the best shows I've seen in a LONG TIME. You will get your money's worth, trust me)!

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Soulful, sultry, sexy, steamy: D'Angelo's masterpiece, July 27, 2000

By	Adam (Newton, Massachusetts United States) - See all my reviews

OK Everybody is talking about how he is good looking and can sing and all, but I'm gonna break down each song:

Playa Playa: hot, perfect track to start off the album, fast, crazy hot syncopation, jazzy, soulful, great multi-layed harmonies intertwining with each other

Devil's Pie: a hypnotic, dark but still very rewarding piece (no pun intended), a great vehicle for d'angelos low voice style. big up to DJ Premier for lacing this track.

Left and Right: seems a bit out of place on this album but it is still a hot track. Meth and Red get naughty, sexy lyrics, very good song.

The Line: one of my favs, a slow, sultry masterpiece with so many harmonies, unbelievable

Send it On: one of the most touching and incredible ballads i have ever heard! 6 minutes worth of great singing, and a great change in tempo in the middle. FYI, Dedicated to D's son.

Chicken Grease: this song is off the hook! that perfect sloppy keyboard by non other than james poyser of the roots, and a guitar that sounds just like the title of the song, a sensual and very entertaining dance song.

One Mo' Gin: a very hypnotic beginning to the song, contrasted with a very smooth, cheerful chorus led by the keyboards, a great love song.

The Root: at first i didnt like it so much, but i have learned to love it, especially the very unique chorus. probably one of the not quite as memorable tracks, but it would still be better than any sisqo ginuwine or tyrese song by far.

Spanish Joint: a great, different track, salsa mixed with r'n'b mixed with soul equals a hot song. HOT HOT HOT!

Feel Like Makin' Love: a superb remake of the Roberta Flack classic, a great beat, amazing instrumentation, and of course, D'Angelo is off the hook. Perhaps the best slow song on the CD.

Greatdayndamornin'/Booty: A very likeable song, a simple enough chorus, and D'angelo wraps his voice around the chorus, ahhhh so tight!

Untitled (How Does it Feel): the so-called "hit" song, even though it hardly got any play at all. I'm sure women love the song, especially the classic nude music video, often referred to as "the video". D'angelo imitating prince, with much better results than prince, ive never liked princes music, D'angelo is better any day. This is a true classic, up there with "Brown Sugar", "Lady", and Maxwell's "Ascension".

Africa: probably my fav slow song on the cd, with soft guitars imitating Jimi Hendrix, coco-butter moans and murmers supplied by my man D. This is one cool cat.

Well thanks for reading my review, I appreciate it. Do yourself a favor and get this album. I'm out.