Oh, Manchester, So Much To Answer For

brought d'angelo's voodoo in to work today, since I haven't played it in a while. it was my #1 album of 2000, topping even radiohead's kid a. well, I hate to say it, but I do think, now, that the long-player rides the single's coattails. "untitled (how does it feel)" is a magnificent, mind-bending 7-minute soul meltdown. the rest of the album is technically gorgeous, a murky stew of reeking keybs and ?uestlove's drumming, all topped by the pliable, humming rubber band of an instrument that is d's voice. but it doesn't all come together - "left and right," f/method man and redman, sticks out particularly glaringly - and to be painfully honest (and it does pain me), some of it meanders into jazz-fusion-cum-hendrix-land, notably "greatdayndamornin'/booty" and the closing "africa." I haven't even listened to the whole thing in at least 6 months; I probably listen to the last 3 radiohead full-lengths at least once a month, because I glean such pleasure from them, and always learn something new about the textualities of the music+lyrics contained therein. whereas voodoo is a solid record, but not one I want to keep returning to all the time. d'angelo is one of his generation's more gifted artists, but where he goes from here is crucial. he can either degenerate into muso-masturbation, wanking off his own musical fetishes, or he can push things forward as he's clearly (I hope) capable of. an album full of "untitled"s and "spanish joint"s could be pretty amazing. we'll see where he goes from here. now, how about those brand-new radiohead songs? hmmm... (a new album from thom and the boys might be sooner than we think, too...)