“Black Messiah is about finding something to hang onto in dire times, soldiering through the infuriating insanity of oppression with a support system in tow. “It’s about people rising up in Ferguson and in Egypt and in Occupy Wall Street and in every place where a community has had enough and decides to make change happen. “Black Messiah is not one man. It’s a feeling that, collectively, we are all that leader.”
The infuriating insanity of oppression? D’Angelo is such a fat head it is remarkable. He is the sort of guy who can play a three hour gig at Radio City Music Hall with his shirt off and whinge about being a sex symbol. He is the sort of guy who can spend fourteen years on an album and deliver one without a single good song. Not one. It has good compositions it has moments of greatness and beauty, but there is nothing close to “Untitled” or that great cover of “Feel Like Making Love” or “One Mo’Gin”… nothing to make your heart soar. It is like reading the end of “Ulysses”, it must be good because it sucks so bad.
“D’Angelo’s assuredly delivered a great album, one that, even in these nascent days of our receiving it, already feels like something that’s always been, that’s necessary, and that was probably worth any wait.” – Slant
“Rife with the kind of sublimely loose grooves achievable only through instrumental precision, Black Messiah is as vital as it is sublime.” – LA Times
“Black Messiah is less throwback funk and more a vision of the possibilities of modern post-funk, although it’s clearly rooted in soul and funk traditions.” – Popmatters
In a world where not one of these fools even reviewed Big Apple Blues, we have to put up with this act of mass felatio for a decidedly “B+” album. 95% approval rating on Metacritic. A whole mess of love for a frankly pretty darn good album. This consensus stupidity is just what you expect in 2014, D’Angelo is the Morrissey of r&b and I am very tired of both of them, Black Messiah isn’t in the same class as Voodoo.
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