I gave it a listen but I will re-listen to it one more time before I write up a mini-review later on tonight of Curtis

Can I just say you guys are amazing!
Brought back so many memories, I might just sit back and watch what albums you suggest

Why thank you but instead of sitting back and watching which albums we suggest. Why don't you join in and listen to the current ones and give us your opinion/feedback on it?


I'm going to move on to another album and post my review of the last one after it most likely.

I guess it wasn't too well received since I haven't seen anyone else post their review of it.

Great album! Excellent. I really think this man is underrated in the R&B world. Everything from the production, lyrical content and vocals were on point. I think this is one of the most important albums for African Americans during this period. Like James Brown, Curtis presented alot of things that affected blacks such as injustice, way of life, values, inequality etc.

moving along.

lol Thankyou!!! :bowdown::afro:

This is such an important album for the 90s and especially to kick off the neo soul movement to the mid to late 90s. I think this is one of the best albums that has came out over the last 20 years and one of the greatests "debut's" of all time. While I dont think it is "innovative" I think that the way D Angelo fused various styles of R&B, Jazz, Funk, Blues, and Gospel was beautifully executed in a highly creative and artistic way. Its amazing how much this album has resonated and influenced. With this album we got a chance to see just how amazing D Angelo was as a songwriter, musician, producer and arranger. I liked how the different themes that were discussed were very "universal" such as love, betrayel, encouragement, wisdom, sexuality etc but were covered over complicted/complex production. I also appreciate the fact that real instruments were used which makes sense since alot of the styles were heavily influenced by 70s R&B. (Not to mention he played majority of the instruments himself) This is a pretty solid album with no real weak track on it.

My personal favorites are: When We Get By (godammit I loveeeeee this song), Sh!t damn motherf!cker (this is a funkyyyyyy @ss song lol), Me and Those Dreaming Eyes of Mine, Lady (smooth vocals ..D Angelo can sing to me anyday at any time of the week lol), Smooth, and Brown Sugar (classic)

Overall this is a 5 star album which I consider a MUST have and of course a classic!!!

It's funny that you say this line. Did you even listen to Curtis? I feel like that album would be up there in a greatest debuts list for many of the same reasons that you list off for D'Angelo.

Don't Worry and We The People Who Are Darker than Blue are definitely my favorite tracks from that album. I love the fact that all of the songs (dance ones and ballads) get extensions and end up changing up mid song at times.
Miss Black America is the only song that seems out of place on the whole album. It ends up coming off a bit goofy sounding imo.


On Brown Sugar, I ended up liking all of the same as your favorites but I can't believe you left out Cruisin!

Cruisin' has a Smokey Robinson feel to it that I end up just loving.

next one since Sugar is busy with real life stuff, I'll skip her turn and go back to me.

Well... Curtis's self titled debut is a classic which goes without saying lol I even insisted Curtis is highly underrated. Its Curtis Mayfield!!!!!! LOL He is a legend in my eyes and an underrated songwriting genius. I listened the album but didnt give it a detailed review.Its very critically acclaim unlike "Brown Sugar" but yes, I feel the same way about the Curtis Mayfield album and the songs you mentioned. I love the fusion of sounds and instrumentation over the political lyrics. It was a very important album for the era. All the songs are powerful, uplifting and have kick ass production.


I LOVE Cruisin as well I was just listing my top favorites. Crusin IS a Smokey Robinson song that D Angelo covered. I liked that he gave it his own flair as well.

Get Lifted plays out like a romantic comedy but I don't even care because of Kanye's producing and as I'm re-listening to this album all the singles that I loved in the past come crashing back to me and I fall in love with them all over again.

I love the first half of the album up until Ordinary People. I never liked that single.

Stay With You and Refuge(When it's cold outside) are the only two redeeming tracks imo near the end of the album.

Also I had no idea that there was some kind of Fugees remix of So High? Well the copy that I ended up downloading was the deluxe edition and a Fugees song was mixed into So High. Well it was just Lauryn Hill and none of the others but still FUGEES!!!