Black Messiah
4.6 | 1,232 ratings
Price: 21.52
Last update: 11-29-2025
Product details
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- Language : English
- Product Dimensions : 12.3 x 0.3 x 12.2 inches; 1.05 Pounds
- Manufacturer : Legacy Recordings
- Item model number : 2724475911316
- Original Release Date : 2015
- Run time : 55 minutes
- Date First Available : December 29, 2014
- Label : Legacy Recordings
- ASIN : B00R20DOUY
- Number of discs : 2
- Best Sellers Rank:#325 in CDs & Vinyl (See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl)
- Funk (CDs & Vinyl)
- Customer Reviews:4.64.6 out of 5 stars(1,232)
Top reviews from the United States
- steven monplaisirWe Call It A Come Backfinally got my hands on this album, a masterpiece of an album, d'angelo never missed, farewell d'angelo, thank you for entertaining the world with your talent and basically started a whole new genre that is called neo soul
- N. CollinsThe same sound that created and fine-tuned the emotions yet to be known by my teenage selfBeing a fan from day 1, I can honestly say that I never thought I would see the day come. I liken it to the moment of seeing a Black President become reality...I never thought it possible, so I never considered it as an idea. But when it happened, it reshaped the landscapes of young minds who would see this as the norm.
This is the music that inspired some of my most insightful moments in life. The sound that created and fine-tuned emotions yet to be known by my teenage self. The sound that matured my palette for melodies that produced mental and emotional experiences that only musical geniuses assemble. For me, D'angelo could have decided to never make a music video for "Untitled", and I still would have appreciated the essence of the song. That "hit and quit it" sound that echos every few measures had me chanting..."You right...this joint don't need no title". I have an appreciation for his talent and desire for perfection. I also connect with the emotional, mental and spiritual burden he has to carry such a gift, despite the industries "On-Demand", need for the style that sells. He has proven that he will stand alone to bring justice to his gift. So when I am reviewing this album, please excuse the bias.
Perhaps the entire notion the album title is the novelty of the idea/ideal of a Black Messiah and how the concept itself literally contradicts a worldwide viewpoint. A Black Messiah is so abstract as a visual, despite being closer to fact historically and physiologically than the imagery itself. Interesting how this sounds like our current climate. If you continue to project imagery of different groups of people being a certain way, then you slowly begin to assume the imagery as fact, versus the actual facts being facts. It creates apathy because no one sees the idea of equality as possible, so you commit to the imagery and find comfort in it.
This album is not for you if you are not a music lover. If you don't enjoy musical subtleties and back-door bass lines that catch you off guard like a thief in the night, then the current music landscape may be more of your style. This music leaves you digusted with the auditory pollution that we have all settled into like an old pair of sweats. Please know, "Charade" and "Really Love", have officially deleted every popular song from my IPOD. I'm sorry artists who have made a few bucks from me in the last few years...your checks will be a few bucks shorter. I'm sorry to artists who have thrived in this wasteland...but I guess someone needed to make a profit, and you did. But I am hopeful that THE STANDARD will be re-established by artists like D'angelo, Dwele, Raheem Devaughn, Jill Scott. Eric Roberson, Janelle Monae, Yahzarah, India.Arie, Mali Music, and Robert Glasper just to name a few. To go back to a time when these are not the exception but the rule. I'm waiting... - PhillyMuWorth the Wait, Simply BrilliantOne of the greatest Soul/R&B singers of this current generation is back with a record that feels incredibly familiar with what we've come to expect from D'Angelo, yet Black Messiah sounds like the work of a man who wanted to take a step, make that a GIANT leap forward artistically. Which is good, since he had PLENTY of time to gain inspiration to create it and PLENTY more time to actually create it. Personal struggles, and possibly disagreements with his record label made 2000's modern classic "Voodoo" the last time the public would hear new recorded material from him until now. Black Messiah, an album that gets a credited assist from band, The Vanguard, is not an easy listen at first in part because the vocals are not as clear as the more crisp, digital recordings we're used to hearing in the majority of modern records. The vocals also seem to be mixed down on some tracks, buried underneath a flood of live instrumentation. Perhaps the low mixing of the vocals was intentional... to ensure that the listener must listen intently to the music as opposed to merely "hearing" it? Either way, D'Angelo's decision to record the album using old school, analog equipment definitely gives it a more lush, warm sound that we don't hear in modern R&B. But if you can get beyond that (by looking up the lyrics online in my case) you will be overwhelmed with great songwriting, brilliant instrumentation, and songs that will get better with each successive listen.
There are typical Soul/R&B themes on Black Messiah such as love, romance and of course sex, but what is noticeable here that wasn't as emphasized on D'Angelo's previous albums "Brown Sugar" and "Voodoo" are themes of social awareness and culturally relevant lyrics that are reminiscent of 60s and 70s Soul music from artists like Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye... artists who have clearly influenced the great artist who created this album. He's definitely had songs that displayed a level of responsibility to speak on social issues (see "Devils Pie" from Voodoo), but on Black Messiah, D'Angelo sounds like an artist who hasn't dropped an album in almost 15 years... an artist who clearly has some sh*t to say. And if recent current events in America (police-involved shootings, political gridlock over climate change, an increasingly stressed out U.S. population, etc.) influenced D'Angelo's decision to finally release BM, he couldn't have chosen a better time. On "The Charade", D'Angelo sings "Crawling through a systematic maze, And it pains to demise, Pain in our eyes, Strain of drownin', wading into your lies". Poignant lyrics that probably won't inspire hope in the way that a straight-forward, lift-your-spirits type of song could, but it's an honest record that says to the listener, "I feel how you feel, and I'm frustrated too". That genuine, empathetic, I-am-one-of-you connection with listeners may be equally as important as a record like "Happy" in times like these. On "Till It's Done (Tutu)", D concisely addresses the issue of global warming, "Carbon pollution is heating up the air..." while cleverly forcing the listener to ask themselves, "Do we really know? Do we even care?". The beauty of BM is that even during it's heavier moments, the music is still pleasant, even beautiful enough to keep the album upbeat and listenable. But this is no "What's Going On?". D'Angelo made a name for himself creating gorgeous love songs that women absolutely love, and songs that men try, in vain, to sing to their women. He doesn't disappoint on this record, reminding us that he's one of the Greatest of all-time when it comes to crooning to the ladies. On "Really Love", D romances his lady "When you look at me, I open up instantly, I fall in love so quickly, ...I'm in really love with you", while also dropping some not-so-subtle sexual innuendo "All night beside you I'd lay, I love you deep when you come to my bed".
If you're a casual music fan who only rocks to music in your car or when you go to the bars and clubs, this album probably isn't for you (<--- Something a music snob would say). This is for the music fans with a true appreciation for musical experimentation and elite creativity and musicality (<--- also something a music snob would say). Acoustic drums, guitars, bass and pianos are mixed in well with keyboards and in some cases, electric guitars to give us a truly beautiful musical experience. Listening from your computer or laptop is a no-no, unless said devices are connected to headphones. Stand out tracks are "1000 Deaths" which feature amazing drumming from long-time collaborator (and informal spokesman for D'Angelo) Questlove, "The Charade", "Sugah Daddy", a song that has been heard during recent live performances, and... you know what, I'm going to stop naming tracks because that's what you do to records that have stand out tracks and filler tracks to complement them. This record was created to be greater as a whole than the sum of it's parts. If your still reading this, thanks. But cop this record and listen for yourself already! Lol... One Love.