novellahoffer
@novellahoffer
Taste Snapshot
Microgenre map and listening fingerprint
Top artists
D’Angelo · Erykah Badu · Lucio Battisti · Thelonious Monk
Top styles
funk / soul · contemporary r&b · italian pop · progressive rock · folk rock · funk soul
funk / soul + contemporary r&b + italian pop listener
Rest in Peace, genius. Another Soulquarian giving birth to a milestone, in that 2000's Village. This is what they mean when they say you can be sensual but not sexual! The elegance, refinement, but also grounded sincerity of Voodoo are what made D'Angelo redefine soul as an entire genre.
As my good friend said to me when we listened to this after a dinner party "Monk plays like he's falling down some stairs". I do have a favourite in this one, and it's Blue Monk. His technique was still quite polished here, but you can definitely already feel the clumsy genius taking over and redefining jazz. Of all the cats that played in New York in the 50's, Thelonious Monk is the one that truly makes me smell the smokey, alcohol infused, jazz-club air. This recording in particular is brilliant, also because of the harmony of the trio. Bass, drums and piano never sounded better.
As an Italian, my experience of this album is arguably more complete than a non Italian speaker. Nevertheless, this album is Lucio Battisti's peak, in my opinion. The musical genius of his entire work comes out here with a unique intensity. The ancestral use of drums, the lyrics and his guitar skills paint a perfect picture of Italy in the 70's.
"How good it is..." Simply sensational. As an avant-garde miracle, this gem came out of Electric Lady Studios in 2000 to bless an entire generation, and more... I was quite young when I first listened, and as a newly devoted Erykah Badu fan, I had to go and read the whole history of it... I truly believe the Soulquarians wouldn't have been complete without Erykah, and that the sound and poetry of Mama's Gun have a spiritual power, one that really takes you to that recording session in the Village, with Erykah, Questlove, J Dillla and D'Angelo. But history lessons aside, there really is something that moves me about this piece; the perfect blend between jazz and rock, the lyricism, and the flow between songs constellate the album with flawless elements. And what about that voice! Thank you Erykah!