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Brown Sugar

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work

Brown Sugar is D'Angelo's debut, released in 1995 by EMI. The singer from Richmond, Virginia, began work on the first songs as early as the early 1990s at his mother's home with a four-track recorder and a keyboard. The recording followed in 1994 and 1995 in New York and in Sacramento, in Raphael Saadiq's studio. Unlike in the R&B of the time he used no famous producers: he wrote, played, arranged and produced most of it himself, with Prince as his example.

The sound combines gospel, soul and funk with hip hop beats. Fender Rhodes and Hammond organ carry the songs, with a tight bass and a seductive falsetto. Brown Sugar has the most hip hop in it, Cruisin' is a reworking of a Smokey Robinson hit and Higher closes with a choir of overdubbed voices. Critics praised the record as a turning point for neo soul, a term coined by manager Kedar Massenburg shortly after its success.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Higher, the closing track. Notice how the organ, together with a choir of D'Angelo's own layered voices, builds a gospel-like sound.

Track list

  1. 1Brown Sugar4:22Apple Music ↗
  2. 2Alright5:13Apple Music ↗
  3. 3Jonz in My Bonz5:55Apple Music ↗
  4. 4Me and Those Dreamin' Eyes of Mine4:46Apple Music ↗
  5. 5Shit, Damn, Motherfucker5:14Apple Music ↗
  6. 6Smooth4:21Apple Music ↗
  7. 7Cruisin'6:25Apple Music ↗
  8. 8When We Get By5:45Apple Music ↗
  9. 9Lady5:46Apple Music ↗
  10. 10Higher5:27Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗

Categories: Albums and songs