It’s here! The latest episode of the Bloomsbury Academic Podcast features Faith Pennick (@FaithPennick), author of D’Angelo’s Voodoo, discussing the legacy of the acclaimed 2000 album that skirts all definitive labels.
With not one song under four minutes in length, Voodoo takes its time. It is a leisurely paced work of art backed by a steady beat that does not waver, while lyrics like “And I hoped by chance I’d see you once again / I’d love to kiss your lips, baby, once again” (“One Mo’Gin”) and “I need someone to hold me / Bring me back to life before I’m dead” (“The Root”) reveal dynamic emotions. Pennick suggests that this well of emotion is reflective of the artist’s own life.
A standout on the album is D’Angelo’s cover of “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” originally recorded by soul artist Robert Flack in 1974. It’s steamy and sultry and everything you’d want it to be.
If Voodoo cannot be contained with a singular label – soul, rock, jazz, gospel, hip-hop, or Afrobeat – then it can be celebrated for embracing all of these styles. Faith Pennick lends us her insight into the artist and album, and you can listen now!
