D'Angelo - Black Messiah

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Label: RCA
Genre: Funk, R&B
Year: 2014
Recommended by: Alura Henry

This is album is funky, and great. It was universally loved by critics, commercially successful, and again it's great. D'Angelo wanted to release it in 2015, but RCA wanted it for 2014. Either way it was going to be the best album released that year. 

Politically charged, wonderfully orchestrated, and incredibly soulful Black Messiah succeed at everything it attempts and then some. It's really a joy to listen to, but where it succeed is indescribable. A feeling of synchronicity with everything seems to creep in. All problems are yours, but the solutions are there as well.

 

TLC - CrazySexyCool

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Label: LaFace, Arista
Year: 1994
Genre: R&B
Recommending Person: Sarah Sherry

Everyone knows Waterfalls, but this album also had Creep and Red Light Special as successful singles from the Album. I am glad that current Albums have dropped the Interludes and skits from their records. I'm unsure who decided those are necessary, but I'm glad they have pretty much been eradicated. And now for all TLC references in "The Other Guys".

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