Neo-Soul Master D'Angelo Revisits Chiseled Heights

We can’t promise that D’Angelo — the erstwhile neo-soul hit-smith turned chubby cautionary tale — has regained his former hearts-fluttering form. But no matter — this stacked, two-disc best-of hearkens back to his chiseled heights as minimalist R&B master, who made us putty with his gently plucked near-whispered croons. His J Records comeback album, very tenuously scheduled for next year, will be hard-pressed to out-sexy the tinkling jazz piano and sensual oohs and ahhs on classics like “Smooth.”