Prince | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Few artists have created a body of work as rich and varied as Prince. During the 80s, he emerged as one of the most singular talents of the rock & roll era, capable of seamlessly tying together pop, funk, folk, and rock. Not only did he release a series of groundbreaking albums; he toured frequently, produced albums, wrote songs for many other artists, and recorded hundreds of songs that still lie unreleased in his vaults. With each album he released, Prince showed remarkable stylistic growth and musical diversity, constantly experimenting with different sounds, textures, and genres. Occasionally, his music was inconsistent, in part because of his eclecticism, but his experiments frequently succeeded; no other contemporary artist blended so many diverse styles into a cohesive whole. Princes first two albums were solid, if unremarkable, late-70s funk-pop. With 1980s Dirty Mind, he recorded his first masterpiece, a one-man tour de force of sex and music; it was hard funk, catchy Beatlesque melodies, sweet soul ballads, and rocking guitar pop all at once. The follow-up, Controversy, was more of the same, but 1999 was brilliant. The album was a monster hit, selling over three million copies, but it was nothing compared to 1984s Purple Rain. Purple Rain made Prince a superstar; it eventually sold over ten million copies in the U.S. and spent 24 weeks at number one. Partially recorded with his touring band the Revolution, the record featured the most pop-oriented music he has ever made. Instead of continuing in this accessible direction, he veered off into the bizarre psycho-psychedelia of Around the World in a Day, which nevertheless sold over two million copies. In 1986, he released the even stranger Parade, which was in its own way as ambitious and intricate as any art rock of the 60s; however, no art rock was ever grounded with a hit as brilliant as the spare funk of "Kiss." By 1987, Princes ambitions were growing by leaps and bounds, resulting in the sprawling masterpiece Sign O the Times. Prince was set to release the hard funk of The Black Album by the end of the year, but he withdrew it just before its release, deciding it was too dark and immoral. Instead, he released the confused Lovesexy in 1988, which was a commercial disaster. With the soundtrack to 1989s Batman he returned to the top of the charts, even if the album was essentially a recap of everything he had done before. The following year he released Graffiti Bridge (the sequel to Purple Rain), which turned out to be a considerable commercial disappointment. In 1991, Prince formed the New Power Generation, the best, most versatile, and talented band he had ever assembled. With their first album, Diamonds and Pearls, Prince reasserted his mastery of contemporary R&B; it was his biggest hit since 1985. The following year, he released his 12th album, which was titled with a cryptic symbol; in 1993, Prince legally changed his name to the symbol. In 1994, after becoming embroiled in contract disagreements with Warner Bros., he independently released the single "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World," likely to illustrate what he would be capable of on his own; the song became his biggest hit in years. Later that summer, Warner released the somewhat halfhearted Come under the name of Prince; the record was a moderate success, going gold. In November 1994, as part of a contractual obligation, Prince agreed to the official release of The Black Album. In early 1995, he immersed himself in another legal battle with Warner, proclaiming himself a slave and refusing to deliver his new record, The Gold Experience, for release. By the end of the summer, a fed-up Warner had negotiated a compromise that guaranteed the albums release, plus one final record for the label. The Gold Experience was issued in the fall; although it received good reviews and followed a smash single, it failed to catch fire commercially. In the summer of 1996, Prince released Chaos & Disorder, which freed him to become an independent artist. Setting up his own label, NPG (which was distributed by EMI), he resurfaced later that same year with the three-disc Emancipation, which was designed as a magnum opus that would spin off singles for several years and support several tours. However, even his devoted cult following needed considerable time to digest such an enormous compilation of songs. Once it was clear that Emancipation wasnt the commercial blockbuster hed hoped it would be, Prince assembled a long-awaited collection of outtakes and unreleased material called Crystal Ball in 1998. With Crystal Ball, Prince discovered that its much more difficult to get records to an audience than it seems; some fans who pre-ordered their copies through Princes website (from which a bonus fifth disc was included) didnt receive them until months after the set began appearing in stores. Prince then released a new one-man album, New Power Soul, just three months after Crystal Ball; even though it was his most straightforward album since Diamonds and Pearls, it didnt do well on the charts, partly because many listeners didnt realize it had been released. A year later, with "1999" predictably an end-of-the-millennium anthem, Prince issued the remix collection 1999 (The New Master). A collection of Warner Bros.-era leftovers, Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale, followed that summer, and in the fall Prince returned on Arista with the all-star Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic. In the fall of 2001 he released the controversial Rainbow Children, a jazz-infused circus of sound trumpeting his conversion to the Jehovahs Witnesses that left many longtime fans out in the cold. He further isolated himself with 2003s N.E.W.S., a four-song set of instrumental jams that sounded a lot more fun to play than to listen to. Prince rebounded in 2003 with the chart-topping Musicology, a return to form that found the artist back in the Top Ten, even garnering a Grammy nomination for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance in 2005. In early 2006 he was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live, performing two songs with a new protégée, R&B; singer Tamar. A four-song appearance at the Brit Awards with Wendy, Lisa, and Sheila E. followed. Both appearances previewed tracks from 3121, which hit number one on the album charts soon after its release in March 2006. Planet Earth followed in 2007, featuring contributions from Wendy and Lisa. In the U.K., copies were cover-mounted on the July 15 edition of The Mail on Sunday, provoking Columbia -- the worldwide distributor for the release -- to refuse distribution throughout the U.K. In the U.S., the album was issued on July 24. LotusFlow3r, a three-disc set, arrived in 2009, featuring a trio of distinct albums: LotusFlow3r itself (a guitar showcase), MPLSound (a throwback to his 80s funk output), and Elixer (a smooth contemporary R&B; album featuring the breathy vocals of Bria Valente). Despite only being available online and through one big-box retailer, the set debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart. A year later, another throwback-flavored effort, 20Ten, became his second U.K. newspaper giveaway. No official online edition of the album was made available. From mid-2010 to the end of 2012, Prince toured throughout Europe, America, Europe again, Canada, and Australia. During 2013, he released several singles, starting with "Screwdriver" and continuing with "Breakfast Can Wait" in the summer of that year. Early in 2014, he made a cameo appearance on the Zooey Deschanel sitcom The New Girl, appearing in the episode that aired following the Super Bowl. All this activity was a prelude to the spring announcement that Prince had re-signed to Warner Bros., the label he had feuded with 20 years prior. As part of the deal, he wound up receiving ownership of his master recordings, and the label planned a reissue campaign that would begin with an expanded reissue of Purple Rain roughly timed to celebrate its 30th anniversary. First came two new albums: Art Official Age and PlectrumElectrum, the latter credited to 3rdEyeGirl, the all-female power trio that was his new-millennial backing band. Both records came out on the same day in September 2014. Almost a year to the day, he released HITnRUN: Phase One, with contributions from Lianne La Havas, Judith Hill, and Rita Ora. A sequel, HITnRUN: Phase Two, was released online in December 2015, with a physical release following in January 2016. In early 2016, Prince set out on a rare solo tour, a run of shows he called "Piano and a Microphone." The tour was cut short in April due to sickness, however, and Prince flew home to Minneapolis. On April 21, 2016, police were called to Paisley Park, where they found Prince unresponsive; he died that day at the age of 57. On June 2, 2016, his death was ruled by the Anoka Countys Midwest Medical Examiners Office to be the result of an accidental overdose of fentanyl. His early death and incredible achievement prompted an outpouring of emotion from fans, friends, influences, and professional associates. On the following weeks Billboard charts, he occupied four of the Top Ten album positions and four of the top singles positions. As the particulars of his estate were sorted out by the courts -- the singer didnt leave a will, which complicated matters -- his Paisley Park complex opened to the public in the autumn of 2016. That holiday season, NPG and Warner released 4Ever, a double-disc hits collection that contained the unreleased 1982 outtake "Moonbeam Levels." Upon its November 22, 2016 release, it debuted at 35 on Billboards Top 200. The long-promised expanded reissue of Purple Rain appeared in June of 2017, featuring a discs worth of previously unreleased music from Princes vaults. Anthology: 1995-2010, a double-disc compilation of highlights from Princes latter-day recordings, appeared in August 2018 in conjunction with the digital re-release of his post-Warner catalog; it was part of a deal with Sony Legacy, which also masterminded physical reissues of these latter-day records in the subsequent years. The archival Piano & A Microphone 1983 appeared in September 2018. The next major reissue was Originals, a collection of Princes original versions of 15 songs he gave to other artists. Featuring his versions of "Manic Monday," "Nothing Compares 2 You," "Jungle Love" and "The Glamorous Life," Originals arrived in June of 2019. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 32 Title: For You Released: 1978 Tracks: 9 Duration: 33:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 For You (01:07) 2 In Love (03:37) 3 Soft and Wet (03:03) 4 Crazy You (02:17) 5 Just as Long as We’re Together (06:24) 6 Baby (03:10) 7 My Love Is Forever (04:11) 8 So Blue (04:30) 9 I’m Yours (05:01) |
| For You : Allmusic album Review : On his debut album, For You, Prince shows exceptional skill for arranging and performing mainstream urban R&B and funk, but his songwriting remains conventional. Only on the mildly racy "Soft and Wet" does he demonstrate a personal touch, but the song is still more of a promise than a fulfillment. While For You isnt a bad record, it is merely a pleasant one, and it offers very little indication of his staggering talents. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 32 Title: Prince Released: 1979 Tracks: 9 Duration: 40:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 I Wanna Be Your Lover (05:49) 2 Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad? (03:49) 3 Sexy Dancer (04:18) 4 When Were Dancing Close and Slow (05:23) 5 With You (04:00) 6 Bambi (04:22) 7 Still Waiting (04:15) 8 I Feel for You (03:24) 9 Its Gonna Be Lonely (05:27) |
| Prince : Allmusic album Review : Expanding the urban R&B and funk approach of his debut, Prince is a considerably more accomplished record than his first effort, featuring the first signs of his adventurous, sexy signature sound. Although the album is still rather uneven, a handful of songs rank as classics. "I Wanna Be Your Lover" is excellent lite funk and "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" is a wonderful soulful plea, but "I Feel for You," a sexy slice of urban R&B with a strong pop melody, is the true masterpiece of Prince, indicating the major breakthroughs of his next album, Dirty Mind. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 32 Title: Dirty Mind Released: 1980 Tracks: 8 Duration: 30:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Dirty Mind (04:14) 2 When You Were Mine (03:44) 3 Do It All Night (03:42) 4 Gotta Broken Heart Again (02:16) 5 Uptown (05:32) 6 Head (04:44) 7 Sister (01:31) 8 Partyup (04:24) |
| Dirty Mind : Allmusic album Review : Neither For You nor Prince was adequate preparation for the full-blown masterpiece of Princes third album, Dirty Mind. Recorded in his home studio, with Prince playing nearly every instrument, Dirty Mind is a stunning, audacious amalgam of funk, new wave, R&B, and pop, fueled by grinningly salacious sex and the desire to shock. Where other pop musicians suggested sex in lewd double-entendres, Prince left nothing to hide -- before its release, no other rock or funk record was ever quite as explicit as Dirty Mind, with its gleeful tales of oral sex, threesomes, and even incest. Certainly, it opened the doors for countless sexually explicit albums, but to reduce its impact to mere profanity is too reductive -- the music of Dirty Mind is as shocking as its graphic language, bending styles and breaking rules with little regard for fixed genres. Basing the album on a harder, rock-oriented beat more than before, Prince tries everything -- theres pure new wave pop ("When You Were Mine"), soulful crooning ("Gotta Broken Heart Again"), robotic funk ("Dirty Mind"), rock & roll ("Sister"), sultry funk ("Head," "Do It All Night"), and relentless dance jams ("Uptown," "Partyup"), all in the space of half an hour. Its a breathtaking, visionary album, and its fusion of synthesizers, rock rhythms, and funk set the style for much of the urban soul and funk of the early 80s. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 32 Title: Controversy Released: 1981 Tracks: 8 Duration: 37:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Controversy (07:16) 2 Sexuality (04:21) 3 Do Me, Baby (07:43) 4 Private Joy (04:37) 5 Ronnie, Talk to Russia (01:51) 6 Let’s Work (03:53) 7 Annie Christian (04:23) 8 Jack U Off (03:08) |
| Controversy : Allmusic album Review : Controversy continues in the same vein of new wave-tinged funk on Dirty Mind, emphasizing Princes fascination with synthesizers and synthesizing disparate pop music genres. It is also more ambitious than its predecessor, attempting to tackle social protest ("Controversy," "Ronnie, Talk to Russia," "Annie Christian") along with sex songs ("Jack U Off," "Sexuality"), and it tries hard to bring funk to a rock audience and vice versa. Even with all of Princes ambitions, the music on Controversy doesnt represent a significant breakthrough from Dirty Mind, and it is often considerably less catchy and memorable. Nevertheless, Princes talents as musician make the record enjoyable, even if it isnt as compelling as most of his catalog. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 32 Title: 1999 Released: 1982-10-27 Tracks: 11 Duration: 1:10:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 1999 (06:16) 2 Little Red Corvette (05:03) 3 Delirious (04:00) 4 Let’s Pretend We’re Married (07:21) 5 D.M.S.R. (08:17) 6 Automatic (09:28) 7 Something in the Water (Does Not Compute) (04:02) 8 Free (05:08) 9 Lady Cab Driver (08:19) 10 All the Critics Love U in New York (05:59) 11 International Lover (06:37) |
| 1999 : Allmusic album Review : With Dirty Mind, Prince had established a wild fusion of funk, rock, new wave, and soul that signaled he was an original, maverick talent, but it failed to win him a large audience. After delivering the sound-alike album, Controversy, Prince revamped his sound and delivered the double album 1999. Where his earlier albums had been a fusion of organic and electronic sounds, 1999 was constructed almost entirely on synthesizers by Prince himself. Naturally, the effect was slightly more mechanical and robotic than his previous work and strongly recalled the electro-funk experiments of several underground funk and hip-hop artists at the time. Prince had also constructed an album dominated by computer funk, but he didnt simply rely on the extended instrumental grooves to carry the album -- he didnt have to when his songwriting was improving by leaps and bounds. The first side of the record contained all of the hit singles, and, unsurprisingly, they were the ones that contained the least amount of electronics. "1999" parties to the apocalypse with a P-Funk groove much tighter than anything George Clinton ever did, "Little Red Corvette" is pure pop, and "Delirious" takes rockabilly riffs into the computer age. After that opening salvo, all the rules go out the window -- "Lets Pretend Were Married" is a salacious extended lust letter, "Free" is an elegiac anthem, "All the Critics Love U in New York" is a vicious attack at hipsters, and "Lady Cab Driver," with its notorious bridge, is the culmination of all of his sexual fantasies. Sure, Prince stretches out a bit too much over the course of 1999, but the result is a stunning display of raw talent, not wallowing indulgence. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 32 Title: Around the World in a Day Released: 1985-04-16 Tracks: 9 Duration: 42:31 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Around the World in a Day (03:28) 2 Paisley Park (04:42) 3 Condition of the Heart (06:48) 4 Raspberry Beret (03:33) 5 Tamborine (02:47) 6 America (03:42) 7 Pop Life (03:42) 8 The Ladder (05:29) 9 Temptation (08:18) |
| Around the World in a Day : Allmusic album Review : Purple Rain made Prince sound like he could do anything, but it still didnt prepare even his most fervent fans for the insular psychedelia of Around the World in a Day. Prince had made his interior world sound fascinating and utopian on Purple Rain, but Around the World in a Day is filled with cryptic religious imagery, bizarre mysticism, and confounding metaphors which were drenched in heavily processed guitars, shimmering keyboards, grandiose strings, and layers of vocals. As an album, the record is a bit impenetrable, requiring great demands of the listener, but individual songs do shine through: "Raspberry Beret" is a brilliant piece of neo-psychedelia with an indelible chorus, "Pop Life" is a snide swipe at stardom that emphasizes Princes outsider status, "Condition of the Heart" is a fine ballad, "America" is a good funk jam, "Paisley Park" is heavy and slightly frightening guitar psychedelia, while the title track is a sunny, kaleidoscopic pastiche of Magical Mystery Tour. The problem is, only a handful of the songs have much substance outside of their detailed production and intoxicating performances, and the album has a creepy sense of paranoia that is eventually its undoing. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 32 Title: Black Album Released: 1987 Tracks: 8 Duration: 44:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Le Grind (06:44) 2 Cindy C. (06:15) 3 Dead on It (04:37) 4 When 2 R in Love (03:59) 5 Bob George (05:36) 6 Superfunkycalifragisexy (05:55) 7 2 Nigs United 4 West Compton (07:01) 8 Rockhard in a Funky Place (04:31) |
 | Album: 8 of 32 Title: Sign “☮︎” the Times Released: 1987-03-30 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:19:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Sign “☮” the Times (04:57) 2 Play in the Sunshine (05:05) 3 Housequake (04:42) 4 The Ballad of Dorothy Parker (04:01) 5 It (05:10) 6 Starfish and Coffee (02:50) 7 Slow Love (04:22) 8 Hot Thing (05:39) 9 Forever in My Life (03:31) 1 U Got the Look (03:47) 2 If I Was Your Girlfriend (05:01) 3 Strange Relationship (04:01) 4 I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man (06:29) 5 The Cross (04:48) 6 It’s Gonna Be a Beautiful Night (09:01) 7 Adore (06:30) |
| Sign “☮︎” the Times : Allmusic album Review : Fearless, eclectic, and defiantly messy, Princes Sign O the Times falls into the tradition of tremendous, chaotic double albums like The Beatles, Exile on Main St., and London Calling -- albums that are fantastic because of their overreach, their great sprawl. Prince shows nearly all of his cards here, from bare-bones electro-funk and smooth soul to pseudo-psychedelic pop and crunching hard rock, touching on gospel, blues, and folk along the way. This was the first album Prince recorded without the Revolution since 1982s 1999 (the band does appear on the in-concert rave-up, "Its Gonna Be a Beautiful Night"), and he sounds liberated, diving into territory merely suggested on Around the World in a Day and Parade. While the music overflows with generous spirit, these are among the most cryptic, insular songs hes ever written. Many songs are left over from the aborted triple album Crystal Ball and the abandoned Camille project, a Prince alter ego personified by scarily sped-up tapes on "If I Was Your Girlfriend," the most disarming and bleak psycho-sexual song Prince ever wrote, as well as the equally chilling "Strange Relationship." These fraying relationships echo in the social chaos Prince writes about throughout the album. Apocalyptic imagery of drugs, bombs, empty sex, abandoned babies and mothers, and AIDS pop up again and again, yet he balances the despair with hope, whether its God, love, or just having a good time. In its own roundabout way, Sign O the Times is the sound of the late 80s -- its the sound of the good times collapsing and how all that doubt and fear can be ignored if you just dance those problems away. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 32 Title: Lovesexy Released: 1988-05-06 Tracks: 9 Duration: 45:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Eye No (05:46) 2 Alphabet St. (05:39) 3 Glam Slam (05:06) 4 Anna Stesia (04:58) 5 Dance On (03:44) 6 Lovesexy (05:47) 7 When 2 R in Love (04:00) 8 I Wish U Heaven (02:43) 9 Positivity (07:17) |
| Lovesexy : Allmusic album Review : Its nearly impossible to judge Lovesexy as anything but a hastily assembled substitute for the withdrawn Black Album, which does the record a disservice. An exactingly sequenced song cycle -- the compact disc didnt have index markings to separate the individual tracks -- Lovesexy is quite a different record than not only The Black Album, but anything else Prince had recorded. Where Dirty Mind was single-minded in its lust, Lovesexy connects the carnal with spiritual, and the calmness of the music reflects this outlook. Even when the record dips into hard funk, such as on the title track or the single "Alphabet Street," theres a relaxed, casual quality to the music that is shocking after the dense paranoia of Parade, Sign o the Times, and The Black Album. Prince intends to enter a new phase of maturity with such considered music and ambitious lyrical themes, but neither his music nor his lyrics are consistently well stated over the course of the album. A handful of tracks are worthwhile -- the sappy ballad "When 2 R in Love," the moving "I Wish U Heaven," the weird psychedelia of "Anna Stesia" and "Glam Slam," as well as the wonderful "Alphabet Street" -- but Lovesexy is his weakest album since Controversy. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 32 Title: Diamonds and Pearls Released: 1991-09-27 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:05:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Thunder (05:46) 2 Daddy Pop (05:17) 3 Diamonds and Pearls (04:45) 4 Cream (04:13) 5 Strollin’ (03:47) 6 Willing and Able (05:00) 7 Gett Off (04:31) 8 Walk Don’t Walk (03:07) 9 Jughead (04:57) 10 Money Don’t Matter 2 Night (04:46) 11 Push (05:53) 12 Insatiable (06:39) 13 Live 4 Love (06:59) |
| Diamonds and Pearls : Allmusic album Review : Prince spent the latter half of the 80s courting the pop audience, and by the time of Graffiti Bridge, he had lost much of his R&B fan base. As a response, he formed the New Power Generation and recorded Diamonds and Pearls, his first record to reconnect with the urban audience since 1999, as well as his first to acknowledge the hip-hop revolution. Although he still has a problem with rap -- "Jughead" is simply embarrassing -- he manages to skillfully reinvent himself as an urban soulman without sacrificing his musical innovation. The New Power Generation is a more skilled band than the Revolution, and they are able to make Princes funk jazzier, particularly on "Willing and Able," the breezy "Strollin" and "Walk Dont Walk." Its clear that these subtly textured songs are where his heart is at, but the songs designed to win back his audience -- the slamming dancefloor rallying cry "Gett Off," the sexy T. Rex groove "Cream," the extraordinary Philly soul of the neglected masterpiece "Money Dont Matter 2 Night," and the drippy mainstream ballad "Diamonds and Pearls" -- are all terrific pop singles. However, much of the rest of Diamonds and Pearls is comprised of middling funk and R&B that sounds less like inspired workouts than stylistic exercises. Even with such weak moments, Diamonds and Pearls is a fine record, even though its only marginally better than Lovesexy and Graffiti Bridge. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 32 Title: Symbol Album Released: 1992-10-13 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:14:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 My Name Is Prince (06:39) 2 Sexy M.F. (05:26) 3 Love 2 the 9’s (05:45) 4 The Morning Papers (03:57) 5 The Max (04:31) 6 Segue (00:21) 7 Blue Light (04:38) 8 I Wanna Melt With U (03:50) 9 Sweet Baby (04:01) 10 The Continental (05:31) 11 Damn U (04:25) 12 Arrogance (01:35) 13 The Flow (02:26) 14 7 (05:10) 15 And God Created Woman (03:18) 16 3 Chains o’ Gold (06:03) 17 Segue (01:30) 18 The Sacrifice of Victor (05:41) |
| Symbol Album : Allmusic album Review : The New Power Generation is the most talented and versatile band Prince has ever fronted, and they fulfill their potential on The Love Symbol Album. Although the NPG factored heavily on Diamonds and Pearls, it still sounded like a solo Prince album. Symbol sounds like a band performing together, working off of each others strengths and weaknesses. Opening with the dance smash "My Name Is Prince" and the deep funk of "Sexy M.F.," The Love Symbol Album has Princes best dance tracks since The Black Album. But Prince wasnt content; he decided to run the gamut of modern pop/R&B/dance, and the music is uniformly accomplished and excellent. Unfortunately, he also decided to make a "rock soap opera," so the music is saddled with ridiculous lyrics and annoying sound bridges by Kirstie Alley. However, The Love Symbol Album has some of the finest, most inventive music of Princes career. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 32 Title: Come Released: 1994-08-02 Tracks: 10 Duration: 48:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Come (11:13) 2 Space (04:28) 3 Pheromone (05:08) 4 Loose! (03:26) 5 Papa (02:48) 6 Race (04:28) 7 Dark (06:10) 8 Solo (03:48) 9 Letitgo (05:32) 10 Orgasm (01:39) |
| Come : Allmusic album Review : Released after Prince announced his retirement and his intention of never using the name "Prince" again, Come is something of a surprise: an album of reportedly all new material, released by "Prince," not "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince." After listening to Come, its purpose becomes clear -- its a record fulfilling a contract, nothing more and nothing less. Some of the songs are good, but theres nothing on Come that Prince hasnt done before; he even sounds bored on certain tracks. On top of that, the album has no obvious singles, making it a nightmare to sell. Not surprisingly, the album flopped. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 32 Title: Symbolic Beginning Released: 1995 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:23:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Just Another Sucker (05:18) 2 If You Feel Like Dancin’ (07:09) 3 Lovin’ Cup (04:22) 4 Games (05:00) 5 Dance to the Music of the World (05:07) 6 One Man Jam (06:14) 1 If You See Me (05:42) 2 Games (original version) (03:41) 3 I’ll Always Love You (03:54) 4 Better Than You Think (04:32) 5 If We Don’t (04:11) 6 You Can Be My Teacher (04:08) 7 Love, Love, Love (03:54) 8 Dance to the Music of the World (practice session) (06:05) 9 If You See Me (instrumental) (05:40) 10 Games (instrumental) (03:41) 11 Better Than You Think (instrumental) (04:30) |
 | Album: 14 of 32 Title: The Gold Experience Released: 1995-04-26 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:05:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 P Control (05:59) 2 NPG Operator (00:11) 3 Endorphinmachine (04:06) 4 Shhh (07:17) 5 We March (04:49) 6 NPG Operator (00:17) 7 The Most Beautiful Girl in the World (04:25) 8 Dolphin (04:59) 9 NPG Operator (00:19) 10 Now (04:30) 11 NPG Operator (00:31) 12 319 (03:05) 13 NPG Operator (00:09) 14 Shy (05:03) 15 Billy Jack Bitch (05:31) 16 I Hate U (05:53) 17 NPG Operator (00:44) 18 Gold (07:22) |
| The Gold Experience : Allmusic album Review : Prince changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol in 1993, but it wasnt until 1995 that he actually released a record credited to that symbol. During those two years, he released a greatest-hits collection, an official version of his much-bootlegged Black Album, and a final Prince album, the lackluster Come. Throughout 1994, he pressured Warner to release another album, The Gold Experience, but the company refused and he staged a public protest in the media, calling himself a slave to the label. By the summer of 1995, the artist and the company had made amends and the record was released in the fall. In a way, The Gold Experience lives up to the manufactured hype created while it languished on the shelf. More of a creative rebirth than a change in direction, the record finds Prince and the New Power Generation running through a typically dazzling array of musical styles, subtly twisting new sounds out of familiar forms. Much like The Love Symbol Album, it follows a loose concept, interweaving a variety of pop, funk, rock, soul, and jazz styles into a vague story. Song for song, The Gold Experience is slightly stronger than its predecessor, as Princes melodies are more immediate, especially on the Philly soul tribute "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" and the pure pop of "Dolphin." Also, the bands performance is lively and confident, bringing an effortless virtuosity to funk workouts ("P Control"), and fuzzed-out rockers ("Endorphinmachine"), as well as ballads like "Eye Hate U." The Gold Experience is somewhat weighed down by interludes that attempt to further the story but wind up interrupting the flow of the music, yet that doesnt stop the album from being Princes most satisfying effort since Sign O the Times. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 32 Title: Chaos and Disorder Released: 1996-07-09 Tracks: 11 Duration: 39:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Chaos and Disorder (04:19) 2 I Like It There (03:15) 3 Dinner With Delores (02:46) 4 The Same December (03:24) 5 Right the Wrong (04:39) 6 Zannalee (02:43) 7 I Rock, Therefore I Am (06:15) 8 Into the Light (02:46) 9 I Will (03:36) 10 Dig U Better Dead (03:59) 11 Had U (01:26) |
| Chaos and Disorder : Allmusic album Review : Like Come before it, Chaos and Disorder is a contractual obligation album for Prince, a way to get himself out of his contract with Warner Brothers. Unlike Come, Chaos and Disorder doesnt sound disjointed and pasted together -- its a fun, offhanded throwaway. For the first time since 1987s Sign O the Times, Prince has made a pop/rock album, complete with squealing guitars and sighing melodies. None of the songs qualify as major songs in Princes canon, but thats part of the records charm -- Prince sounds like hes having a good time, and he could really care less what anyone else has to say. Or, as he puts it in one of the albums best and most careening tracks, "I Rock, Therefore I Am." Chaos and Disorder sounds immediate, like the songs were recorded the same day they were written. While that might mean theres a handful of throwaways scattered throughout the album, there are wonderful moments like the stuttering jazz-funk of "Dig U Better Dead," the scathing "Had U," the psychedelic clashes of the title track, the heavy rock of "I Like It There," and the beautiful "Dinner With Delores," a rough gem that ranks as one of Princes simplest and most charming singles of the 90s. So, Chaos and Disorder isnt Princes best or most important work, but it is a really fun listen, especially if youre willing to accept it as what it is -- a record that does nothing more than rock. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 32 Title: Emancipation Released: 1996-11-15 Tracks: 36 Duration: 3:00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Jam of the Year (06:10) 2 Right Back Here in My Arms (04:43) 3 Somebodys Somebody (04:43) 4 Get Yo Groove On (06:31) 5 Courtin Time (02:46) 6 Betcha by Golly Wow! (03:31) 7 We Gets Up (04:18) 8 White Mansion (04:47) 9 Damned If I Do (05:21) 10 I Cant Make U Love Me (06:37) 11 Mr. Happy (04:46) 12 In This Bed I Scream (05:40) 1 Sex in the Summer (05:57) 2 One Kiss at a Time (04:41) 3 Soul Sanctuary (04:41) 4 Emale (03:38) 5 Curious Child (02:57) 6 Dreamin About U (03:52) 7 Joint 2 Joint (07:52) 8 The Holy River (06:55) 9 Lets Have a Baby (04:07) 10 Saviour (05:48) 11 The Plan (01:47) 12 Friend, Lover, Sister, Mother/Wife (07:37) 1 Slave (04:51) 2 New World (03:43) 3 The Human Body (05:42) 4 Face Down (03:17) 5 La, La, La Means I Love U (03:59) 6 Style (06:40) 7 Sleep Around (07:42) 8 Da, Da, Da (05:15) 9 My Computer (04:37) 10 One of Us (05:19) 11 The Love We Make (04:39) 12 Emancipation (04:12) |
| Emancipation : Allmusic album Review : Emancipation was a critical moment for Prince, one that he designed as an artistic rebirth and, optimistically, as a commercial comeback. In a typically perverse fashion, Prince decided to make the album a triple-disc set running exactly three hours, easily making it the longest album of all-new original material ever released by a popular artist. As the first album he released since leaving Warner Brothers, Emancipation was supposed to dazzle, proving that he had not lost any of his creative skills or power. And it does dazzle, but its hard to digest a full three discs of music, even if it is almost all of high quality. Fortunately, Prince made each disc into a distinct entity in its own right, with the first being the most pop, the second being a song cycle devoted to his new marriage, and the third being a dance/funk extravaganza. Throughout all three discs, Prince tries on a variety of styles, from jazz to R&B;, but he doesnt break any new ground; instead, the album is simply reaffirmation of his strengths as a composer and a musician. Emancipation doesnt have the bristling, colorful eclecticism of Sign o the Times nor does it have the wildness of early one-man projects like 1999 or Dirty Mind, but with its gentle ballads and complex jams, it signals that Prince has evolved into middle-age gracefully. Its a mature effort, to be certain, but in this case that doesnt mean that its an album bankrupt of ideas -- it means that Princes craft continues to grow. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 32 Title: The Truth Released: 1997 Tracks: 12 Duration: 42:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Truth (03:31) 2 Dont Play Me (02:46) 3 Circle of Amore (04:40) 4 3rd Eye (04:50) 5 Dionne (03:12) 6 A Man in Uniform (03:05) 7 Animal Kingdom (04:01) 8 The Other Side of the Pillow (03:13) 9 Fascination (04:52) 10 One of Your Tears (03:25) 11 Comeback (01:58) 12 Welcome 2 the Dawn (acoustic version) (03:14) |
 | Album: 18 of 32 Title: Crystal Ball Released: 1998-01-29 Tracks: 53 Duration: 3:53:51 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Crystal Ball (10:28) 2 Dream Factory (03:07) 3 Acknowledge Me (05:27) 4 Ripopgodazippa (04:39) 5 Love Sign (Shock Gs Silky Smooth remix) (03:53) 6 Hide the Bone (05:04) 7 2morrow (04:14) 8 So Dark (05:14) 9 Movie Star (04:26) 10 Tell Me How U Wanna B Done (03:16) 1 Interactive (03:04) 2 Da Bang (03:20) 3 Calhoun Square (04:47) 4 Whats My Name? (03:04) 5 Crucial (05:06) 6 An Honest Man (01:13) 7 Sexual Suicide (03:40) 8 Cloreen Bacon Skin (15:37) 9 Good Love (04:55) 10 Strays of the World (05:07) 1 Days of Wild (Free the Slave) (09:19) 2 Last Heart (03:02) 3 Poom Poom (04:32) 4 She Gave Her Angels (03:53) 5 18 & Over (05:40) 6 The Ride (05:14) 7 Get Loose (03:31) 8 P Control (05:59) 9 Make Yo Mama Happy (04:01) 10 Goodbye (04:35) 1 The Truth (03:35) 2 Dont Play Me (02:48) 3 Circle of Amour (04:44) 4 3rd 5 Dionne (03:14) 6 Man in a Uniform (03:08) 7 Animal Kingdom (04:01) 8 The Other Side of the Pillow (03:22) 9 Fascination (04:55) 10 One of Your Tears (03:27) 11 Comeback (02:00) 12 Welcome 2 the Dawn (acoustic version) (03:18) 1 The Plan (02:02) 2 Kamasutra (11:49) 3 At Last... The Lost Is Found (03:38) 4 The Ever Changing Light (03:00) 5 Cutz (03:03) 6 Serotonin (00:46) 7 Promise/Broken (03:45) 8 Barcelona (02:17) 9 Kamasutra/Overture #8 (03:13) 10 Coincidence or Fate? (03:22) 11 Kamasutra/Eternal Embrace (04:01) |
| Crystal Ball : Allmusic album Review : As any die-hard fan knows, Crystal Ball was the triple-album set Prince had planned to release in 1987, when Warner forced him to trim it to the double album Sign O the Times. Since then, Crystal Ball had become a legendary "lost" album among Prince collectors, and many of its outtakes had circulated on bootlegs for years. So, it didnt come as a complete surprise that Prince revived the title for his own collection of outtakes, which turned out to be the first release on his independent NPG label. Any collector will quibble with the track selection, since there are literally hundreds of known Prince outtakes, and theres no way that a three-disc set could include all the best cuts. Still, this is an impressive sampler that illustrates the true depth of Princes talents. There may be no hidden masterworks on the level of "When Doves Cry," but the music here is consistently strong and compelling. As a compiler, Prince errs by favoring latter-day recordings over his 80s studio creations, but this is a minor complaint, since he has included such legendary (at least among collectors) songs as "Dream Factory," "Movie Star," "Crucial," "Sexual Suicide," "Days of Wild," and "The Ride." Prince added a full-length album, The Truth, as the fourth disc to Crystal Ball. Taken on its own terms, The Truth is a terrific little record with a similar feel to Chaos & Disorder, but with stronger material. Purportedly, its Princes acoustic album, but he uses that concept to spring into the blues, tape effects, straight-ahead pop, and soul. Its a joy to hear him work in such a structured form, since it helps him focus his ideas and deliver a tight, enjoyable pop record that offers proof he hasnt lost his gifts. | ||
 | Album: 19 of 32 Title: Newpower Soul Released: 1998-06-30 Tracks: 11 Duration: 56:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 New Power Soul (05:01) 2 Madsex (05:13) 3 Until Ure in My Arms Again (04:47) 4 When U Love Somebody (05:56) 5 Shoo-bed-ooh (03:24) 6 Push It Up! (05:29) 7 Freaks on This Side (05:42) 8 Come On (05:59) 9 The One (07:05) 10 (I Like) Funky Music (04:31) 11 Wasted Kisses (02:59) |
 | Album: 20 of 32 Title: The Vault... Old Friends 4 Sale Released: 1999-08-24 Tracks: 10 Duration: 39:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Rest of My Life (01:40) 2 Its About That Walk (04:26) 3 She Spoke 2 Me (08:20) 4 5 Women (05:13) 5 When the Lights Go Down (07:11) 6 My Little Pill (01:09) 7 There Is Lonely (02:29) 8 Old Friends 4 Sale (03:28) 9 Sarah (02:53) 10 Extraordinary (02:28) |
| The Vault... Old Friends 4 Sale : Allmusic album Review : Upon leaving Warner Brothers in 1996, Prince agreed to let the label release a collection of unreleased recordings from his legendary prodigious vaults at some point in the future. Warner unveiled that collection, unimaginatively titled The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale, in the summer of 1999. Instead of an official release for several of Princes legendary songs though, The Vault is a brief collection (under 40 minutes) of ten songs, recorded between 1985 and 1994 according to the liner notes -- though they all feel like Graffiti Bridge (or maybe Symbol) outtakes. Thats not a complaint, actually. Theres a wonderful carefree feeling to the record, heavy on jazz and light funk, constantly swinging, and nearly always engaging. Only the title track has the necessary weight to announce itself as a major addition to his official catalog, but that doesnt matter since the songs are all enjoyable. After all, its hard not to be impressed with Princes songcraft or the casually sophisticated flair to the musicianship throughout the album. That might not be what most observers expected from The Vault, but consider this -- of these ten songs, eight tracks have never been heavily bootlegged before. That means that even some hardcore followers may not have heard all of this material, which is noteworthy in itself. But the nicest thing about the compilation is that even though its a minor addition to his catalog, it holds together as an album better than Come or Chaos & Disorder, the two other Warner-era odds-and-ends collections, or even the tossed-off New Power Soul. Its an unassuming, jazzy little record thats damn near irresistible. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 32 Title: Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic Released: 1999-11-09 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:10:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic (04:19) 2 Undisputed (04:20) 3 The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (05:30) 4 Segue (00:04) 5 Hot Wit U (05:11) 6 Tangerine (01:31) 7 So Far, So Pleased (03:24) 8 The Sun, the Moon and Stars (05:15) 9 Everyday Is a Winding Road (06:12) 10 Segue (00:19) 11 Man o War (05:14) 12 Baby Knows (03:18) 13 Eye Love U, but Eye Dont Trust U Anymore (03:36) 14 Silly Game (03:30) 15 Strange But True (04:12) 16 Wherever U Go, Whatever U Do (08:50) 17 Welcome to the Dawn (Commercial) (00:43) 18 Prettyman (04:26) |
| Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic : Allmusic album Review : Clive Davis convinced Prince to record a star-studded comeback album for Arista in 1999 -- much like how he coaxed Princes idol Carlos Santana to revive his career with Supernatural. Problem is, Prince isnt willing to fully throw himself into the contemporary mainstream, as Santana did. Instead, he sticks to his guns with Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, delivering an album thats frighteningly similar to the lackluster New Power Soul, only a little slicker and better, and with cameos. Rave, like its predecessor, is stilted and canned, clearly the work of one man with guitars, synths, and a drum machine. Its shocking to hear how perfunctory most of the performances are on Rave, yet its stranger to hear Prince gunning for the pop charts. He has funk, a dash of pop, a little bit of rap, and a whole lotta ballads -- anything that could result in a crossover hit. There are a couple of cool moments on this overlong, 70-minute album and, curiously, most of those are tracks with superstar collaborators. Prince sounds committed and adventurous on these songs, whether its the electro-funk "Undisputed," which features a Chuck D rap, the harmonica-laden bluesy pop of "Baby Knows" (harmonica and harmonies by Sheryl Crow), or the utterly delightful, effervescent duet with Gwen Stefani ("So Far, So Pleased"). These songs, along with the passable funk-pop title cut and the ballads "The Sun, the Moon and Stars" and "Wherever U Go, Whatever U Do" are pretty enjoyable, yet their presence highlights how pedestrian the remainder of Rave is. Also, these are the kind of songs fanatics appreciate because of their subtleties. So, this is one for the dedicated, like every album hes made since he changed his name to a symbol. | ||
 | Album: 22 of 32 Title: The Rainbow Children Released: 2001-11-20 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:08:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Rainbow Children (10:03) 2 Muse 2 the Pharaoh (04:21) 3 Digital Garden (04:07) 4 The Work, Part 1 (04:28) 5 Everywhere (02:54) 6 The Sensual Everafter (02:58) 7 Mellow (04:24) 8 1+1+1 Is 3 (05:17) 9 Deconstruction (01:59) 10 Wedding Feast (00:54) 11 She Loves Me 4 Me (02:49) 12 Family Name (08:17) 13 The Everlasting Now (08:18) 14 Last December (07:57) |
| The Rainbow Children : Allmusic album Review : Billed as Princes most controversial album -- at least by his press agency and label -- upon its release in the fall of 2001, The Rainbow Children was arguably his most curious album to date, which isnt necessarily the same thing as controversial. It could have been controversial, thats for sure, given that it follows his conversion to the Jehovahs Witnesses and that it trumpets his faith, over the most elastic, jazziest backing music hes made. If Prince hadnt marginalized himself through his record company battles, multi-disc sets, and botched superstar comebacks, this could have been genuinely controversial, since people would be paying attention to what hes doing. As of 2001, nobody outside of the diehards -- those who sign up for the Paisley Park subscription service and those that will seek out an album like The Rainbow Children, which was initially only available through the Internet -- was really paying enough attention to listen to this record, since they were the only ones to sit through the cascade of arcania he turned out after his liberation from Warner. Since theyre so deeply immersed in this work, they would realize that musically The Rainbow Children is his most cohesive set since The Gold Experience, and the only one to really push past his traditional limits since then (which, admittedly, is still much more imaginative). And, you know, thats really too bad, because as a musical experience, this is pretty rich, demonstrating not just that Prince knows no borders, but that his music effortlessly mutates within the course of one song, perhaps drawing from his standard book of tricks -- jazz fusion, smooth soul, lite psychedelia, hard rock, and funk general weirdness -- but always sounding unpredictable and rewarding. Its too bad, then, that the very thing that inspired the album for its creator is what will turn off even those diehards that stuck with him this long, seeking out this album -- namely, its religious views. Its not that Prince has become a Jehovahs Witness -- any objective listener really wouldnt care -- but its that his message doesnt support the music and doesnt fit with the sounds or the approach; its hard to shut it out, not just because the words are so prominent, but because theyre delivered in so many different voices (most distracting of all, the electronically altered basso profundo voice last heard on the decidedly secular "Bob George"), often in short, two-minute songs. This becomes a little overwhelming about halfway through, when the opera comes in on "Wedding Feast," reminding us that this is indeed a concept album, then delving into three eight-minute jams to conclude the record. It all winds up as a bit much, but it doesnt erase the musical facts: this is Prince at his most focused and rewarding in a long time, since Emancipation really. Too bad nobody outside of the diehards cares at this point. | ||
 | Album: 23 of 32 Title: One Nite Alone Released: 2002-04-14 Tracks: 10 Duration: 35:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 One Nite Alone (03:37) 2 Ure Gonna C Me (05:16) 3 Here on Earth (03:23) 4 A Case of You (03:39) 5 Have a Heart (02:04) 6 Objects in the Mirror (03:27) 7 Avalanche (04:24) 8 Pearls B4 the Swine (03:01) 9 Young and Beautiful (02:44) 10 Arboretum (instrumental) (03:26) |
 | Album: 24 of 32 Title: N.E.W.S. Released: 2003-07-22 Tracks: 4 Duration: 56:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 North (14:00) 2 East (14:00) 3 West (14:00) 4 South (14:02) |
| N.E.W.S. : Allmusic album Review : Recorded on February 6 (presumably 2003), N-E-W-S consists of four 14-minute instrumentals, "North," "East," "West," and "South," performed by Prince on guitar, keyboards, and percussion, with Eric Leeds on baritone and tenor saxophone, John Blackwell on drums, and Rhonda Smith on acoustic and electric bass. ("North" includes string samples "courtesy of" Clare Fisher.) The seemingly improvised music ranges from funk to jazz to new age without any apparent direction or intention. There are attractive passages here and there, such as some solo piano work on "North" and Leeds warm horn playing throughout. Needless to say, this aimless studio jam is not what Prince fans are used to hearing from him, even given his eclectic and exploratory nature, and this is not the kind of album he might have been expected to deliver if he were still working for an established record company instead of putting out his own discs. But that may be the point. The listener, who will have to be a particularly rabid aficionado of all things Prince to be interested, must throw out all expectations and simply revel in the joy of hearing the musician and his cohorts experiment with relaxed musical textures for 56 minutes. Of course, no one else needs to bother. | ||
 | Album: 25 of 32 Title: The Chocolate Invasion Released: 2004-03-29 Tracks: 10 Duration: 48:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 When Eye Lay My Hands on U (03:41) 2 Judas Smile (06:33) 3 SuperCute (04:13) 4 Underneath the Cream (04:02) 5 Sexme?sexmenot (05:40) 6 Vavoom (04:35) 7 High (05:05) 8 The Dance (04:41) 9 Gamillah (03:09) 10 U Make My Sun Shine (07:04) |
 | Album: 26 of 32 Title: The Slaughterhouse Released: 2004-03-29 Tracks: 10 Duration: 55:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Silicon (04:16) 2 S&M Groove (05:09) 3 Y Should Eye Do That When Eye Can Do This? (04:33) 4 Golden Parachute (05:37) 5 Hypnoparadise (06:05) 6 PropsNPounds (04:38) 7 Northside (06:33) 8 Peace (05:34) 9 2045: Radical Man (06:36) 10 The Daisy Chain (06:12) |
 | Album: 27 of 32 Title: Musicology Released: 2004-04-19 Tracks: 12 Duration: 48:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Musicology (04:26) 2 Illusion, Coma, Pimp & Circumstance (04:48) 3 A Million Days (03:52) 4 Life O the Party (04:31) 5 Call My Name (05:18) 6 Cinnamon Girl (03:58) 7 What Do U Want Me 2 Do? (04:17) 8 The Marrying Kind (02:51) 9 If Eye Was the Man in Ur Life (03:11) 10 On the Couch (03:36) 11 Dear Mr. Man (04:15) 12 Reflection (03:03) |
| Musicology : Allmusic album Review : Princes star faded not long after he won emancipation from Warner Brothers in 1995, as he abandoned the mainstream so he could follow his whims however he liked. Which meant that he effectively started making records for nobody but himself, whether that meant triple-disc collections of new material or an all-instrumental smooth jazz album, and in short order, his fans started dwindling away to nothing but the hardcore, who themselves had their patience tried by such antics as Prince suing his own fanzine in the late 90s. It seemed that he was fated to permanently wander in the wilderness, making music for an ever more selective audience, until he suddenly decided in 2004 that he wanted to be back in the game, returning to the spotlight with acclaimed performances at the Grammys and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, announcing an all-hits tour, and releasing Musicology, his first major-label distributed album in five years. This flurry of activity suggests that Prince is treating this as an opportunity for a full-fledged comeback and, thankfully, hes seized this moment and delivered a vastly entertaining record. Unlike everything hes done since leaving Warner, Musicology doesnt alienate listeners; its tight and lean, weighing in at 12 tracks and 47 minutes, yet thats still enough room for Prince to showcase his virtuoso versatility. He tries a little everything -- down and dirty funk jams, slow sensual grooves, and, happily, he revives the psychedelic pop of the mid-80s with the deliriously catchy "Cinnamon Girl" -- but unlike on such overworked albums as Emancipation and Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, it never feels like an attempt to dazzle or a series of stylistic exercises. Thats because theres a clarity to his production -- dense, but never busy, proving once again that hes about the only musician who can make a one-man band sound as vibrant as a live nine-piece group -- and a focus to his writing that hasnt been heard in a long, long time. At its core, Musicology is essentially classicist Prince, as he makes a deliberate decision to play to all of his greatest strengths, but because its been so long that hes made a record this confident and concise, it doesnt sound like a retreat. It sounds as if hes rediscovered his muse, which is quite a bit different than simply following his whims. Make no mistake, this isnt the second coming of Purple Rain or Sign o the Times or even Parade -- in other words, its not a masterpiece, more like a more confident and consistent Diamonds and Pearls without the hip-hop fixation -- but its a strong album, one that impresses on the first listen and gets better with repeated plays. In short, its the comeback that it was meant to be. | ||
 | Album: 28 of 32 Title: 3121 Released: 2006-03-20 Tracks: 12 Duration: 53:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 3121 (04:31) 2 Lolita (04:06) 3 Te Amo Corazón (03:35) 4 Black Sweat (03:11) 5 Incense and Candles (04:04) 6 Love (05:45) 7 Satisfied (02:50) 8 Fury (04:02) 9 The Word (04:11) 10 Beautiful, Loved and Blessed (05:43) 11 The Dance (05:20) 12 Get on the Boat (06:18) |
| 3121 : Allmusic album Review : Musicology was a self-conscious comeback, a record designed to return Prince to the spotlight and the charts, and it worked: even if it spawned no big hits, the 2004 LP became his first album to crack the Billboard Top Ten since 1995s The Gold Experience, get a fair amount of radio play, and get a bunch of positive press, along with a well-received tour. Prince no longer seemed like an eccentric consigned to the fringes: he seemed like a savvy pro, reclaiming a reputation and respect that hed lost. That he did it with an album that sounded uncannily like a deliberate return to classic Prince as performed by the New Power Generation was almost beside the point: it was enough that he sounded engaged, and that he made a focused, purposeful album. Its quickly delivered 2006 follow-up, 3121, proves that Musicology was no fluke. Like its predecessor, 3121 is tight and concise, offering 12 songs in 53 minutes, and its classically structured, emphasizing shifting moods and textures between songs. It is an album, not a collection of songs, and you could even call it old-fashioned, but it feels fresher than Musicology, as if Prince had listened to enough Neptunes productions to understand how theyve absorbed his music. That acknowledgement doesnt come often -- its evident in the sly, sexy grooves of "Black Sweat" and the squealing synths of "Lolita" -- but since its paired with an emphasis on dance tunes and a retreat from the enjoyable but endless NPG-styled vamping that characterized a good portion of Musicology, 3121 winds up sounding lively, varied, and, at its best, exciting. And at the beginning of the album, 3121 is quite exciting, as Prince revives his high-pitched alter ego Camille on the title track and dives head first into the electro-funk of "Lolita" and "Black Sweat," songs that recall such mid-period masterpieces as "Kiss" or "Sign O the Times" without being rewrites. Nevertheless, the fact that the freshest sounding music here still has a direct line back to records Prince made 20 years prior is a good indication that the album, like Prince himself in the wake of hip-hop, is a little bit conservative, emphasizing funk of both the James Brown and George Clinton varieties, late-night slow jams, classic dance, and soul, instead of wrestling with modern music. While that may disappoint some listeners who yearn for the return of the trailblazing Prince of the 80s, when he reinvented himself with each record, its hardly surprising that a 47-year-old musician is spending more time refining his palette than expanding it. What is a surprise is that Prince is in top form as both a writer and record-maker; perhaps the one-man-band nature of its recording doesnt mean the album is as gritty or raw as his reliably thrilling live performances, but 3121 crackles with excitement, filled with different sounds and styles. Best of all, this is filled with songs that hold their own as individual tunes, yet gel into a cohesive record that is thankfully devoid of an overarching concept, a problem that plagued his albums after Diamonds and Pearls. 3121 does fall short from being perfect -- there may be no bad songs, but the momentum slows ever so slightly on the second half -- yet its something more valuable than being a one-off classic: its proof that Prince has indeed returned as a vital, serious recording artist on his own terms. Maybe hes no longer breaking new ground, but his eccentricities are now an attribute, not a curse, which goes a long way in making his trademark blend of funk, pop, soul, and rock sound nearly as dazzling as it did at his popular and creative peak in the 80s. | ||
 | Album: 29 of 32 Title: Planet Earth Released: 2007-07-15 Tracks: 10 Duration: 45:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Planet Earth (05:51) 2 Guitar (03:45) 3 Somewhere Here on Earth (05:45) 4 The One U Wanna C (04:29) 5 Future Baby Mama (04:47) 6 Mr. Goodnight (04:26) 7 All the Midnights in the World (02:21) 8 Chelsea Rodgers (05:41) 9 Lion of Judah (04:10) 10 Resolution (03:40) |
| Planet Earth : Allmusic album Review : Comeback accomplished, Prince now settles into a groove with 2007s Planet Earth, his 26th studio album and successor to the two deliberate comebacks, Musicology and 3121. Those two albums were designed to storm the top of the charts but, more importantly, they were made with the intention of making Prince prominent again -- a gambit that worked since Prince worked hard, stealing the show at both the Superbowl and the American Idol fifth-season finale and turning into an in-demand concert ticket once again. Both records were recorded with the expectations of making a splash, and 3121 even made some overtures toward modern music, most noticeably in the sleek electro workout of "Black Sweat," which suggested that Prince had heard the Neptunes, even if he didnt pay them much mind. In contrast to such grudging nods at his progeny, Planet Earth doesnt attempt to make concessions to contemporary music, although it does make a point of addressing the modern world, whether its in the neo-apocalyptic warnings of destruction and God on the title track or his offhand reference to "this digital age" on the sweet slow jam "Somewhere Here on Earth." Such passing asides are enough indication that, even if Prince may belong to his own universe, he surely lives in our world, something thats also apparent from his move to give away the album with Sunday newspapers in the U.K., a move that infuriated record labels in Britain -- since how can you sell something thats being given away for free? -- yet makes some sense in terms of sheer marketing. After all, Planet Earth is the kind of sturdy, highly enjoyable music that needs some manufactured hoopla around its release; otherwise, it will fade into the artists prodigious back catalog because of its very nature. This isnt a self-styled comeback, its an album that showcases a still-vital veteran relaxing and playing music thats not surprising, not fashionable, but not stodgy or fussy. That may mean that Planet Earth isnt much more than a quite good Prince album, one that hits upon his most accessible personas -- impish popster, funk-rocker, seductive balladeer, charmingly mystic weirdo -- and doesnt go much further than that, yet it still offers plenty to enjoy, either as sheer music (some of the synths are a bit glassy, but nobody knows how to make a record sound warm like Prince) or as songs. If there are no classics here -- or even songs that are as instantly grabbing as "Lolita" -- there are no bad songs either, with the very funny, tightly wound rocker "Guitar," the light, frothy "The One U Wanna C," and the NPG knockoff "Chelsea Rodgers" being as engaging as slow jams like "Future Baby Mama." Theres no fluff and no fat, just ten strong songs delivered with just enough flair to remind you its the work of Prince, yet strategically avoiding the indulgence that marginalized him throughout the 90s. Ultimately, Planet Earth is the sound of a working musician working, which makes it a bit of a passing pleasure, yet theres no denying that it is indeed a pleasure having him turn out solid records like this that build upon his legacy, no matter how modestly. | ||
 | Album: 30 of 32 Title: Lotusflow3r Released: 2009-03-24 Tracks: 31 Duration: 2:20:47 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 From the Lotus... (02:46) 2 Boom (03:18) 3 Crimson and Clover (03:51) 4 4Ever (03:47) 5 Colonized Mind (04:47) 6 Feel Good, Feel Better, Feel Wonderful (03:52) 7 Love Like Jazz (03:49) 8 77 Beverly Park (03:04) 9 Wall of Berlin (04:16) 10 $ (03:57) 11 Dreamer (05:30) 12 ...Back 2 the Lotus (05:34) 1 (Therell Never B) Another Like Me (06:01) 2 Chocolate Box (06:13) 3 Dance 4 Me (04:58) 4 Ure Gonna C Me (04:36) 5 Here (05:15) 6 Valentina (03:59) 7 Better With Time (04:54) 8 Ol Skool Company (07:30) 9 No More Candy 4 U (04:14) 1 Here Eye Come (04:28) 2 All This Love (04:39) 3 Home (04:26) 4 Something U Already Know (05:43) 5 Everytime (03:50) 6 2nite (05:02) 7 Another Boy (03:55) 8 Kept Woman (04:15) 9 Immersion (04:02) 10 Elixer (04:00) |
| Lotusflow3r : Allmusic album Review : Left to his own devices, Prince will indulge in his peculiar vice of releasing triple-albums. He celebrated his freedom from Warner with Emancipation, following that with another triple-disc in Crystal Ball, which just happened to be the provisional title of the scrapped three-LP iteration of 1987s Sign o the Times, he had a triple-live set in 2002, and now hes navigating the rough waters of online distribution and exclusive contracts with big box retailers in 2009 with another triple-disc set called LotusFlow3r. Technically, one of the three discs here isnt a Prince album: Elixer is the debut of Bria Valente, the latest in a long line of sultry soul protégés. Many of Princes hand-picked singers have been largely ignored even by his loyalists since about 1987, so Prince pushes Bria by bundling her record with his own LotusFlow3r and MPLSound, even going so far as to list Elixer first among the three on the back of the CDs slim cardboard sleeve. This attempt at old-fashioned star-making might have worked if Bria Valente had a smidgeon of star charisma, but shes merely a pleasantly breathy crooner, slipping easily into Princes shimmering, quiet storm production. Her slight personality shifts the spotlight to Princes versatility, which is part of the point of the whole set. Each album serves a different function: Elixer is his smooth soul exercise, LotusFlow3r his guitar showcase, and MPLSound a revival of his 80s funk. By its very nature, the Bria Valente disc winds up as the most consistent and least interesting of the three, never straying from its seductive template, but that doesnt mean its the worst; it just lacks the highs of the other two, but it also lacks the lows. Of the three, MPLSound winds up with the greatest number of both highs and lows, while LotusFlow3r is constrained by its guitar-heavy concept, offering great moments instead of great whole songs. This suggests that LotusFlow3r has moments of fury akin to the closing solo of "Lets Go Crazy" or the glorious passion of "Purple Rain," but apart from the Hendrixian "Dreamer," the album is nearly as smooth as Elixer, with even the clenched, pumping riff of "Feel Good, Feel Better, Feel Wonderful" soon giving way to an amiable funk work-out. Amiably pretty much defines all of LotusFlow3r, which winds up being all about groove and fleeting bits of six-string color which may be enough for the faithful, but not many others. Those less-dedicated listeners -- i.e., those who prefer tightly written songs and varied production -- will be drawn to MPLSound, where Prince takes his retro-mission seriously enough to offer up a few songs nervy enough to be singles, even if the synthesized thrill of this handful of tunes is undercut by a bunch of slow-burning ballads that do their best to rival "The Arms of Orion." Its best to focus on such tight, funky electro grooves as "(Therell Never B) Another Like Me" and "Ol Skool Company," two songs that spotlight Princes impish humor, a quality thats largely absent on the rest of the triple-disc set (its not entirely a coincidence that these are the only cuts that address the modern digital world, either). But as good as these two cuts are, theyre not as imaginative or as vigorous as the best of 3121 or Musicology, a flaw that illustrates yet another strange fact about Prince: after all these years, hes now far weirder when he knows people are paying attention than when hes off pursuing his own surprisingly earth-bound flights of fancy. | ||
 | Album: 31 of 32 Title: Mplsound Released: 2009-03-24 Tracks: 9 Duration: 47:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 (There’ll Never B) Another Like Me) (06:01) 2 Chocolate Box (06:14) 3 Dance 4 Me (04:58) 4 U’re Gonna C Me (04:36) 5 Here (05:15) 6 Valentina (03:59) 7 Better With Time (04:54) 8 Ol’ Skool Company (07:30) 9 No More Candy 4 U (04:14) |
 | Album: 32 of 32 Title: 20Ten Released: 2010-07-10 Tracks: 10 Duration: 40:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Compassion (03:57) 2 Beginning Endlessly (05:27) 3 Future Soul Song (05:08) 4 Sticky Like Glue (04:46) 5 Act of God (03:13) 6 Lavaux (03:03) 7 Walk in Sand (03:29) 8 Sea of Everything (03:49) 9 Everybody Loves Me (04:08) 10 Laydown (03:07) |
| 20Ten : Allmusic album Review : Once again abandoning retailers for U.K. newspaper giveaways -- ever the eccentric, he’s the only artist whos seized upon this unconventional distribution method -- Prince continues his bold voyage into the past on 20Ten. Its title may celebrate the present but the music is all about the past, continuing the retro-shock of the MPLSound segment of 2009’s triple-disc set, reviving the synthetic funk of the pre-Purple Rain days while adding too heavy a dose of slow-burning grooves. The songs have more snap and polish than those on LotusFlow3r/MPLSound -- enough of a shape to be attractive from a distance, not enough to withstand closer scrutiny. Everything on 20Ten exists on the surface: hooks don’t sink in, funk jams are stuck in low gear, sensuality only simmers, the rhythms are somewhat stiff, and Prince’s deliberate mining of the past only highlights how he’s stripped the freakiness out of his entire persona. What’s left behind isn’t bad -- he is a master musician luxuriating in his comfort zone so naturally that there’s some pleasure to be had within 20Ten, but it’s a passive pleasure and one that is forgotten within a day, so perhaps it’s fitting that it was packaged with a newspaper. | ||