A New decade appears, and we look 2 the man we know that can save radio only the way he can with funk, soul, rock, and pop all combined in one, and then.....we get this album.
I reeeeeaally hate 2 diss Prince's work because i really like his work and appreciate the different types of music he has given us, but this was not one of my high points of an album and definitely wasnt his.
The funny thing is when it first came out, I was walking through Wherehouse Records store shopping as usual and the playlist had the album on. As I was walking through i listened to the 2 or 3 songs that popped on and i really liked them (Theives in the temple was one i remember and i do still like that jam!)
Upon buying it later....yeah it was cool but nothing like his old stuff. To me it was another extension of the "Batman" album with the mechanical sounds and samples, and to me it was too programmed and uneven, and not 2 mention...too much!( Prince would even top that later with such albums as "Crystal Ball", and "Emancipation")
I totally did not like this period of Prince, letting the hair grow long and growing the beard out, with him and his "newly formed group again" waering leather clothes, and dancers!!!! WTF?
That was totally wack..those three guys i still totally do not understand where they fit in his stage show, and they wind up hanging in the group almost 3-4 years. And rapping???
This was horrendous! Not 2 mention going 2 the movies 2 see this thing and thinking "Oh Snap!"
Prince is back again with a new album and an accompanying movie written and directed again by him including The Time? This is gonna be large! But once again, we find a so-called "Purple Rain part 2" type sequel finding Prince trying 2 hold on of whats left of his nightclub that was left 2 him from Billy (the previous owner in Purple Rain), from Morris Day who is trying to takeover all the rest of the clubs in this small community that looks totally staged. After looking at the movie, the only thing that does save the movie is the actual music, and that isn' t even that great.
It's a total musical, reminiscent of Grease, and Hair. and you could tell it was just basically a vehicle 2 show that Prince can get big names together 2 appear in a movie (George Clinton, Mavis Staples) along with fresh new youg talent he is supposed to put on the map with Tevin Campbell, and Ingrid Chavez. It's like a long ass music video.
We find that Prince is totally trying 2 keep up with the times and stay current but finds himself copying something that never was. He was a creator, and innovator at one point but now he's succomb to following and trying 2 be something he's not and it's even evident in the sales at that point. He found time 2 even tour with this album dubbing it "The Nude Tour" (I still dont understand why) But Prince followers are still eating up concert tickets. No matter how the records sound or the sales appear, he still knows how 2 rock a concert. And from the various clips I've seen of this tour here and there, it looked great!
Standouts here are....."Theives in the temple", "We can Funk", and "Joy in Repitition"
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
PRINCE / BATMAN SOUNDTRACK 1989
Batman becomes the hottest movie in the summer of '89, and the soundtrack becomes Prince's comeback...sort of.
I actually liked this album alot when it was released. And i jumped on this one fast out of curiousity and all the hype that surrounded the cd and movie. Problem is Prince gets rid of all of his band for this album, basically recording it as one man show, with computerized drum machines, samples, and programmed instruments, meaning the older I get, the more this cd sounds outdated. So now, I really dont go 2 this album much @ all, unless it's for "Scandalous" which is of course, the one Prince ballad we get on every album.
So it was good for it's time upon release when i played it heavily. But now 2 me, it lacks originality, and it's too programmed for a Prince effort. Not really much for me to say here other than the videos he released for the singles were alot of fun and entertaining, like "Partyman", and "Batdance".
The "Scandalous" single was stretched out to a total of 18 minutes including him and Kim Bassinger which he was rumored to be linked to @ the time, and the flip side "Sex" was a pretty cool song, but by this point Prince seems to be going through the motions, and trying to re-create magic that aint gonna happen right now. But the Cd goes platinum on the strength of the movie anyway....go figure!
Standouts here are...."Electric Chair", "Partyman", "Scandalous"
I actually liked this album alot when it was released. And i jumped on this one fast out of curiousity and all the hype that surrounded the cd and movie. Problem is Prince gets rid of all of his band for this album, basically recording it as one man show, with computerized drum machines, samples, and programmed instruments, meaning the older I get, the more this cd sounds outdated. So now, I really dont go 2 this album much @ all, unless it's for "Scandalous" which is of course, the one Prince ballad we get on every album.
So it was good for it's time upon release when i played it heavily. But now 2 me, it lacks originality, and it's too programmed for a Prince effort. Not really much for me to say here other than the videos he released for the singles were alot of fun and entertaining, like "Partyman", and "Batdance".
The "Scandalous" single was stretched out to a total of 18 minutes including him and Kim Bassinger which he was rumored to be linked to @ the time, and the flip side "Sex" was a pretty cool song, but by this point Prince seems to be going through the motions, and trying to re-create magic that aint gonna happen right now. But the Cd goes platinum on the strength of the movie anyway....go figure!
Standouts here are...."Electric Chair", "Partyman", "Scandalous"
PRINCE / LOVESEXY 1988
This album when released did not catch me right away. To be truthfully honest i didn't even buy the album until almost 2 years later. Thinking back....I think the album cover kinda scared me off. Plus @ that time, The "Alphabet St" video 2 me, was a little corny too.
This was a period of revolution 4 me as well, cuz' Public Enemy stormed out, NWA was hot, Ice T was hot, BDP, BIg daddy Kane, Rakim, I can go on and on. And basically, my focus went there.
So essentially, "Lovesexy" was a slow starter 4 me.
So here's another story of course behind this one.....Prince works up an album titled "The Black Album" in essence to keep up with whats goin on in radio @ that time, which was basically hip-hop. And the songs basically are hard driven funk, very explicit lyrics, and some of the most courageous music he supposed 2 put out @ this point. Copies were pressed and ready to ship out with the single"When 2 r in love" already playing on radio. Prince pulls a fast one, and decides @ the last minute that this album was too dark and afraid of the concequences. Completely doing a 360 with a more spiritual, uplifting album focusing on love, purity, getting rid of the evils in your life and so forth.
Thus became "Lovesexy".
Concept was pretty cool, now that i look back on it and personally not one of my favorite albums, I do like the musicianship more than anything on this album. The band is totaly revamped adding Sheila E on drums. And of course it wouldnt be complete without another image change right? I think this was Prince's worst look though.(totally didnt feel the writing on the clothes, and the whole colorful apparel)
And the tour that accompanied the album was to be his biggest and most expensive tour ever, including a 68 thunderbird, a basketball court, and other different props on stage that were costly. And the tour was split in 2 different Acts. One act with the more funk, and rock songs, and the other act with the love, and spiritual songs. This was one of the concerts I wish i could have gone 2 but didnt, after seeing the actual VHS copy many years ago it was indeed off the hook : ) .
So even now 2 this day, I do occasionaly go back to Lovesexy, when i want 2 hear certain songs. The 1 thing that pisses me off, and i'm sure others have the same problem with this cd is that it is functioned as a continual track, meaning all 9 songs are under 1 track. The most strangest thing ever, But it was Prince's attempt 2 make the listener listen to the whole album concept in it's entirety. Problem is i dont wanna hear it all the way through.
Also note this album marked the start of decline in his sales as well, making it one of his weakest efforts to date.
Standouts here are "Anna Stesia", "I wish u Heaven", and "When 2 r in love"(which was the only track leftover from the "black abum" sessions used on this album)
This was a period of revolution 4 me as well, cuz' Public Enemy stormed out, NWA was hot, Ice T was hot, BDP, BIg daddy Kane, Rakim, I can go on and on. And basically, my focus went there.
So essentially, "Lovesexy" was a slow starter 4 me.
So here's another story of course behind this one.....Prince works up an album titled "The Black Album" in essence to keep up with whats goin on in radio @ that time, which was basically hip-hop. And the songs basically are hard driven funk, very explicit lyrics, and some of the most courageous music he supposed 2 put out @ this point. Copies were pressed and ready to ship out with the single"When 2 r in love" already playing on radio. Prince pulls a fast one, and decides @ the last minute that this album was too dark and afraid of the concequences. Completely doing a 360 with a more spiritual, uplifting album focusing on love, purity, getting rid of the evils in your life and so forth.
Thus became "Lovesexy".
Concept was pretty cool, now that i look back on it and personally not one of my favorite albums, I do like the musicianship more than anything on this album. The band is totaly revamped adding Sheila E on drums. And of course it wouldnt be complete without another image change right? I think this was Prince's worst look though.(totally didnt feel the writing on the clothes, and the whole colorful apparel)
And the tour that accompanied the album was to be his biggest and most expensive tour ever, including a 68 thunderbird, a basketball court, and other different props on stage that were costly. And the tour was split in 2 different Acts. One act with the more funk, and rock songs, and the other act with the love, and spiritual songs. This was one of the concerts I wish i could have gone 2 but didnt, after seeing the actual VHS copy many years ago it was indeed off the hook : ) .
So even now 2 this day, I do occasionaly go back to Lovesexy, when i want 2 hear certain songs. The 1 thing that pisses me off, and i'm sure others have the same problem with this cd is that it is functioned as a continual track, meaning all 9 songs are under 1 track. The most strangest thing ever, But it was Prince's attempt 2 make the listener listen to the whole album concept in it's entirety. Problem is i dont wanna hear it all the way through.
Also note this album marked the start of decline in his sales as well, making it one of his weakest efforts to date.
Standouts here are "Anna Stesia", "I wish u Heaven", and "When 2 r in love"(which was the only track leftover from the "black abum" sessions used on this album)
Thursday, July 2, 2009
PRINCE / SIGN O' THE TIMES 1987
Damn!....Is there a bad song on this album.
This album holds a special place in my heart 4 very many reasons, and I do think it is "The Bomb!" First of all, This was my Birthday present as a teenager( given to me of course from "Pops"), and it also brings back fond memories of entering high school as a young man, it dropped as i was going into my freshman year. This also marks one of the few rare times where i snuck into a movie theatre 2 see this movie (OK I was sort of a rebel growin' up! :) ) and last but not least...the song "Adore" became "My song" for a young lady that would become my first "legit" girlfriend and 4 a very long time i might add, and still 2 this day when i hear it, I think about her (Hopefully my wife never reads this! : ) )
Prince goes through basically the first of many personnel changes in his group. Gone are The Revolution which basically means it is just a Prince album.
Now this is an interesting story....it goes like this.....Prince recorded initially over 200 songs with the intention of paring down the album to a triple disc set called "Crystal Ball" (hmmmmm sounds familiar?) @ that time, the songs were mostly recorded with The Revolution and he also developed this idea to create 1 of many alter-egos, this one being a woman named "Camille" using his own voice sped up on all the songs, even tossing around the idea of creating a whole album around this concept. Of course, that never happened, but, a handful of those songs are still featured that way on the "Sign O' the times" album. "If i was your girlfriend", and "U got the look" are 2 of them. Seems a little confusing? Yeah, it is!
But the output is pure genius once all the filler was taken out and it narrowed down to the 2 disc set we have today. This has got everything, sort of reminiscent of Stevie Wonder's "Songs in the key of life" Its got its Rock edge, a little hip-hop, songs about love, drug abuse, God, and just havin a good time, and of course that 1 stand-out ballad he was known 4 giving us on every album. And who could resist "Starfish and Coffee" ,a song about being in school with other kids throughout the day and questioning what some little girl ate 4 breakfast. (Listen 2 that backwards drum pattern throughout the song...DAMN!
I could go on forever about this album, but let me mention the movie of the same title, which I thought was very good. Although not really considered a movie, It is actually a concert with some adlib and different scenarios sequencing 2 the subjects of the songs about 2 be performed. I thought it was very well put together, a little ahead of its time, and DAMMIT, i just like 2 watch the man perform! It's awesome!, and he directed this thing????
I think now it is considered a cult classic, it did disappear 4 awhile and was only available on VHS there are some bootlegs floating of the dvd, but the quality is not superb, so it never got nationally re-released or re-produced as of this time, so if u still have that laser disc or VHS copy...hold on 2 it.
This is definitely a must have and i love it 2 death!
Stand out tracks here are "The ballad of Dorothy Parker", "Adore", "It's gonna be a beautiful night", "Starfish and Coffee", and "Sign O' the times" of course!
This album holds a special place in my heart 4 very many reasons, and I do think it is "The Bomb!" First of all, This was my Birthday present as a teenager( given to me of course from "Pops"), and it also brings back fond memories of entering high school as a young man, it dropped as i was going into my freshman year. This also marks one of the few rare times where i snuck into a movie theatre 2 see this movie (OK I was sort of a rebel growin' up! :) ) and last but not least...the song "Adore" became "My song" for a young lady that would become my first "legit" girlfriend and 4 a very long time i might add, and still 2 this day when i hear it, I think about her (Hopefully my wife never reads this! : ) )
Prince goes through basically the first of many personnel changes in his group. Gone are The Revolution which basically means it is just a Prince album.
Now this is an interesting story....it goes like this.....Prince recorded initially over 200 songs with the intention of paring down the album to a triple disc set called "Crystal Ball" (hmmmmm sounds familiar?) @ that time, the songs were mostly recorded with The Revolution and he also developed this idea to create 1 of many alter-egos, this one being a woman named "Camille" using his own voice sped up on all the songs, even tossing around the idea of creating a whole album around this concept. Of course, that never happened, but, a handful of those songs are still featured that way on the "Sign O' the times" album. "If i was your girlfriend", and "U got the look" are 2 of them. Seems a little confusing? Yeah, it is!
But the output is pure genius once all the filler was taken out and it narrowed down to the 2 disc set we have today. This has got everything, sort of reminiscent of Stevie Wonder's "Songs in the key of life" Its got its Rock edge, a little hip-hop, songs about love, drug abuse, God, and just havin a good time, and of course that 1 stand-out ballad he was known 4 giving us on every album. And who could resist "Starfish and Coffee" ,a song about being in school with other kids throughout the day and questioning what some little girl ate 4 breakfast. (Listen 2 that backwards drum pattern throughout the song...DAMN!
I could go on forever about this album, but let me mention the movie of the same title, which I thought was very good. Although not really considered a movie, It is actually a concert with some adlib and different scenarios sequencing 2 the subjects of the songs about 2 be performed. I thought it was very well put together, a little ahead of its time, and DAMMIT, i just like 2 watch the man perform! It's awesome!, and he directed this thing????
I think now it is considered a cult classic, it did disappear 4 awhile and was only available on VHS there are some bootlegs floating of the dvd, but the quality is not superb, so it never got nationally re-released or re-produced as of this time, so if u still have that laser disc or VHS copy...hold on 2 it.
This is definitely a must have and i love it 2 death!
Stand out tracks here are "The ballad of Dorothy Parker", "Adore", "It's gonna be a beautiful night", "Starfish and Coffee", and "Sign O' the times" of course!
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