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Reply #210 posted 04/10/09 5:25pm

jacobpb

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call

I'll go on record stating right now after repeated listening this album is 5 stars. This is Prince's best protege album. This is Prince's best modern sounding contemporary album he's ever done in his catalogue. BAM! blowup

Now as far as musical tastes I prefer the funk/rock of WHAT TIME IS IT from The Time (in regards to proteges/Prince bands NOT SOUNDING completely like Prince as far as production [ unlike Sheila E, others]. It had a good modern production with eq settings, instruments tweaked so it didn't sound completely like Prince's catalogue. I believe ELIXIR has it beat as far as production, arrangement, diverse tracks, creativity.

In fact this album is culmination of Prince's meanderings over the past 10 years from the previous jazz=funk fair instrumentation he was doing post 2001, to What do you want me to do? off MUSICOLOGY, Te Amo Corazon off 3121, Somewhere Here on Earth off PLANET EARTH --- these songs influences can be heard on the songs on ELIXIR.

Except with this album we have SYMMETRY. It really comes together with the contemporary modern production and mixdown. And what fuses it together is Bria Valente's smooth voice and delivery. Prince finally found a vehicle that he can really package this soul/rnb/pop/jazz stuff into a modern contemporary sound that works.

And it's the most "mainstream" sounding he's done. Oh sure Prince has mainstream hits, but I wouldn't call it a "mainstream" sound. He's known for his sparse production/minimalism, a certain roughness/rawness to the tracks, etc. That's what makes him so unique. The most mainstream sounding track I've heard him do that hit the charts was The Most Beautiful Girl in the World.

So the previous stuff he has been pumping out the past 10 years in the vein of the songs in ELIXIR I found sound short because it's with Prince's sound. With ELIXIR's production (how the instruments are mixed, their sound,etc) and Bria's delivery it's symmetrical, complete.

I'm curious to know the credits on this album? (or any of the albums, I bought my pack at Target) because the lyrics are also a step up for Prince in maturity, subtleness. And as far as the music instrumentation and layering??? smile Please! This project was very well put together. I'm not an avid listener of most rnb/soul/jazz stuff but --

5 STARS baby!.. eye

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Reply #211 posted 04/11/09 3:15am

ForbiddenFruit

5 STARS baby!.. eye

[/b][/quote]


cosign
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Reply #212 posted 04/11/09 2:46pm

stanleylieber

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jacobpb said:

call

I'll go on record stating right now after repeated listening this album is 5 stars. This is Prince's best protege album. This is Prince's best modern sounding contemporary album he's ever done in his catalogue. BAM! blowup

Now as far as musical tastes I prefer the funk/rock of WHAT TIME IS IT from The Time (in regards to proteges/Prince bands NOT SOUNDING completely like Prince as far as production [ unlike Sheila E, others]. It had a good modern production with eq settings, instruments tweaked so it didn't sound completely like Prince's catalogue. I believe ELIXIR has it beat as far as production, arrangement, diverse tracks, creativity.

In fact this album is culmination of Prince's meanderings over the past 10 years from the previous jazz=funk fair instrumentation he was doing post 2001, to What do you want me to do? off MUSICOLOGY, Te Amo Corazon off 3121, Somewhere Here on Earth off PLANET EARTH --- these songs influences can be heard on the songs on ELIXIR.

Except with this album we have SYMMETRY. It really comes together with the contemporary modern production and mixdown. And what fuses it together is Bria Valente's smooth voice and delivery. Prince finally found a vehicle that he can really package this soul/rnb/pop/jazz stuff into a modern contemporary sound that works.

And it's the most "mainstream" sounding he's done. Oh sure Prince has mainstream hits, but I wouldn't call it a "mainstream" sound. He's known for his sparse production/minimalism, a certain roughness/rawness to the tracks, etc. That's what makes him so unique. The most mainstream sounding track I've heard him do that hit the charts was The Most Beautiful Girl in the World.

So the previous stuff he has been pumping out the past 10 years in the vein of the songs in ELIXIR I found sound short because it's with Prince's sound. With ELIXIR's production (how the instruments are mixed, their sound,etc) and Bria's delivery it's symmetrical, complete.

I'm curious to know the credits on this album? (or any of the albums, I bought my pack at Target) because the lyrics are also a step up for Prince in maturity, subtleness. And as far as the music instrumentation and layering??? smile Please! This project was very well put together. I'm not an avid listener of most rnb/soul/jazz stuff but --

5 STARS baby!.. eye



thumbs up!
it's time for a new direction / it's time for jazz to die
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Reply #213 posted 04/12/09 4:05pm

brocklynn

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I really like this cd lots thumbs up!
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Reply #214 posted 04/12/09 5:59pm

Philly76

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Bria is hot and beautiful.

But concerning her music & record, i have to say it´s not more then a mediocre album.
My fav tracks are : Here Eye Come, All This Love, Another Boy.
The rest takes me to boredom, these songs ain´t bad, don´t get me wrong,
but they aren´t worth to mention.

For me, this is another "filler",
4/10.
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Reply #215 posted 04/12/09 6:29pm

Jillibean

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I was pleasantly surprised, it was actually pretty good
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Reply #216 posted 04/13/09 9:14am

LondonStyle

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Jillibean said:

I was pleasantly surprised, it was actually pretty good



How can i sum this up ....I was playing it ....I like it but other people who heard it really liked it....that really would buy the album just to get it...

So it a winner.....Really a good CD not fantasic but good better than Beyonce that's for sure.... biggrin
Da, Da, Da....Emancipation....Free..don't think I ain't..! London 21 Nights...Clap your hands...you know the rest..
James Brown & Michael Jackson RIP, your music still lives with us!
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Reply #217 posted 04/15/09 8:34am

joelmarable

jacobpb said:

call

I'll go on record stating right now after repeated listening this album is 5 stars. This is Prince's best protege album. This is Prince's best modern sounding contemporary album he's ever done in his catalogue. BAM! blowup

Now as far as musical tastes I prefer the funk/rock of WHAT TIME IS IT from The Time (in regards to proteges/Prince bands NOT SOUNDING completely like Prince as far as production [ unlike Sheila E, others]. It had a good modern production with eq settings, instruments tweaked so it didn't sound completely like Prince's catalogue. I believe ELIXIR has it beat as far as production, arrangement, diverse tracks, creativity.

In fact this album is culmination of Prince's meanderings over the past 10 years from the previous jazz=funk fair instrumentation he was doing post 2001, to What do you want me to do? off MUSICOLOGY, Te Amo Corazon off 3121, Somewhere Here on Earth off PLANET EARTH --- these songs influences can be heard on the songs on ELIXIR.

Except with this album we have SYMMETRY. It really comes together with the contemporary modern production and mixdown. And what fuses it together is Bria Valente's smooth voice and delivery. Prince finally found a vehicle that he can really package this soul/rnb/pop/jazz stuff into a modern contemporary sound that works.

And it's the most "mainstream" sounding he's done. Oh sure Prince has mainstream hits, but I wouldn't call it a "mainstream" sound. He's known for his sparse production/minimalism, a certain roughness/rawness to the tracks, etc. That's what makes him so unique. The most mainstream sounding track I've heard him do that hit the charts was The Most Beautiful Girl in the World.

So the previous stuff he has been pumping out the past 10 years in the vein of the songs in ELIXIR I found sound short because it's with Prince's sound. With ELIXIR's production (how the instruments are mixed, their sound,etc) and Bria's delivery it's symmetrical, complete.

I'm curious to know the credits on this album? (or any of the albums, I bought my pack at Target) because the lyrics are also a step up for Prince in maturity, subtleness. And as far as the music instrumentation and layering??? smile Please! This project was very well put together. I'm not an avid listener of most rnb/soul/jazz stuff but --

5 STARS baby!.. eye

this is his best effort for a female.it is simple a very very good cd.a sleeper keeper.if it gets air play it would sell.what do they want the man to do he wrote material for 3 cd's they all banging.brother the shit.
stickman
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Reply #218 posted 04/15/09 8:43pm

wildgoldenhone
y

Home.

music
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Reply #219 posted 04/17/09 8:50am

dollwoman

This album would have been great if he had used Shelby J. He made the same mistake he made before with promoting Carmen over Rosie. It is sweet that he wants to give his sweetie her owm chance at international fame; unfortunately you can teach someone to sing but you can't teach them to be a star. Critics aren't buying Bria as the new SADE. I wish I had the chance to buy a Shelby J CD. She blew me away on Indigo. eek
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Reply #220 posted 04/19/09 9:33am

Cuddles

avatar

Anxiety said:

Serena said:



You make some excellent points and I'm going to give it a few more listens, paying more attention to the music rather than her.


You'll be glad you did. I like the style of this album and I'd LOVE to hear him do an album like this without it having to be a protege album.











I swear this music/album was being played before and during the intermissions of the musicology concerts.



I remember looking around wondering if anyone was familiar with what was being played.
I thought maybe it was some old school stuff i wasn't hip too.
So i was looking for people dancing grooving to the music like they do when old school music comes on. But no one was.

I kept thinking it sounded oddly enough a bit like princes recent band members playing.
[Edited 4/19/09 9:35am]
To make a thief, make an owner; to create crime, create laws.
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Reply #221 posted 04/19/09 12:43pm

BriaVelveeta

I fully expected to hate this CD.

I did hate 'Another Boy' because it is cheesy, immature, and calling for a 'Minneapolis style' breakdown and the beginning, then having no sort of break down or reference point to breakdown from really just made it feel stupid to me.

Then I heard the full CD.

The songs are very good. It is like a collection of songs Prince would have written and offered to other singers to record, and that would be about all her voice would be good for.
It's not a bad voice, it just has nothing defining about it, it would be perfect for guide vocals if he was shopping the songs to others, though. (Some tracks could have been on Martika's, Jevetta's, or Elisa's CDs just as easily.)

Practically every song she sounds different, yet and still not unique in any way.

On 'Kept Woman' she sounds like Olivia Newton-John, then on 'Another Boy' she sounds like Janet or J-Lo.
Again, not terrible, but it's like she's not really found her own voice or something.

That said. I like the majority of the songs a great deal, and definitely more than I expected.
I'd love to hear more stuff like 'Immersion' from Prince especially. Sonically it does reach a nice 'chill-out' vibe. (Tho there is a hideously botched 'ooh-ooh' at the beginning that is just weak, off-key, and could have ruined the song had she done more of that.)

I love 'Something U Already Know' for the sing-song part of the verses that makes you want to sing along instantly.

To Bria and Prince's credit they did stay within the limitations of her vocal range throughout the entire CD, and didn't push it into some caterwauling ala Jill Jones.



Overall, the songs are well written and produced. Inconsistent, all over the place, but a collection of very good songs.
I have listened to it far more than I expected I would.

I am sorry that so many people can't get past the idea of Bria and actually hear the quality of the songs.

Oh, and I agree with those who have said 'Elixer' is a great Prince track, because it is.
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Reply #222 posted 04/19/09 7:50pm

ThreadBare

Anyone else catching a Billie Holiday vibe from Prince's treatment of his first verse in Elixir?
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Reply #223 posted 04/20/09 4:49am

BriaVelveeta

ThreadBare said:

Anyone else catching a Billie Holiday vibe from Prince's treatment of his first verse in Elixir?

I thought of Ella Fitzgerald, for some reason.
I also believe that after they say '7 tears fall like rain' I hear a 'Chocolate Rain' reference.
lol
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Reply #224 posted 04/20/09 8:45am

PussiDelicious

ThreadBare said:

Anyone else catching a Billie Holiday vibe from Prince's treatment of his first verse in Elixir?



i didnt know who he was referencing specifically but i knew there was an old soul lingering about that when i heard it too!
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Reply #225 posted 04/20/09 8:45am

PussiDelicious

2nite is lovely and the rest of it is growing on me too
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Reply #226 posted 04/20/09 3:20pm

Cuddles

avatar

ThreadBare said:

Anyone else catching a Billie Holiday vibe from Prince's treatment of his first verse in Elixir?



i dunno. but i do know i like most of the album
To make a thief, make an owner; to create crime, create laws.
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Reply #227 posted 04/20/09 4:56pm

ThreadBare

Got me considering the Ella treatment now... hmmm Could easily be...
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Reply #228 posted 04/24/09 12:08pm

rbrpm

sucked, blows, crap. and oh i'll leave it at that! confused
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Reply #229 posted 04/27/09 11:00am

kjamal

worhol said:

I listened to this album again after seeing her interview. Awesome! It is hands down the best proedtoge release to date and Bria's voice has real depth and meaning behind it!! I think this album shows that they truly love eachother and he is definately the one she is singing about in the song Everytime. Can a love like that exist in real life, GOD i hope so!!! What a beautiful album.

disbelief
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Reply #230 posted 04/27/09 9:14pm

DesireeNevermi
nd

kjamal said:

worhol said:

I listened to this album again after seeing her interview. Awesome! It is hands down the best proedtoge release to date and Bria's voice has real depth and meaning behind it!! I think this album shows that they truly love eachother and he is definately the one she is singing about in the song Everytime. Can a love like that exist in real life, GOD i hope so!!! What a beautiful album.

disbelief


co - disbelief
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Reply #231 posted 04/27/09 11:39pm

Huggiebear

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Just got it today, heard two tracks Elixer and Here eye come, decided they are brilliant and the best protege work done, she really sounds like a female Prince, is he going to get involved with her. Maybe this is the big secret hes been keeping from us. Going 2 listen 2 the rest of it
So what are u going 2 do? R u just gonna sit there and watch? I'm not gonna stop until the war is over. Its gonna take a long time
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Reply #232 posted 04/28/09 8:09am

gypsyfire

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lezama said:

PurpleKnight said:

she often tries to compensate for her lack of vocal power by singing in contrived sounding breathy whispers.


Like Tori Amos? Ummm... sense when has breathy singing been a faux pas? Not everyone is born with a voice like Christina Aguilera. You make due with what voice God gave you. Hell if lack of vocal power were a big no no a good 80% of every rock star should never have put out an album.



What the hell...you've obviously never heard Tori live.
I DON'T WANT TO BE NORMAL,because normal is part of the status quo,which I don't want to be a part of- Tori Amos
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Reply #233 posted 04/28/09 1:05pm

Gabriela

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I L-O-V-E it! I am really looking forward to seeing her perform live. I was a bit disappointed when she didn’t perform at the Nokia shows... the only songs that I wasn’t crazy about were "2night" and "kept woman", aside from that, the quality of the recording, her voice and the amazing music make this my very favorite protégé album I cant stop playing it over and over again. wink
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Reply #234 posted 04/29/09 3:35am

PharkyorLOVE

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Prince and Bria must be laughing their heads off at a lot of you guys....

Would anyone like to go back and do a bit of research and check out
the way Vanity says "Tonight" in Nasty Girls.....

and i aint gonna say nothing about Doris Day..... lol

seriously....
there aint no real fams or fans in this house...
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Reply #235 posted 04/30/09 11:31am

salaciousV

PharkyorLOVE said:

Prince and Bria must be laughing their heads off at a lot of you guys....

Would anyone like to go back and do a bit of research and check out
the way Vanity says "Tonight" in Nasty Girls.....

and i aint gonna say nothing about Doris Day..... lol

seriously....
there aint no real fams or fans in this house...


What?

A real fan of Prince doesnt have to suck on his nipple everytime he puts out stuff. Even he said Chaos and Disorder was wack. He didnt give a shit about the album he gave to WB

As far as proteges she is one of the better ones.

As far as real music on par with whats out there (and whats out there is wack so its a sad statement) Her music and voice is not even on the radar.

Im only speaking for myself an have no purple halo. I would not buy this nor do I like it. But I also wouldntbuy JLo. However, I would buy Ciara. Great workout music. biggrin
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Reply #236 posted 04/30/09 12:25pm

PharkyorLOVE

avatar

salaciousV said:



What?

A real fan of Prince doesnt have to suck on his nipple everytime he puts out stuff. Even he said Chaos and Disorder was wack. He didnt give a shit about the album he gave to WB

As far as proteges she is one of the better ones.

As far as real music on par with whats out there (and whats out there is wack so its a sad statement) Her music and voice is not even on the radar.

Im only speaking for myself an have no purple halo. I would not buy this nor do I like it. But I also wouldntbuy JLo. However, I would buy Ciara. Great workout music. biggrin


:lol; suck his nipple lol

we must have different radars i think mine would be wack with a spin.... lol

enjoy your workout
http://www.youtube.com/wa...pzR_dzdAj8
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Reply #237 posted 05/02/09 10:25am

Cinnie

IstenSzek said:

it's post emancipation prince r'n'b.


That's how I hear it too and I like it too thumbs up!
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Reply #238 posted 05/03/09 1:59pm

4bjb

worhol said:

I listened to this album again after seeing her interview. Awesome! It is hands down the best proedtoge release to date and Bria's voice has real depth and meaning behind it!! I think this album shows that they truly love eachother and he is definately the one she is singing about in the song Everytime. Can a love like that exist in real life, GOD i hope so!!! What a beautiful album.

i agree with u wholeheartly...I also believe there r some songs that Prince is singing to or about Bria...i.e U're gonna c me and "Here", prehaps even Crimson and clover...there is a love connection here. He said on Tavis show "very dear to me"...in speaking about Bria. time will tell.
Lemme
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Reply #239 posted 05/03/09 2:46pm

4bjb

jacobpb said:

call

I'll go on record stating right now after repeated listening this album is 5 stars. This is Prince's best protege album. This is Prince's best modern sounding contemporary album he's ever done in his catalogue. BAM! blowup

Now as far as musical tastes I prefer the funk/rock of WHAT TIME IS IT from The Time (in regards to proteges/Prince bands NOT SOUNDING completely like Prince as far as production [ unlike Sheila E, others]. It had a good modern production with eq settings, instruments tweaked so it didn't sound completely like Prince's catalogue. I believe ELIXIR has it beat as far as production, arrangement, diverse tracks, creativity.

In fact this album is culmination of Prince's meanderings over the past 10 years from the previous jazz=funk fair instrumentation he was doing post 2001, to What do you want me to do? off MUSICOLOGY, Te Amo Corazon off 3121, Somewhere Here on Earth off PLANET EARTH --- these songs influences can be heard on the songs on ELIXIR.

Except with this album we have SYMMETRY. It really comes together with the contemporary modern production and mixdown. And what fuses it together is Bria Valente's smooth voice and delivery. Prince finally found a vehicle that he can really package this soul/rnb/pop/jazz stuff into a modern contemporary sound that works.

And it's the most "mainstream" sounding he's done. Oh sure Prince has mainstream hits, but I wouldn't call it a "mainstream" sound. He's known for his sparse production/minimalism, a certain roughness/rawness to the tracks, etc. That's what makes him so unique. The most mainstream sounding track I've heard him do that hit the charts was The Most Beautiful Girl in the World.

So the previous stuff he has been pumping out the past 10 years in the vein of the songs in ELIXIR I found sound short because it's with Prince's sound. With ELIXIR's production (how the instruments are mixed, their sound,etc) and Bria's delivery it's symmetrical, complete.

I'm curious to know the credits on this album? (or any of the albums, I bought my pack at Target) because the lyrics are also a step up for Prince in maturity, subtleness. And as far as the music instrumentation and layering??? smile Please! This project was very well put together. I'm not an avid listener of most rnb/soul/jazz stuff but --

5 STARS baby!.. eye



I totally agree with all of the above. I have listened to Elixer at least 7 ttimes since the release date and I like each and every song. I am now a fan of BBria's....I wish her much success in her endeavors and I thank Prince for iintroducing her to the world. imo she is his "best" protege by far...they r ccomplimentary 2 each other on duet(Elixer). Finally, the haters on this site ssaddens me.
Lemme
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