Musicology is the least Princely album of all time

Even the shittiest Prince albums of the past had at least one or two absolute stunners, and then some dreadfully bad pieces of shit that made you question your fandom. That's what made Prince the artist we love.

In the 80's, he was one of the greatest geniuses we'd ever heard. Then in the 90's, he was either one of the greatest geniuses we'd ever heard, or he was the creator of some of the worst songs we'd ever heard. Either way, he was always memorable.

Musicology doesn't have any of this. It feels almost shockingly tame and inoffensive either one way or the other.

There aren't any particularly classic stand-out gems, and there aren't any particularly awful songs from it, either. It's all just.....average.

It's just not memorable in any way. It doesn't cause your ears to bleed , and that made it an ideal release for when Prince decided to stop killing his mainstream career. Other than that, it just doesn't resonate in any way.

Musicology isn't his worst album ever, but it's definitely his least interesting.

PurpleKnight said:

it does seem a bit safer than some of his others, but VERY sophisticated.
bit like me
i'm loving it at the moment.
this is one album tht will never sound dated.

true

take Musicology and Planet Earth and throw them in the toilet

but get the live version of 'Musicology' from the Jay Leno show

that is the only track from these two albums that I ever care to hear again

how can anyone listen to reflection and not think its a piece of pure gold?

I love Musicology, we got a tour, TV appearances and a lot more from that album. I love it!

I agree. Its probably my least favorite Prince album. No standout tracks for me. Just good songs...nothing great.

Ya'll have your opinions but damn are they wrong . Musicology has one song i'm not too fond of and thats 'life o the party'. I find it better than planet earth, 3121, rave into. Don't wanna go back too far here.
Sure, 'On the coach' is one of his most beautiful songs.

'couch'.
Damn

lexstarr said:

'couch'.
Damn

PurpleKnight said:

On the couch, Reflection, What do you want me to do, the marrying kind, if I was the man inf your life and Dear Mr.Man are songs that I really like. However I don´t bother to listen to the album anymore. It´s perhaps because the first half is so weak.

I really Love "Musicology" The song itself is timeless. Just as much as "1999"...Especially on a dance level.

"Call My Name." Again, Lovely. I fail to be able to describe in one word, the charming nature of this collection. From the mystery of, "Illusion," to the solidity of, "Refection," through the sex appeal of "What do you want me 2 do,"
and including the political sensitivity, of, "Cinnamon girl" and "Dear Mr. Man."

The whole cd is filled with the very essence of Prince's ability to make a cd, that has a variety of emotions. In my eyes, the, "Life 'o' the party, is, "The marrying Kind."

zsasz said:

I can't completely agree - generally yes it's a mediocre album but I think Call My Name is brilliant - and his slow ones are the ones I usually hate

Also love Cinnaomn Girl but more for the statement it makes which makes me bias and unabkle to objectively rate it musically

I do kind of agree with the initial statement.

This was the very first album I bought and listened to it. Not the best way to start listening to Prince. I listened to the first half of the album and I had to stop... I got this impression it was a pop album. That wasn't pop... or what I thought of as pop (3121 kinda fits that definition better).
So I really didn't like it much at first.

But I kinda went through a mini-crisis when I heard the kind of music the college students were playing. It was so hard to deal with that personally, so I crawled back to Musicology... and it felt great!
With my hatred of mainstream radio, Musicology became better sounding than 3121 for the longest time. I like the organic sound it has.

Then again... after Planet Earth came out, I've started to like it less. It seems a little dry in comparison to it and 3121 (which I'm starting to like again).

As far as gems, A Million Days is my favorite track. I also like Cinnamon Girl a lot. I don't understand why its hated so much. Great music and great lyrics (not 2 mention the back-up vocals), what more could you ask for?

And Reflection is one of the most personal tracks Prince has written... how can anyone not love that acoustic guitar?

The instant I heard Gold’s first note, it became Prince’s mark on my soul: a tattoo I wear with pride.
Prince is Dreamy, gives my Life that Pop and 2 the industry, he’s Royalty.

I think Musicology and Call my Name are two memorable tracks, I only had to listen to them once and I started humming them.

I didn't like Musicology when it came out and I don't like it now.The only real good track there is A Million Days.I find Musicology weak and boring

Musicology is a "OK" album,i like the title track,Illusion COma pimp and circumstance (Cant believe no one mentioned it yet)A Million Days,Cinnamon Girl,Marrying Kind and What do u want me 2 do

but i prefer PE and 3121 over musicology.

i like Dear Mr.Man ..

moviestar08 said:

The instant I heard Gold’s first note, it became Prince’s mark on my soul: a tattoo I wear with pride.
Prince is Dreamy, gives my Life that Pop and 2 the industry, he’s Royalty.

A lot of people think there is a gem or two there, but we all have a different opinion on what those gems are.

Is that why the album is a weaker as a whole.

Personally I think the title track and Illusion Coma are the stongest things he has put out in the last 10 years.

I still think the best release would have been an amalgamation of the last 3 albums.

1. Musicology
3. Guitar
4. Black Sweat
5. Illusion Coma Pimp & Circumstance
6. Somewhere here on earth
7. Cinnamon Girl
8. Love
9. Te Amo Corozon
10. A Million Days
11. Lion Of Judah
12. The Dance
13. Chelsea Rodgers
14. The Word
15. The One U Wanna C
16.Fury
17. Planet Earth

As B-sides, he could chuck us the likes of Mr Man, Relfections, Resolution, 3121, Get On the boat

no that honor goes 2 planet rubbish..

L4OATheOriginal said:

I accept that the album is tame, average and forgettable, but it's still fun and fresh, something that NPS or Rave were not

Musicology, A Million Days, Call My Name, IF I Was The Man in Your Life and Reflection are all top notch.

The two songs I'm not keen on are On The Couch and Dear Mr Man

PurpleKnight said:

midnightmover said:

The instant I heard Gold’s first note, it became Prince’s mark on my soul: a tattoo I wear with pride.
Prince is Dreamy, gives my Life that Pop and 2 the industry, he’s Royalty.

midnightmover said:

LondonStyle said:

midnightmover said:

Not much I can add to that because you basically said it all. Prince was sounding his age on this one. Should've called it Pipe and Slippers.

Thank you..there's nothing worst than a older artist trying to act young and hip with the kids...MJ..Madonna..etc..move on...