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Thread started 10/15/08 8:12pm

joebarker

How would you compare the '87 madhouse recordings to NEWS/Xpectation?

Just been listening to Madhouse 16 for the first time and I'm blown away! I'm new on here, I've only recently started to discover alternative Prince music. Do his recent 'fusion' tracks compare to early ones? Havn't had chance to really listen yet but I'm hoping for a nice suprise. smile
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Reply #1 posted 10/15/08 8:20pm

Anxiety

i think the more recent stuff sounds a lot more sophisticated and complex, though i think the older madhouse stuff sounds a lot more energetic and spontaneous.
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Reply #2 posted 10/17/08 2:33am

Sophianestesia

Anxiety said:

i think the more recent stuff sounds a lot more sophisticated and complex, though i think the older madhouse stuff sounds a lot more energetic and spontaneous.


Praise for '8'!!!

I wish 'The Flesh' could have seen the light of day, would have been a great experience along with the Madhouse project.
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Reply #3 posted 10/17/08 2:52am

HamsterHuey

Anxiety said:

i think the more recent stuff sounds a lot more sophisticated and complex, though i think the older madhouse stuff sounds a lot more energetic and spontaneous.


Well put.

I also love the Eric Leeds album Times Squared, which, when it comes to related artists albums, I rate alongside Jill Jones and The Family.
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Reply #4 posted 10/17/08 5:54am

NouveauDance

avatar

HamsterHuey said:

Anxiety said:

i think the more recent stuff sounds a lot more sophisticated and complex, though i think the older madhouse stuff sounds a lot more energetic and spontaneous.


Well put.

I also love the Eric Leeds album Times Squared, which, when it comes to related artists albums, I rate alongside Jill Jones and The Family.

Agree with ya both.
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Reply #5 posted 10/17/08 7:14am

violetblues

Sophianestesia said:

Anxiety said:

i think the more recent stuff sounds a lot more sophisticated and complex, though i think the older madhouse stuff sounds a lot more energetic and spontaneous.


Praise for '8'!!!

I wish 'The Flesh' could have seen the light of day, would have been a great experience along with the Madhouse project.



hallelujah, can i hear a Amen!

the madhouse cds are far more enjoyable, its more than just more enegetic and spontaneous, the compositions are far far better, simplier yeah, but better still.
After listening to the Madhouse tracks, they stick in your head, the Newz stuff is instantly forgetable
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Reply #6 posted 10/17/08 8:48am

L4OATheOrigina
l

avatar

HamsterHuey said:

Anxiety said:

i think the more recent stuff sounds a lot more sophisticated and complex, though i think the older madhouse stuff sounds a lot more energetic and spontaneous.


Well put.

I also love the Eric Leeds album Times Squared, which, when it comes to related artists albums, I rate alongside Jill Jones and The Family.


what do u think of eric's album things left unsaid?
man, he has such an amazing body of music that it's sad to see him constrict it down to the basics. he's too talented for the lineup he's doing. estelle 81
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Reply #7 posted 10/17/08 9:46am

HamsterHuey

L4OATheOriginal said:

HamsterHuey said:



Well put.

I also love the Eric Leeds album Times Squared, which, when it comes to related artists albums, I rate alongside Jill Jones and The Family.


what do u think of eric's album things left unsaid?


It's a bit muzak-y. It has a Tears For Fears cover on it. Not too crazy about that.
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Reply #8 posted 10/17/08 10:14am

Riverpoet31

Personally i prefer the Madhouse recordings.

Allthough those Madhouse songs had severe jazz-influences (especially on the first album '8'), there was also room for blues and soul-elements (the ballads) and stripped down funk (their second album '16' was more funk then jazz IMO).

Next to that the songwriting was more concise. Most of these songs were well rounded compositions.

When it comes to News and Expectation i think Prince was overreaching himself. Often when Prince tries to go for very long jams/songs he tends to get too repetitive and he seems not really able to put enough chordchanges or instrumental parts in it to create an enjoyable listening-experience during the entire length of those songs.
That complaint I allready had before his attempts at jazz-fusion: the 12-inch of America goes on way too long for its own good, during aftershows he had a certain tendency to stretch songs way too long for their own good (that is the main reason i am not so fond of the bootleg 'Small Club' that seems to be so popular among 'orgers')
The funny thing is, Pepe Willie, a musician that first worked together with Prince in the studio, around 1977 i think, had the same complaint: he has said during interviews that he considered Prince a 'wonderchild' when it comes to the control he had over different musical instruments, but that his main weakness was that he was just going on-and-on with jamming, that he had problems with structuring his jams into a well rounded 'song'.
That is also the issue i have with albums like NEWS and Expectation: the involved musicians might be great, there might be some exciting instrumental passages, but its like Prince seems to 'forget' that for a good listening-experience, structured songwriting, and a concise, well-rounded composition are as equally important.
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Reply #9 posted 10/17/08 10:43am

wickyb

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Sophianestesia said:


Praise for '8'!!!


Talkin' 'bout the 6
"Sheeeeeeeeit"
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Reply #10 posted 10/17/08 10:59am

Riverpoet31

Praise for the composition '8'?

Well, i surely agree with that. biggrin

Great Prince / Eric Leeds collaboration. Such a lovely built up. That strange 'ooh-ooh-ooh' sample giving it a playfull edge.

It belongs in the top-10 of protegee songs.
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Reply #11 posted 10/17/08 11:31am

L4OATheOrigina
l

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HamsterHuey said:

L4OATheOriginal said:



what do u think of eric's album things left unsaid?


It's a bit muzak-y. It has a Tears For Fears cover on it. Not too crazy about that.



eek i know woman in chains is a cover but please tell me that's not a tears 4 fears cover
man, he has such an amazing body of music that it's sad to see him constrict it down to the basics. he's too talented for the lineup he's doing. estelle 81
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Reply #12 posted 10/17/08 11:32am

Graycap23

L4OATheOriginal said:

HamsterHuey said:



Well put.

I also love the Eric Leeds album Times Squared, which, when it comes to related artists albums, I rate alongside Jill Jones and The Family.


what do u think of eric's album things left unsaid?

Other than the 1 Prince track....not much.
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Reply #13 posted 10/17/08 11:33am

L4OATheOrigina
l

avatar

Graycap23 said:

L4OATheOriginal said:



what do u think of eric's album things left unsaid?

Other than the 1 Prince track....not much.


the 1 track i can't stand is that vienna song ...
man, he has such an amazing body of music that it's sad to see him constrict it down to the basics. he's too talented for the lineup he's doing. estelle 81
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Reply #14 posted 10/17/08 11:36am

Graycap23

L4OATheOriginal said:

Graycap23 said:


Other than the 1 Prince track....not much.


the 1 track i can't stand is that vienna song ...

I have not listened in quite a while but I thought that cd was a waste of time. I do like the Prince track though.
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Reply #15 posted 10/17/08 11:40am

L4OATheOrigina
l

avatar

Graycap23 said:

L4OATheOriginal said:



the 1 track i can't stand is that vienna song ...

I have not listened in quite a while but I thought that cd was a waste of time. I do like the Prince track though.


i can never dog this cd cause it brings back a pleausrable memory if u know what i mean wink
man, he has such an amazing body of music that it's sad to see him constrict it down to the basics. he's too talented for the lineup he's doing. estelle 81
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Reply #16 posted 10/17/08 11:59am

Graycap23

L4OATheOriginal said:

Graycap23 said:


I have not listened in quite a while but I thought that cd was a waste of time. I do like the Prince track though.


i can never dog this cd cause it brings back a pleausrable memory if u know what i mean wink

I dig....
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Reply #17 posted 10/17/08 3:04pm

Anxiety

violetblues said:

Sophianestesia said:



Praise for '8'!!!

I wish 'The Flesh' could have seen the light of day, would have been a great experience along with the Madhouse project.



hallelujah, can i hear a Amen!

the madhouse cds are far more enjoyable, its more than just more enegetic and spontaneous, the compositions are far far better, simplier yeah, but better still.
After listening to the Madhouse tracks, they stick in your head, the Newz stuff is instantly forgetable


to be honest, i like the older instrumental stuff and the more recent instrumental stuff pretty equally. if you took the strengths from both eras of the recordings, you'd have a super kick-ass album.
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Reply #18 posted 10/18/08 1:07am

HamsterHuey

Anxiety said:

if you took the strengths from both eras of the recordings, you'd have a super kick-ass album.


Or just get everything and end up with a kick-ass playlist on your computer.

cool




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