Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic

When Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic was released I was a little apprehensive. The last couple of releases left me feeling a little under whelmed. Sure there were sparks of genius, but on the whole the albums felt cobbled together.

Hearing that would be releasing an album on Arista thanks to a deal with Clive Davis, I was hopeful it might be a return to the mainstream. With a winning formula behind him with Santana’s Spellbound, perhaps Clive thought the same could be done with . And taking a look at the number of guest appearances it seemed to be a formula that was adopted, however as the album would show it was done his own way.

Hopes of hearing new developments in sound might have been dashed slightly with the name of the album and the opening track. Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic as we all know was a Batman cast off, and made a cameo in the batman remixes. And immediately I was taken back to the joy and excitement of listening to those remixes and hearing those unreleased songs. Was this going to be a return to form or rehashing old things.

Slotting in the cd, and putting on headphones I waited. That beautifully layered vocal intro just engulfed me, and the groove was classic Prince. Slower in this incarnation than the sped up version that appeared in the remixes, Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic seemed to lack a sense of urgency. There was no punch that I was expecting from an opener, and instead I felt like the song was searching a little for a bit of purpose. Listening to it now, I’m reminded more of The Black Album than Batman – I can hear bits of Bob George in here. And I still feel like it is a glance to the past than a look to the future.

Now having said all that, when Undisputed pulsed through the headphones I was taken over. The drum pattern (a return to the Linn?) was classic, holding all the elements I loved, and the vocal structure slid right into the groove. And hearing deliver too smooth vocals to counter the hard as nails delivery of Chuck D’s rap just made the song truly grow into a megatrack – nice call outs to ?uestlove and D’Angelo too – both who had enjoyed a jam session at Paisley Park.

Hearing The Greatest Romance that’s Ever Been Sold for the first time I felt the song was a little too sparse. But hearing it now, I find it a richer textured song than I had imagined. A painful bookend to The Most Beautiful Girl in the World the solace is dripping in this song. A beautiful remix by the Neptunes on the cd single brought this song back into my playlist.

What is with the 4 blank seconds?

Hot With U is a truly funky party jam in classic style. A slamming beat that makes you wanna groove and expertly delivered rap by Eve. I love the little vocoder effects in this song. Give it a bit of kink.

Tangerine is a beautifully arranged song. I love the richness in the arrangement of this song, it is lush without being overpowering. Such a poignant powerful song in under 3:24.

So Far, So Pleased again hit me as a skipper track. If I am going to go with a Gwen and song I’m always going to go for Waiting Room. But hearing it now after such an absence I find myself actually enjoying the rockier feel to the track and appreciating the structure of the track, and hello… how great is that guitar solo. Worthy or reconsideration.

With its rolling percussive feel, The Sun, The Moon and The Stars became the unlikely stand out track for me. It was the song I kept coming back to this album for. There is something in this modern take on the classic ballad structure that just makes it irresistible. And today it still holds its appeal.

What was with all the covers that appeared on the last few major releases? By the time this song rolled round I was over the whole cover thing. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the original. Maybe that’s why I felt this was a weak cover of Everyday is a Winding Road, it reminded me too much of the Frankie Knuckles remixes that were floating around at the time. Next please.

Man O War never really did it for me. I don’t know why? It felt like an attempt to rekindle the vibe of Adore but for me it didn’t match it. I know many love but for me it just fails to capture my attention.

Man O War was were the album lost me, unfortunately Baby Knows didn’t get me back – too Peach like for me.

The pain in Love U, But I Don’t Trust U Anymore is so raw and exposed. It’s bittersweet, brave and beautiful. Just a heart laid bare. And a glimpse into what would be the intimate recordings of One Night Alone.

Almost refilling the heart, Silly Games is a pretty, sweet song that has a light airy feel to it and sing song nature to it. The lightness of the melody belies the longing in the vocal. The sweetest love (lost) song.

Strange But True captured me from the get go. The bubbling synth line, then that driving beat kicks in and whilst it feels like I’ve been taken back to a 1999 recording session then jolted into the studio session for Batman, but somehow the song remains fresh and vital. Still does.

With its classic Prince drum pattern Wherever You Go is the classic slow burn rock anthem up of the set, and as if intended as the last track it seems intent on closing a chapter on an era.

If it was closing a chapter, then Pretty Man was a glimpse on a new future. Pretty Man is the funk jam of the album, and dare I say the funk jam of several albums. Its free, party vibe just sees an artist rejoicing in a live feel track. Sure the lyrics are as throwaway as say Movie Star, but this time the track is tight and vibrant. Maceo’s solo gives it the full funk credentials. And while comparisons for this song and James Brown will always exist, the long drawn out synth stings are classic Prince.

As the last official release Rave wasn’t exactly the reignition of a career many had hoped for. The album has a few high points but when you consider the albums to follow it still feels like an artist whose heart just isn’t in it. Maybe that is true of most of the era recordings. A man struggling to be something other than what he is, and an artist trying to define himself not on what was but what could be. Sometimes there were bursts of brilliance, sometimes there were not. But whilst the progression in the music may not have galloped forward as much as it could have, it allowed an artist to express himself in times when perhaps the only alternative was silence. But when Prince feels comfortable in his own identity again with the next release, then the musical experimentation and the musical journey of growth comes back to the fore.

How can this be celebrated? I've got nothing.

I must say, I do enjoy these "Celebrations". It makes me go back and re-listen to things I may have written off or just did not get into. I love that you are not overly negative in your opinions (thank you). I read all of your "Celebrations", so tonight I am going to put some music on, kick back on the sofa with a glass of wine with BATMAN and SOME OLD FRIENDS.

Rave is a very mixed affair, imo, but there are still things I greatly enjoy about it and there's a good album in here: Undisputed / The Greatest Romance that’s Ever Been Sold / Hot Wit U / The Sun, The Moon and The Stars / Love U, But I Don’t Trust U Anymore / Wherever U Go / Pretty Man + the "In2" remix of Man O' War and Beautiful Strange.

The rest of the tracks are just oddballs. I've read that Clive, after he'd heard an earlier configuration of the album, asked for additional songs to be included. I always wondered what Prince's original intentions were...

jtfolden said:

Rave is a very mixed affair, imo, but there are still things I greatly enjoy about it and there's a good album in here: Undisputed / The Greatest Romance that’s Ever Been Sold / Hot Wit U / The Sun, The Moon and The Stars / Love U, But I Don’t Trust U Anymore / Wherever U Go / Pretty Man + the "In2" remix of Man O' War and Beautiful Strange.

The rest of the tracks are just oddballs. I've read that Clive, after he'd heard an earlier configuration of the album, asked for additional songs to be included. I always wondered what Prince's original intentions were...

I wonder if Clive was trying to do a "Supernatural" with the amount of guest artists on here.

with a good video, So Far, So Please could have been a decent enough hit. Gwen was very hot at the time.

What a waste. The rest of this album is lame except for "I love you but..." and "Wherever you go."

[Edited 10/11/10 11:43am]

I don't know about everybody else, but I LOVED this ablum!! Baby Knows, The Title Track, The Greatest Romance, and I Love You.. are among some of my fave Prince songs!! I was so excited when this ablum came out, the outfits during this era were hot too!! Prince was the man, I have this dvd celebration too and I just love it!! Baby Knows is so funky and I am so addicted to that song! I Love You...is such a beautiful tract and makes me cry thinking about what Prince went through. And The Greatest Romance.. is such a cool song, I sing it all day long! lol Great cd in his collection!

DaphneLovesPR1NCE said:

I Love You...is such a beautiful tract and makes me cry thinking about what Prince went through.

Heh... don't be fooled.

emesem said:

with a good video, So Far, So Please could have been a decent enough hit. Gwen was very hot at the time.

What a waste. The rest of this album is lame except for "I love you but..." and "Wherever you go."

[Edited 10/11/10 11:43am]

I often wonder about the singles chosen for albums since here on in.

It seems Prince liked the album til the day it came out then really didn't feel as passionate for it - he moves on to the next project.

I The Greatest Romance,

otherwise I was really disappointed with this album when it came out.

swa, have u heard ravein2? Do u think its better then un2?

love this album

The verses of Greatest Romance and the whole of I Love You But... are the only bright spots of this record for me. Really shook my faith in the guy. So forced and lifeless. Dark, dark days of Prince fandom. I know quite a few people who finally jumped ship after this effort. It's proof that not everyone makes their best music when they're miserable.

Does anybody remember the The Greatest Romance... performance at Dutch TV Show with Ivo Niehe? I can only recall his singing and dancing and Larry Graham almost doing the interview.

there is another thread about the original Rave track list and it got me thinkin .. how did a possible concept album from back in the dream factory days turn into what eventually became RAVE unto the joy fantastic. in words alone perhaps this pondering holds no weight but to those familiar with the era and the brilliant output and vibe that went with it, their is a stark contrast.

i also wonder what when where and how prince went from an infinitely inspiring producer to an artist who's modern output seams to actually anger me at how little it inspires me.

does rave hold the clues to the puzzle that leads to the door? what makes a man go from moonbeam levels, pink cashmere and electric chair to undisputed hot wit u baby knows and several other unmentionables. even the highlights, i love you but.., whereever u go, man o remix, dont seem to fit the original vibe. and then there is the fact that this was supposedly a collaborative record in which prince pretty much burried everything but the cameo raps and the saxophone.

strange but true

i wonder if i love u but ... only came to light because of ani's fiercely honest and vulnerable spirit. i hadnt heard a song that real from prince in a long time and i doubt ani would be impressed with prince macho hip hop wanna be moves. is this the prince that he wants burried away from the public? the rest of the record seems plastic in comparison. even so ani's guitar is burried just like gwen, and sheryl crow didn't even sing, did she?

it seems to me that this is a cash grab .. as has been every record since. there was a time when prince would put out this sort of thing for fun .. oh ee oh ee oh .. ooh im a nasty girl .. every once in a while if he had an artist he respected he would try a little harder .. the family .. sheila e.

but why .. is it because prince just had to express his love of vibrators or he would burst .. or was it because sex sells and prince, believe it or not, has very good business ideas sometimes. follow thru bad but ideas good. what really happened was that his "gift" was so bright at that time that even the shit he didnt care about came out pretty good and had little spots of brilliance even.

his current output is equal to that which in the past he did not care about. the difference is that those who worked with him DID care. they knew this was a big break and even tho they weren't technically that great, they put their heart into it.

prince is bored with himself. he hasn't been inspired in a long time by music in and of itself. he is smart enough to put together a product that will keep his funds coming in. you might argue that rainbow children had passion but it failed because prince was lying to himself at the time, passionately. Still you can see the truth in the music manages to resonate but the lyrics are diseased.

The Rave transformation from what it began as to what it became catalogs the genius artist to business product evolution. Never more clearly was a prince album produced primarily for the purpose of fitting a marketing scheme and never has such a clever marketing scheme failed to produce good music so badly. I mean come on shouldn't GWEN + PRINCE = PURE GOLD? it should at least be as good as madonnas love song. but its way worse. WTFP? ani and p. .. chuck d and p. i mean come on seriously .. that shit should have been mind blowingly awesome .. and it wasn't at all .. i love u but .. was great but you couldnt even hear ani. i dont think it was done for the music. i think it was done for the marketing scheme and thus prince only wanted their name on the record. there are always cool things about a prince record but he is much better when creates music from his heart and not his mind.

oops

[Edited 11/20/10 15:32pm]

hhhhdmt said:

swa, have u heard ravein2? Do u think its better then un2?

Rave in2 has some moments for me - some of the remixes are on point and I think better than the originals.

I also enjoyed hearing the subtle differences in a few songs like Tangerine.

Swa said:

hhhhdmt said:

swa, have u heard ravein2? Do u think its better then un2?

Rave in2 has some moments for me - some of the remixes are on point and I think better than the originals.

I also enjoyed hearing the subtle differences in a few songs like Tangerine.

yup, rave in2 is a little better for me too but it seems like he wasnt particularly inspired for either album. All in all, a few good songs but mediocre albums overall.

I love Rave and actually find it to be much more soulful and honest than his recent work.

ILYBIDTYA, WYGWYD, Strange But True, TGRES, Man O War... those are five top draw tracks right there.