So, I've been listening to Diamonds & Pearls lately, but I'm having a hard time telling if it's actually any good. The singles are brilliant, some of the best he's ever done, but some of it induces cringes the likes of which have never been seen on this Earth. Songs like Insatiable and Gett Off signify that it's the finale to the classic era that the self-titled album started, while songs like Jughead tell me that it was a desperate attempt to stay relevent. I get through the whole LP eagerly, other times I groan and turn it off halfway through any given Tony M. segment.

It's a weird problem, but I don't know whether or not I can consider it a good album. Orgers are viciously opinionated, so I figured you guys were the best place to turn. Convince me one way or the other.

That and I just like seeing you guys eat up an album. What do you think of D&P?

Shockedelicus said:

So, I've been listening to Diamonds & Pearls lately, but I'm having a hard time telling if it's actually any good. The singles are brilliant, some of the best he's ever done, but some of it induces cringes the likes of which have never been seen on this Earth. Songs like Insatiable and Gett Off signify that it's the finale to the classic era that the self-titled album started, while songs like Jughead tell me that it was a desperate attempt to stay relevent. I get through the whole LP eagerly, other times I groan and turn it off halfway through any given Tony M. segment.

It's a weird problem, but I don't know whether or not I can consider it a good album. Orgers are viciously opinionated, so I figured you guys were the best place to turn. Convince me one way or the other.

That and I just like seeing you guys eat up an album. What do you think of D&P?

i think u should leap off the fence and run away (except for a few songs)

I think it suffers from trying to fill the CD.

It definitely has it's fair share of filler on it. But I still enjoy the album thoroughly each time I listen to it. Even the "weaker" songs on the album (I wouldn't call them weaker, but they're the songs I can only listen to when I'm in the right mood) get played when I listen to the album. The album is patchy at times though, there's no overlooking that.

Good album! One of the few you can play from track one and never have to skip. Diamonds was more of an era....Mtv awards, Arsenio, the album cover, Maxi singles.....it was a new band, new look, yellow everything...a really fun year. One of my favs!!!!!

I think it's half a good album. "Daddy Pop", "Walk Don't Walk" and "Push" are three of his all-time worst to me. I don't like "Jughead" or "Insatiable" either, though I don't think they're terrible.

I like the rest of the songs a lot... but as a start-to-finish album, I don't think that it's a good one.

[Edited 4/17/13 23:56pm]

kangafunk said:

The two tracks I can't stand are jughead and well, only jughead come to think of it. I used to hate push, but a recent listen changed my opinion completely. My first prince album, so I'm probably not fit to critique it, as nostalgia takes over.

same here! first one i fully listened to and would replay it 24/7 in my cd player often not skipping songs like daddy pop or jughead cause i was just a super curious prince fan and would take whatever i could get lol

prime said:

Good album! One of the few you can play from track one and never have to skip. Diamonds was more of an era....Mtv awards, Arsenio, the album cover, Maxi singles.....it was a new band, new look, yellow everything...a really fun year. One of my favs!!!!!

Not one of my top 5, but I do like the entire cd. There are some great songs on this cd, but I have to agree that Jughead is a bit lame, although I think it's a fun song too.

A somewhat pedestrian album. Devoid of all the magic of the 80s era. Prince essentially assembled a band of technical profficient but uninspriing group of studio musicans, added two cute dancers and a "rapper" and called the rest of it in.

This was the first time I realized his best days were behind him. I give him credit for trying later to put a bit more effort in later releases (parts of symbol, Gold and Emancipation seemed at least he was trying) but if LoveSexy was the beginning of the beginning of the end. This was the end of the beginning of the end.

I can't stand Thunder. The over the top keyboards are cringe worthy. Meh

I think it's a solid album. One or two songs kinda falter a little but I don't like everything on Purple Rain either. I mean, I actually can't listen to When Doves Cry anymore.

D&P was sort of at the start of my Prince love affair so it also has a lot of nostalgia. It also signified for me, a change for him and into a clear hit-making strategy which I also like.

It's not a masterpiece but when it's good,it's really good ("Get Off","Cream","Strollin","Live 4 Love","Insatiable")

Farfunknugin said:

I can't stand Thunder. The over the top keyboards are cringe worthy. Meh

yeah,that song isn't one of my favorites,either

CrabalockerFishwife said:

. "Daddy Pop", "Walk Don't Walk" and "Push" are three of his all-time worst to me.

I actually like "Walk Don't Walk" it's corny and sounds unfinished but I like it,for some reason,lol

Good album, not great, but definitely in his top 30 albums

I'll rank the songs, favorite to least so, just for fun:

Great

1. Insatiable

2. Money Don't Matter 2 Night

3. Willing & Able

4. Diamond & Pearls

5. Strollin

6. Cream

7. Gett Off

Good

8. Walk Don't Walk

9. Live 4 Love

10. Push

Not So Much

11. Thunder

12. Daddy Pop

13. Jughead

And I'll just say, Gett Off would move up on the list if the drums weren't so loud, repetitive, and uninteresting. But it has some awesome vocals, lyrics, flute, guitar, and attitude, so it still makes it into the great category.

Between this and the symbol album I'll take this anyday. Thunder, Cream, Gett Off, Willing & Able, Walk, Insatiable are all stellar tracks. Yeah, the others are lame and haven't aged well at all. The early 90's was the first time I thought Prince was chasing rather than inventing. He recovered with Come/Gold Experience/Exodus.

Take what you don't like and add Violet the organ grinder and Horny pony instead.

I think the vidio for Violet took me back to the P.R. days.... love it.

SoulAlive said:

Shockedelicus said:

So, I've been listening to Diamonds & Pearls lately, but I'm having a hard time telling if it's actually any good. The singles are brilliant, some of the best he's ever done, but some of it induces cringes the likes of which have never been seen on this Earth. Songs like Insatiable and Gett Off signify that it's the finale to the classic era that the self-titled album started, while songs like Jughead tell me that it was a desperate attempt to stay relevent. I get through the whole LP eagerly, other times I groan and turn it off halfway through any given Tony M. segment.

It's a weird problem, but I don't know whether or not I can consider it a good album. Orgers are viciously opinionated, so I figured you guys were the best place to turn. Convince me one way or the other.

That and I just like seeing you guys eat up an album. What do you think of D&P?

Okay how can u not make up ur mind with Gett OFf, Cream, Diamonds and pearls, willing and able, Strollin, money doesn't matter tonight, and insastiable on the album. I personally secretley am of fan of Jughead and Push. Thunder is alright and the rest of the album kinda falls off. This album is fantastic.

SoulAlive said:

It's not a masterpiece but when it's good,it's really good ("Get Off","Cream","Strollin","Live 4 Love","Insatiable")

Well put. Exchange "Live 4 Love" with "Money Don't Matter 2night" and I'd agree completely.