HatrinaHaterwitz said:

I don't have a problem with the girls, but the Josh Welton production ist horrible. I hate it with a passion. AOC and Funknroll remix are unlistenable.

ludwig said:

TheGhostlyNun said:

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

Beautifully worded there. Why make an effort to put your thoughts into words when lazily posting an uncreative picture will do?

That was just Hatrina showing the only dance move she knows.

To answer your question, yes I like the way Prince collaborates now, he seems to be a new place and a new phase in terms of that and it almost feels like he's making amends for misdeeds past.

I really like how he has allowed this group to be so involved, even though I find the results unever with PLEL so far. But we tend to forget few protégés albums (if any) were actually flawless top-notch material from beginning to end. There is this whole myth that he released one genius record after the other in the eighties.

TheGhostlyNun said:

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

Beautifully worded there. Why make an effort to put your thoughts into words when lazily posting an uncreative picture will do?

Here I was trying to be nice because my words tend to cut a little deep but since you insist.

No, I don't like "the new collaborating Prince" because Joshua and 3rdEyeGirl have been nothing but employees, honored and grateful for the opportunity to do whatever Prince wanted. That's not collaborating.

A collaboratioin would be his working with someone with the balls to tell his happy ass, "Hell NO! Let's not do it YOUR way for a change!"

Aerogram said:

TheGhostlyNun said:

HatrinaHaterwitz said: Beautifully worded there. Why make an effort to put your thoughts into words when lazily posting an uncreative picture will do?

That was just Hatrina showing the only dance move she knows.

Stay in your lane.

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

TheGhostlyNun said:

HatrinaHaterwitz said: Beautifully worded there. Why make an effort to put your thoughts into words when lazily posting an uncreative picture will do?

Here I was trying to be nice because my words tend to cut a little deep but since you insist.

No, I don't like "the new collaborating Prince" because Joshua and 3rdEyeGirl have been nothing but employees, honored and grateful for the opportunity to do whatever Prince wanted. That's not collaborating.

A collaboratioin would be his working with someone with the balls to tell his happy ass, "Hell NO! Let's not do it YOUR way for a change!"

If you had the definitive proof that he truly give them meaningful opportunities to contribute and that some whole songs are 90 % their idea, you'd just say that's no good either because they're not talented.

If he did collaborate with someone who is not an employee, then it would be some other artist and you'd say Prince messed up by picking that one.

If he picked the one artist you like, then you'd say it's hopeless because that other artist is way way more where it's at so Prince will mess it up.

It's like a lifelong case of the terrible twos.

I do. As a tester, it's safe for him to use in-house people. I think they've helped him re-connect with the Prince-ness of his music. So much of what he's put out in the last 10 years has been fairly sterile. They seem to have brought out some of the quirks that have been missing from most (not all) of his music lately. Maybe he felt the need to impress them.

He's had co-producers before, always somebody on the payroll, but these are relative "kids" and he's never shy about chasing that demographic no matter how old he gets. Having some around may have been what put him back on his game.

Aerogram said:

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

Here I was trying to be nice because my words tend to cut a little deep but since you insist.

No, I don't like "the new collaborating Prince" because Joshua and 3rdEyeGirl have been nothing but employees, honored and grateful for the opportunity to do whatever Prince wanted. That's not collaborating.

A collaboratioin would be his working with someone with the balls to tell his happy ass, "Hell NO! Let's not do it YOUR way for a change!"

If you had the definitive proof that he truly give them meaningful opportunities to contribute and that some whole songs are 90 % their idea, you'd just say that's no good either because they're not talented.

If he did collaborate with someone who is not an employee, then it would be some other artist and you'd say Prince messed up by picking that one.

If he picked the one artist you like, then you'd say it's hopeless because that other artist is way way more where it's at so Prince will mess it up.

It's like a lifelong case of the terrible twos.

Yeah, it's getting pretty boring at this point. You can write the reactions before anyone's even heard a note these days. A lot of these people have had these reviews floating around in the heads for almost 4 years now

Aerogram said:

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

Here I was trying to be nice because my words tend to cut a little deep but since you insist.

No, I don't like "the new collaborating Prince" because Joshua and 3rdEyeGirl have been nothing but employees, honored and grateful for the opportunity to do whatever Prince wanted. That's not collaborating.

A collaboratioin would be his working with someone with the balls to tell his happy ass, "Hell NO! Let's not do it YOUR way for a change!"

If you had the definitive proof that he truly give them meaningful opportunities to contribute and that some whole songs are 90 % their idea, you'd just say that's no good either because they're not talented.

If he did collaborate with someone who is not an employee, then it would be some other artist and you'd say Prince messed up by picking that one.

If he picked the one artist you like, then you'd say it's hopeless because that other artist is way way more where it's at so Prince will mess it up.

It's like a lifelong case of the terrible twos.

Since you think you know me so well, to that I'd say...

TheGhostlyNun said:

ludwig said:

I don't have a problem with the girls, but the Josh Welton production ist horrible. I hate it with a passion. AOC and Funknroll remix are unlistenable.

At least you didn't just put a daft animated pic. I do think the co-production is quite crucial if Prince is looking for a hit album. It may not be to everybody's taste, but I think it'll help the album be more successful in the financial sense. I certainly prefer the 'in-house' production than getting someone in just because they're a known name.

And as a long time fan and customer that has bought all of his albums, most on the day of their release without ever hearing them first, I could care less about him having a hit album and being more successful in a financial sense. It's not like he is starving these days and doesn't already have a fanbase to fall back on. He's got enough of us that have kept him living comfortably all these years. When I'm spending my money on an album, my main concern is getting music that I personally like for my own personal enjoyment and music that is an alternative and escape from the mainstream R&B sound these days that I despise so much. A mainstream sound that he, himself, has gone on rants about for years and even after he just now recorded this disgrace of a mess, he still has the nerve to talk about the current mainstream as if he didn't just sell out to it himself. If I want to hear more of that mainstream junk, I don't need Prince for it because there is a whole radio full of it. That's why I'm not spending one dime on this album and am extremely grateful that I had the chance to hear it first so I didn't spend my money on something I can't stand.

vainandy said:

TheGhostlyNun said:

ludwig said: At least you didn't just put a daft animated pic. I do think the co-production is quite crucial if Prince is looking for a hit album. It may not be to everybody's taste, but I think it'll help the album be more successful in the financial sense. I certainly prefer the 'in-house' production than getting someone in just because they're a known name.

And as a long time fan and customer that has bought all of his albums, most on the day of their release without ever hearing them first, I could care less about him having a hit album and being more successful in a financial sense. It's not like he is starving these days and doesn't already have a fanbase to fall back on. He's got enough of us that have kept him living comfortably all these years. When I'm spending my money on an album, my main concern is getting music that I personally like for my own personal enjoyment and music that is an alternative and escape from the mainstream R&B sound these days that I despise so much. A mainstream sound that he, himself, has gone on rants about for years and even after he just now recorded this disgrace of a mess, he still has the nerve to talk about the current mainstream as if he didn't just sell out to it himself. If I want to hear more of that mainstream junk, I don't need Prince for it because there is a whole radio full of it. That's why I'm not spending one dime on this album and am extremely grateful that I had the chance to hear it first so I didn't spend my money on something I can't stand.

ludwig said:

I don't have a problem with the girls, but the Josh Welton production ist horrible. I hate it with a passion. AOC and Funknroll remix are unlistenable.

i agree with u 100% josh production is amatuer u can find the sounds he use on presets on most keyboards he didnt really put my thought or creativity in2 what he was doing and why do prince trust these people so much but when he had talented people in the past like wendy,lisa.andre cymone jimmy jam and terry lewis he didnt wanna share production credits? this is the first cd prince has ever put out that i have no intion on purchasing

Josh's production is awesome. He's done a great job.

Militant said:

Josh's production is awesome. He's done a great job.

I agree. I was fearful after hearing some of the pre release singles but I'm won over. It would be interesting to see full credits to know just what he did and didn't do.

Militant said:

Josh's production is awesome. He's done a great job.

There's nothing wrong with Prince's production skills, as a matter of fact I still think he's probably the best producer that has ever been...
Joshua Welton on the other hand makes the music sound dated, soulless and honestly quite lame and annoying to listen to, everything on the album just drags... AOA is a horrible album production wise and sounds even more dated than "Emancipation" did at the time...
The 3rdeyegirl album was better before the overhaul, but still easier and nicer to listen to than AOA...

Neversin.

Neversin said:

Militant said:

Josh's production is awesome. He's done a great job.

The 3rdeyegirl album was better before the overhaul, but still easier and nicer to listen to than AOA...

Neversin.

What happened to plectrum?

what has josh done before prince 2 make him even want 2 put him on?? do u know how many established real artist out there begging 2 work with prince like lenny kravitz,pharrell, lil wayne, jimmy jam and terry lewis this list is so long yet he work with sombody who make 3rd grader sounds? this is the 1st prince cd i have no interest in buying its on spotify i listened 2 it and bored by it.now 3erd eye girl cd is the shit its rocking love it another love is just amazing and tictactoe is love

You really think Josh had a big input on the album?Prince has had people co produce albums/songs before this isn't new.In reality Prince is producing them producing him.I think he is just giving him some shine to help him out in his career.Prince doesn't need a producer and if somebody were to ACTUALLY produce a PRINCE album then it wouldn't be a PRINCE album.

TheEnglishGent said:

Neversin said:

The 3rdeyegirl album was better before the overhaul, but still easier and nicer to listen to than AOA...

Neversin.

What happened to plectrum?

The record was done as a true live band effort with minimal overdubs...
Then it got pressed, "quality control" rejected it and then it got shuffled/re-recorded/overdubbed/polished way too much and released...

Neversin.

[Edited 9/30/14 3:25am]

Neversin said:

TheEnglishGent said:

What happened to plectrum?

The record was done as a true live band effort with minimal overdubs...
Then it got pressed, "quality control" rejected it and then it got shuffled/re-recorded/overdubbed/polished way too much and released...

Neversin.

[Edited 9/30/14 3:25am]

Ah ok, hadn't seen the slightest thing about that anywhere.

Neversin said:

TheEnglishGent said:

What happened to plectrum?

The record was done as a true live band effort with minimal overdubs...
Then it got pressed, "quality control" rejected it and then it got shuffled/re-recorded/overdubbed/polished way too much and released...

Neversin.

[Edited 9/30/14 3:25am]

What about the track list, was that changed?

Not really.

I have no doubts the records would have been better with Hannah as just a background singer and Joshua not doing much else than maybe an occasional Roland drum machine beat. What's bad about the records are exactly the parts where he is allowing them to "shine".

(edit - ok, Hannah on "Whitecaps" isn't bad and if Josh has indeed done large chunks of the "Way Back Home" suite then that's fine too, but too much of the material on the records just doesn't sound like Prince or why someone that listens to Prince would actually spend money on music).

[Edited 9/30/14 4:40am]

novabrkr said:

"Way Back Home" suite then that's fine too, but too much of the material on the records just doesn't sound like Prince or why someone that listens to Prince would actually spend money on music).

The problem for Prince is that the people who spend money on stuff because they listen to Prince are a dying breed, so he needs to branch out if he wants the sales.