independent and unofficial
Prince fan community
Welcome! Sign up or enter username and password to remember me
Forum jump
Forums > Prince: Music and More > Most underrated post-80's Prince albums
« Previous topic  Next topic »
Page 1 of 3 123>
  New topic   Printable     (Log in to 'subscribe' to this topic)
Author

Tweet     Share

Message
Thread started 05/14/16 12:55am

Thizz

Most underrated post-80's Prince albums

1. Emancipation

2. 20Ten

3. LOtUSFLOW3R

4. Planet Earth

5. HitnRun Phase Two

What do you guys think?

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #1 posted 05/14/16 12:59am

kev1n

avatar

1. The gold experience
2. Emancipation
3. Love symbol
4. Come
5. Graffiti bridge
It was not in vain...it was in Minneapolis!
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #2 posted 05/14/16 1:00am

jazzz

- The Truth

- ONA piano

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #3 posted 05/14/16 1:04am

kev1n

avatar

Definitely agree with Emancipation! Constantly hear people say it would have been a great single disc album,... I think it is a phenomenal three disc album! After the 21st I think 'the holy river' is the track I've revisited the most. Perhaps my judgement is a bit coloured by the fact this was the era I discovered prince but nevertheless as an artistic work this is a rock!
It was not in vain...it was in Minneapolis!
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #4 posted 05/14/16 1:15am

Moonbeam

avatar

Not necessarily the best, but the most underappreciated in my view:

1. Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic
2. Planet Earth
3. One Nite Alone
4. The Vault: Old Friends 4 Sale
5. Crystal Ball
Feel free to join in the Prince Album Poll 2018! Let'a celebrate his legacy by counting down the most beloved Prince albums, as decided by you!
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #5 posted 05/14/16 1:17am

airth

avatar

Underrated by who? From what's been listed so far, I'd say Lotusflow3r, 20Ten, HitnRun Phase 2 and, in particular, The Gold Experience and Come all get a lot of love here.

Emancipation really splits opinions. I can't quite believe it now, but I had it once and threw it out. I guess it's time I gave it a reappraisal. I've never given the Love Symbol album much time either.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #6 posted 05/14/16 1:28am

McD

avatar

Xpectation and One Nite Alone.

The others that are plenty good get plenty o' love.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #7 posted 05/14/16 1:45am

HatrinaHaterwi
tz

avatar

Love Symbol, Emancipation, New Power Soul, One Night Alone

I knew from the start that I loved you with all my heart.
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #8 posted 05/14/16 1:53am

CherryMoon57

avatar

The Truth

The Rainbow Children

ONA Piano

n.e.w.s.

Emancipation

Life Matters
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #9 posted 05/14/16 1:55am

CherryMoon57

avatar

Oh and the Chocolate Invasion too!

Life Matters
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #10 posted 05/14/16 2:51am

Aerogram

avatar

Given that anything post-eighties by Prince is often described as subpar, all of the albums are potentially underrated. Here are the ones I feel the general public need to (re)discover:

Graffiti Bridge: Aside from the too-sweet closer, this album is full of essential Prince songs alongside less compelling material by associated artists that still mostly hit the spot. The overall atmosphere reminds me of those travelling soul revues from the sixties where you'd hear definitive classics along with less stellar, but still fun songs.

Diamonds and Pearls: hardcore fans tend to view it as a very commercial effort and they are right that Prince is mostly in his comfort zone here (raps aside), but it was the last time one of his albums clearly hit its target audience and it's easy to see why: Prince the pop melodicist is center-stage, accessible and very memorable. It may not please the hardcore much, but play it to more casual fans or even friends and family members, and they'll connect. Mission accomplished (ps: skip Jughead).

Come and The Gold Experience: the last two great Prince 1.0 records before he started marketing himself for a more general, PG audience and mostly stopped being "raunchy". While the classic persona that startled audiences in the eighties was now tame compared to what could be heard from hip hop comtemporaries at the time, the songs themselves are emblematic of his legacy, minus a few clunkers here and there.

The Truth: Prince up close and personal, mostly stripped down -- this is a record he made for his own satisfaction and it qualifies as one of his most personal statements. He wasn't trying to sell 5 million records with this one but chances are good it will grow in importance over the years as a key piece of his legacy because of its intimate format.

Musicology: After years of alternating between albums intended to be crowd pleasing and others clearly made for an extremely specialized audience, Prince finally finds a satisfying balance. He doesn't overreach to crowd please (save for Life of the party) by trying to chase a trend. His idiosyncrasies are in full display but are accessible. The record is well titled as it's truly a distillation of everything that makes his music so "Prince", like a textbook record for a Prince U. course.

ArtOfficialAge: his last artistically successful concept album, this record represents a stylistic triumph because it succeeds at something Prince had failed at so often: incorporating trends and updating his sound for the age. Rather than reluctantly chase trends in an half-hearted manner to reach new audiences, Prince is embracing the various styles he uses here to deliver something unmistakably personal. Working with Janelle on Electric Lady, he had an opportunity to truly absorb a more modern process and it pays off here, admittedly with a bit of help in the drum programming department. Chances are good that this album will keep being rediscovered as it succeeds at its ambitions so well. For me, it's a bit of a 21st Century Lovesexy with its melancholy tones, themes of rebirth and party tracks.

Hit N Run Phase Two: The last released album during his lifetime, this is meant more as a great sequence of songs than an actual capital P Prince album. As such it has no right to be this good and we are fortunate he decided to release it despite all the qualms about some tracks having been around for years. It's not Black Star but it sure is worthy of his legacy.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #11 posted 05/14/16 4:53am

MattyJam

avatar

Rave and Art Official Age.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #12 posted 05/14/16 5:25am

RJOrion

N.E.W.S.
AOA
The Slaughterhouse
The Chocolate Invasion
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #13 posted 05/14/16 5:48am

dalboy2

Guys,

What is getting clearer is everyone appreciated different aspects of Prince's musical output at some point in time. But his music was so varied and touched multiple music tastes, so there was a right musical Prince for everyone in a way. Plus some of music that you didn't get into straight away, gets appreciated at some other point either due to musical growth or taste change or something else that gets you going back to it as such Prince's early demise to the next realm.

A good example is a work friend of mine who only really got into Prince because of his soulful ballads. But his happy as there is enough of Prince's ballad material out there then most artists complete back catalogue.

What do you guys think?

Thanks

Sam
[Edited 5/14/16 5:53am]
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #14 posted 05/14/16 6:10am

aerdna25

avatar

Come

Rainbow Children

ONA Piano

Planet Earth

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #15 posted 05/14/16 6:14am

Guitarhero

Musicology

N.E.W.S

Chaos and Disorder

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #16 posted 05/14/16 6:35am

SPYZFAN1

"Chaos And Disorder"..."N.E.W.S"..."Xpectation".."Exodus"...."The Undertaker".

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #17 posted 05/14/16 6:41am

SENNISS

Most of them to be honest. He certainly didn't get the attention he deserved for his post '80s output.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #18 posted 05/14/16 9:27am

PhukdNtheHead

avatar

1. LotusFlow3r

2. The Gold Experience

3. 3121

4. AOA

5. N.E.W.S.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #19 posted 05/14/16 9:47am

ufoclub

avatar

20ten

Planet Earth

are both maligned by many fans but in my opinion both have an incredibly strong sequence of songs opening each album. Each song a pop gem that sound nothing like one another. That's what I always looked for first and foremost within a Prince album. I love "Compassion" as an opener.

Both album also disintegrate into songs I don't get much out of. Although I do appreciate the left turn into early 70's sitcom themesong with "Everybody Loves Me" and the sentiment of "Laydown" on 20ten.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #20 posted 05/14/16 9:53am

RJOrion

i should have put 20Ten, too

on the strength of 'Sticky Like Glue', and 'Lavaux', alone

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #21 posted 05/14/16 11:17am

Cinnamon234

avatar

The Gold Exprience

LotusFlow3r

Love Symbol

3121

AOA

ONA

[Edited 5/14/16 11:18am]

"And When The Groove Is Dead And Gone, You Know That Love Survives, So We Can Rock Forever" RIP MJ heart

"Baby, that was much too fast"...Goodnight dear sweet Prince. I'll love you always heart
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #22 posted 05/14/16 11:51am

thetimefan

avatar

New Power Soul definitely

Graffiti Bridge
The Rainbow Children
Emancipation
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #23 posted 05/14/16 12:06pm

Bdul4c

My list goes like this:

The GOLD Xperience

Love Symbol

Emancipation

The Rainbow Children

Lotusflow3r

The Truth

So sexy: freedom Music? too sexy! GOOD GAWD!
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #24 posted 05/14/16 12:10pm

sonshine

avatar

I didn't like Lotusflow3r when it came out, but years later I'm actually digging it.
It's a hurtful place, the world, in and of itself. We don't need to add to it. We all need one another. ~ PRN
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #25 posted 05/14/16 12:25pm

Cloreen

avatar

.

[img:$uid]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/99/Prince_Come.jpg[/img:$uid]

.

No doubt about it, a Top 3 Prince album.

.

Please, put it on today and listen straight through (it's a short album).

- What a wonderful bass line and what an amazing vocal in "Space."

- Put on "Loose!" and hear ripping guitar on a techno song?

- One of the best grooves in Prince history..."Pheremone"...I dare you to stand still when that comes on.

- And all musicians know that what you don't play is just as important as notes you do play...well just listen to those spaces on "Dark." Prince at this time (Gold Experience) was cluttering up every song with everything including the ktchen sink; but on "Dark" he does the opposite -- he gives that song so much space, so much room to breathe. The silent spots in that song are so fantastic.

.

Just play the darn album and see it is a masterpiece.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #26 posted 05/14/16 12:39pm

forkupine

avatar

The only one I'm still ambivalent towards is Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic.

Others often considered as some of his worst but I have grown to love are:

1. Chaos and Disorder

2. New Power Soul

3. HitnRun: Phase One

4. Planet Earth

One I've loved from the beginning: 20Ten

The others I've no need to defend because they've received ample love, though as mentioned, Prince's output post-80's is generally underrated.

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #27 posted 05/14/16 1:10pm

LittleBLUECorv
ette

avatar

RAINBOW CHILDREN

PRINCE: Always and Forever
MICHAEL JACKSON: Always and Forever
-----
Live Your Life How U Wanna Live It
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #28 posted 05/14/16 2:17pm

homesquid

avatar

"Planet Earth" is THE most underrated Prince album. Period. It amazes me so many fans rate it so low. Philistines! mad

  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Reply #29 posted 05/14/16 4:14pm

automatic

avatar

1. The Gold Experience
2. HitnRun: Phase Two
3. Emancipation
4. Love Symbol
5. Lotusflow3r
  - E-mail - orgNote - Report post to moderator
Page 1 of 3 123>
  New topic   Printable     (Log in to 'subscribe' to this topic)
« Previous topic  Next topic »
Forums > Prince: Music and More > Most underrated post-80's Prince albums