Having recently acquired a record player, I ran into copies of "The Family" and Sheila E's "Romance 1600".

Seeing as how the tunes on both of these albums were all written mostly during and just after the Purple Rain tour, these both kind of foreshadow his Around the World in a Day and Parade work. After years of hearing the praise for "The Family" from fans here, I finally got to hear the whole album. My personal favorites are "Screams of Passion", "Yes", "River Run Dry", and "Desire". I was particularly impressed with "River Run Dry", which may or may not have been a Prince composition. This was a really nice album, and it felt like a lost Prince album from that era.

Romance 1600 really took me by surprise. I've heard mostly negative things about this album, particularly when compared to The Glamorous Life. But taken and judged separately, the music here sounds a lot like Around the World/Parade outtakes. Possibly even more experimental than those two. It was plain weird, and I freakin' loved it! My favorites are "Dear Michaelangelo", "Toy Box", and "Yellow". Toy Box and Yellow were particularly creative and inventive, as much of Prince's best work is. I like how this album feels really conceptual.

Thoughts on these two albums?

Congrats on finally getting these.

I've said many times the Family is the best protege album period. It rally does foreshadow what's to come with the use of Clare Fischer's stirngs, Eric's sax etc.

THe songs are great. My favorties are High Fashion/Mutiny, River Run Dry, NC2u. Ithink St. paul's voice is beautiful.... deeper and richer than Prince himself.

Sheila's 2nd album is good...I bought it the dayit came out. It hasn't aged as well for me though. Siste Fate is great (especially the intro).... and Toy Box is cool. But Sheila's live show includes songs like Love Bizarre and even Toy box (on the live Romance 1600 video) and the songs are much better im their live arrnagements.

River Run's Dry is a Bobby Z track...

Although Claire Fischer's orchestra really dressed up the song nicely, I thought River Run's Dry was impressive enough to make me wish we heard more from Bobby Z.

The Family is my favorite album associated with Parade.

'River Run Dry' is a highlight of The Family's album.In a perfect world,it would have become a Number One pop hit.


Congratulations on getting a record player! Vinyl is the way to go,especially since so much of this stuff is nearly impossible to find on CD.I've had a turntable for years,and I frequently go out and buy old vinyl albums.