And whilst all the clichés in the world demand a "nothing compares..." sentence, that is actually how I feel about the music being created by Prince in and around that time.

FDeluxe tweeted today about it being 31 years to the day since the album's release. I found the album a few years later after properly getting into Prince through Lovesexy. The music from that time (ATWIAD, Parade, The Family, Madhouse, Sign, leading into Lovesexy - plus of course all the B-sides and songs for other artists (and that's just the official releases)) remains are vital and inspiring today as then.

For a "side-project" on a vanity label, the experimentation and playfulness of the album - offering hints about the direction Prince was taking his music - make this a milestone moment in his career.

I'm minded to go put it on and get washed away in its wonder!

(Oh, and the clichéd sentence? Yeah...that was my response on twitter! Couldn't resist.)

great album, indeed.

.

right as Prince was peaking in all of his musical powers

& still had the skill & creativity to produce very good music for his "satellite" groups.

too bad they didn't stay together long enough to actually tour

or make a 2nd album.

.

it annoys me somewhat that "nothing compares 2 u" will be known by most people as a

"Sinead O'Connor" song -

I have nothing against her personally or professionally

to me that song will ALWAYS belong to The Family.

I've actually sung this song (a capella) a few times in karaoke bars.

when I do it, I make a point to tell the audience - remind them, in fact - that

this song was originally done by The Family.

.

every song on that album is great. the only song I don't really listen to is the "slower-tempoed"

instrumental track. I forget if it's "Susanna's pajamas" or "yes"..

mltijchr said:

great album, indeed.

.

right as Prince was peaking in all of his musical powers

& still had the skill & creativity to produce very good music for his "satellite" groups.

too bad they didn't stay together long enough to actually tour

or make a 2nd album.

.

it annoys me somewhat that "nothing compares 2 u" will be known by most people as a

"Sinead O'Connor" song -

I have nothing against her personally or professionally

to me that song will ALWAYS belong to The Family.

I've actually sung this song (a capella) a few times in karaoke bars.

when I do it, I make a point to tell the audience - remind them, in fact - that

this song was originally done by The Family.

.

every song on that album is great. the only song I don't really listen to is the "slower-tempoed"

instrumental track. I forget if it's "Susanna's pajamas" or "yes"..

In some ways it's cool that a side-project song was brought into the mainstream but it does truly belong to The Family and - in my opinion - sounds better. The melancholy isn't quite so melodramatic.

The rest of the album is, as mentioned, terrific. Mr Z of the Bobby variety doesn't quite get the credit he deserves for River Run Dry either. The strings, courtesy of Mr Fischer, really bring that song and the album alive. A wonderful combination of two (three) marvellously creative men.

I think it's time for St.Paul to leak that 12" mix of High Fashion

jjam said:

I think it's time for St.Paul to leak that 12" mix of High Fashion

I now have 3 copies, one being My ORIGINAL from 1985!!!

I think we need a pristine leak of the Family LP with P's vocals - come on someone??? Questlove played what appeared to be a pristine copy of P on TSOP - let the masses hear this perfection

dafuzz said:

That album was so good. Shame they did not stick it out. I like the Fdeluxe stuff but Sussannah seems to be more interested in The Revolution than The Family. The band has been doing shows without her and I saw on Facebook she's not going to Japan anymore. Maybe it's just a band that wasn't meant to be after all.

Susannah will be at the Revolution shows. I had tickets to the last 2 fDeluxe shows in Minneapolis in 2014 and 2015. She cancelled both times. It was really disappointing.

Its a timeless, dreamy and perfect album

Goddess4Real said:

Its a timeless, dreamy and perfect album

I have that poster!

mltijchr said:

great album, indeed.

.

right as Prince was peaking in all of his musical powers

& still had the skill & creativity to produce very good music for his "satellite" groups.

too bad they didn't stay together long enough to actually tour

or make a 2nd album.

.

it annoys me somewhat that "nothing compares 2 u" will be known by most people as a

"Sinead O'Connor" song -

I have nothing against her personally or professionally

to me that song will ALWAYS belong to The Family.

I've actually sung this song (a capella) a few times in karaoke bars.

when I do it, I make a point to tell the audience - remind them, in fact - that

this song was originally done by The Family.

.

every song on that album is great. the only song I don't really listen to is the "slower-tempoed"

instrumental track. I forget if it's "Susanna's pajamas" or "yes"..

That is why I'm happy the Family did that video tribute of the song 'the way it was meant' and I hope they do it more, because the do and will point it back 2 Prince.

Another great photo. Susanah has this old school movie star looks about her, back in 1984.