http://www.rgj.com/news/s...nd+Reviews "Prince, Yoakam, Dylan among year's best box sets"

This box set, “One Nite Alone … Live,” is Prince on Prince’s terms, which means listeners must endure several too-long jams alongside many gems. Those who wait out a handful of showoffy funk interludes will be richly rewarded.

As always, Prince makes being a musical genius sound easy. Most of the songs in the package were recorded live, and his playful cockiness keeps the crowd on his side through hits and obscure numbers alike.

The first two discs show off plenty of new material, with the band running through older hits so fast they’re practically a medley. It’s fun, but people hoping for a greatest hits set will feel shortchanged.

A third disc, called “The Aftershow,” consists mainly of endless versions of Prince’s less beloved songs, including “Peach” and “Joy in Repetition.” It’s the kind of thing that works better when you’re at the show, not imagining yourself there.

Still, the latest incarnation of Prince’s backup group, the New Power Generation, is as solid as any he’s played with. All the musicians sound fresh and dynamic, and sax players Maceo Parker and Candy Dulfer stand out.

The most stunning disc is the last one, where Prince strips down the arrangements and gives breezy performances with little more than his piano and falsetto. “One Nite Alone,” “Avalanche” and “Young and Beautiful” are devastating.

You go into this album expecting to be blown away by the over-the-top live sets, but end up floored by the moments of exquisite simplicity.

I wonder how many people have bought the box set, wondering where that last piano CD is...

oh well, I guess not too many.

How blown away was the reviewer that he or she lists a song called "Young and Beautiful"?? Was it too much to simply look at the track listing and get the title right? I assume it was "The Beautiful Ones" he/she was referring to? And what does "most of the songs were recorded live" mean? Other than minimal dubbing, aren't they all considered live?

brianr54 said:

call me crazy, but she was probably referring to the song called "young and beautiful," which is on the "ONA piano" cd, along with the other 2 songs she mentioned...

Whatever Man!

I LOVE the BOX SET GOT it b4 my birth day & Christmas
THE NPGMUSICCLUB shipped it ...\Gotta love it

Good review!! I think Prince's jam are way too self-indul and his old stuff is treated as if he feels its like he is just like bored of it so why bother playing 15 secs of Rasberry B then skipping on to another song. I think One Nite Alone should be realeased in the stores as an officaill release.

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I used to work for the Reno-Gazette Journal. Figured you all would be interested in that.