August 9, 2001
ALBUM REVIEW -- T. LEE-YOUNGREN

THE VERY BEST OF PRINCE - Warner Bros. - 3 1/2 stars

Another testament to the anagram's eerie power of prognostication: The letters in the phrase "The artist formerly known as Prince" also spell out "No first-rate workmanship recently."

Someone must have let Prince in on that little secret, because he's done what any intelligent yet rut-ridden musician would do. He's released a "Very Best Of."

They're all here: 17 anthems of thinly masked sexual perversion, ranging from the sweet 'n' coy "Raspberry Beret" to the nasty raunch-shocker, "Gett Off." The disc begins in 1979, with the unmistakable disco-ball groove of "I Wanna Be Your Lover" (in my book, it ties with the Emotions' "Best of My Love" for swankest "I Have Now Entered the Club" theme song"). Following up is the dramatic drum intro to "When Doves Cry" (which still rocks) and the funky "Kiss," after all these years, one of the only tracks 100 percent guaranteed to get those uptight party guests off the damn couch.

One caveat: "I Feel For You" is conspicuously missing from the album, and would have made a wise replacement for the drab "Sign 'O' the Times."

- Copyright 2001 Union-Tribune

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