Long-time follower Jon Bream (Minneapolis Star Tribune) gets his two cents in.
-----

Prince, "The Rainbow Children" (NPG/Redline)

He's finally changed his tune. Prince has given up on making booty funk for horny 14-year-olds. Sonically, this 14-track disc is his most sophisticated and jazziest -- yet it's still typically experimental. For instance, the opening title track sounds like Steely Dan with a more soulful, contemporary vibe, punctuated by warm and eventually wacked out guitar and bent by a bit of narration by a robotic voice (reminiscent of Bob George from Prince's infamous "Black Album"). Overall, the tempos here are mellow, the sound often mesmerizing and uplifting without being over-the-top. Throughout this P-Funk-goes-jazzy disc, Prince sparkles on guitar and keyboards.

While the music intrigues, the lyrics challenge. "Rainbow Children" is a concept album about God, spirituality and a world in which people of all colors get along. The vision and philosophizing are pure Prince -- cosmic, complex, confusing and, of course, coital (in polite, almost poetic euphemisms). It is not particularly controversial, despite what the sticker on the cover says. This is more cult-like.

Link: http://www.startribune.co...45780.html

Peace, David