TRC Review, Cox News Service

Copyright 2001 Cox Enterprises, Inc.
Cox News Service
December 6, 2001 Thursday

SECTION: Entertainment, Television and Culture
LENGTH: 210 words

HEADLINE: Recycled Prince with religion
BYLINE: Bob Underwood

DATELINE: DAYTON, Ohio

BODY:
Review: B

CD Genre: Pop

Artist: Prince

Title: "The Rainbow Children"

Deep in2 the jam on "The Everlasting Now," track 13 on "The Rainbow Children," a voice comments, "This is funky, but I just wish he'd play like he used 2." Next sound: that person getting smacked. The joke makes the point that Prince didn't leave his fans; rather, they left him (and ignored his previous album, "Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic," though it was packed with should-have-been hits). While the new album occasionally lacks flow, it's Prince, indulgences and all. So, for all ex-fans, read on to the tune of Prince's mid-1980s smash "When Doves Cry":

"Dig if u will the new disc / A concept CD unfolds / A slowed, deepened voice narrates / Can u, Prince fans _ can u go with this?

Hear if u can the fable / About serving God as one / 14 songs sing gospel-like praises / They make some heat /Though preachy funk gets old.

Still how can u just leave Prince standing? / Alone in a business so cold / Maybe you're just 2 demanding / Maybe Prince's ambitions are 2 bold / Maybe it's much like his others / With no guest rapper this time / Why won't the old fans discover? / This is what it sounds like when Prince tries."

Bob Underwood writes for the Dayton Daily News.