http://www.jellyroll.com/...inbow.html

"Does anybody still care?
Dan Macintosh, 18 February 2002

{{{His record label brags about this being the first new Prince album in ten years, but as we all know, the diminutive one has been releasing albums for a decade, known only as a symbol. But an eccentric artist by any other name (or sign, for that matter) is still an eccentric artist, and "The Rainbow Children" has all the indisputable markings of a weirdly wonderful Prince album.}}}

Like so many other artists from the '80s (such as Michael Jackson, for example), every new Prince album is measured against the music he created during his heyday. And while this one is not even close to as bad as some of his desperate attempts to weave in hip hop and stay current over the past few dry years, it's not anywhere close to the majesty of his groundbreaking 1978-1988 reign. It's a serviceable offering, but not an extraordinary one. Prince is capable of so much more than this.

"The Rainbow Children" as a semi-concept album is a thinly disguised quasi-religious recording. It was obviously inspired by Prince's recent dabbling in the Jehovah's Witnesses religion, and it presumably describes the better world that would result if everybody followed this particular belief system. Naturally, Prince makes this religion seem a lot hipper than the one we all surmise from those dullards who spoil our Saturday morning sleep-ins.

The swinging jazzy opener "Rainbow Children" speaks about a generation "flying upon the wings of the New Translation," which is how the JW translation of the bible is called by its followers. Later, on "1+1+1 Is 3," a mouse-y synth led funk romp, he sings about "a theocratic order," which is the JW doctrine of a government by God. This belief, by the way, is the reason why members don't salute the flag. The "1+1+1 Is 3" title itself serves as an argument against the Christian doctrine of the trinity, which teaches that God is revealed in three persons who are all also God.

As a part of Prince's newfound belief system, he's also sworn of swearing. In "1+1+1 is 3" he sings, "We don't give a duck what u got on," for example, but it sounds more like one of those bad TV versions of an otherwise profanity-laced movie.

But look a little closer, and you'll find out that a churched Prince is not all that much different from the formerly fleshly one. In "Mellow," which is a song that is not all that different from the foreplay turn-on music Barry White (and Prince, too) has made a career out of, he sings, "If u desire I'll shed my attire/anything 2 get u wet...." I'm not sure how that one would go over at the old Kingdom Hall, but I suspect it won't be reprinted in the literature distributed door-to-door.

But what if you don't give a flying duck about Prince's current religious persuasion, and only want to hear the music? Well, this album sounds pretty funky cool, heathen friend.

On "The Work Pt.1," Prince breaks out a few of his best James Brown vocal shouts, as he proceeds to throw these down over a JB groove that is supported by Larry Graham Jr. on bass and is colored by a honking horn section.

"Everywhere" combines Latin percussion with a gospel chorus, and ends up sounding like an updated "I Would Die 4 U" from the "Purple Rain" days.

Sly Stone's legacy is conjured up with "Family Name" through a partly spoken-word Black history lesson. This social commentary is served over a one of Prince's best funky bass lines since "17 Days" (also "Purple Rain" era). When Prince does finally begin singing on this one, it's with his great falsetto. He then proceeds to challenge the educational system for its suspect rendering of Black history, before taking a shot at wealthy TV preachers for stealing money from viewers.

The song may sound like Prince is taking spontaneous shots at random targets, but its scattershot lyrical logic is ultimately saved by its irresistible groove. It's also not hurt by a mad electric guitar solo and a spoken drop-in from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the very end.

Prince creatively fills this disc with a wide variety of musical colorings, which are mostly old school soul and jazz-related. The mood is nearly ruined by the deep throated voice of God narration that appears between tracks. This is a trick he used back in the "Around The World in a Day" days, and it's as cheesy now as it was then. Also annoying is the pseudo-operatic singing on "Wedding Feast," which does nothing positive or listenable to sell its sentiments of celebration.

No way is this album ever going to go up on Prince's musical trophy shelf any day soon, but it's nothing to hide in the basement when guests come to visit either. Too bad it didn't sound like "The (Purple Rain)bow Children," instead."

First again? I get another symbol shaped cookie, right?

Hey Dan, your review sucks. I bet you are a Prince fan. You have Purple Rain, don't you? K my A Dan.

Good review, I'm glad you stuck with your TRUE feelings
Thanks.

WTD?*

I failed Latin in high school so this comment makes no sense to me. Can anyone help?

.

.


* WTD = What the Duck

2the9s said:

From John Blackwell's interview:

"There was a beat I came up with, for a song called "Everywhere." I was just checking my drums, and the engineer was trying to get a good miking of everything at that moment. And they said, "Okay, snare drum," whatever, "we've got everything miked. Now play everything so we can get a good mix." So I'm just messing around playing some beats, and I did a fast, Latin-type of beat that you would hear Dennis Chambers or Billy Cobham play."

So it appears that, yep, it is a latin-type of beat...

The "1+1+1=3" reference made here is incorrect. It actually stands for the JW belief that you cannot have a man and woman joined together without God - hence, all relationships are made up of 3 - man, woman and God.
"This is how it's gonna b,
If U wanna be with me
Ain't no room for disagree
coz 1+1+1=3" - basically, either you accept the realtionship as being a 3 party affair, or you don't stand a chance. Great song, shame about the underlying message.

Mindflux said:

No, your interpretation of it is incorrect. Prince is just showing off his stellar math skills.

wellbeyond said:

I'll be damned. Thanks Wellbeyond.

Illegitimati non carborundum!

Unfortunately, the reviewer has confused a few issues here. He is right that the JW faith challenges the "Holy Trinity" theory present in Christian beliefs - but that is not the point of this song. Having "wooed" his future queen in "Mellow", he is then instructing her that God has to be accepted as part of the relationship, or there is no relationship - he is saying this is how it is, don't argue, basically.

The reviewer is right that JW's believe in a theocratic order and, therefore, will not salute the flag (or even vote, incidentally) as the only true authority is God. However, this theocratic order also applies to relationships and this is the context in which Prince uses it in this song.

Kellyanne - I realise that 1+1+1=3 must represent "stellar math skills" to you. No wonder you worked out that the Irish famine was, in relative terms, worse than the impact of slavery- duh! That was just as good as the person who'd worked out that 80% of Prince's audience are white!!!?? Mis-information freaks!!