To tell about my history of being a Prince fan: i enjoyed particular songs allready when i was around 10 - 12, the obvious big hits like Purple Rain, Raspberry Beret and Kiss.

I really became a fan when the album Sign of the Times came out. Its the first record (on vinyl) i bought, and i still consider it his best album. It belongs in my favorite top 10 or 5 even of records. After that i bought all the cd's he brought up before, loving Parade and Around the World in a day the most, combined with Sign of the Times and Lovesexy, that is Princes 'golden area' for me....He made original, authentic, inspiring music in that time that, for me, he never matched after that....

Batman and Graffiti Bridge had his moments, Diamonds and Pearls is a very enjoyable 'pop'-album, with great singles, that seems to be underrated in here, The symbol album was hit and miss again.....and after that i stopped buying every album Prince released: I mean, i did hear too less inspiration (New Power Soul), too slick production (Emancipation), pure mediocry (Come), not to speak about the very uneven outtake box Crystal Ball, and the very annoying preachieness of The Rainbow Children.

Musicology was the first Prince record i have bought myselve in a long long time of mostly enjoying other artists. It is a decent record, but nothing spectacular, especially comepared to the high quality of his late-eighties
output.

But i have noticed something in the albums Prince put out since lets say 1994. The strongest, most authentic moments for me on those records are the sparely arranged, mostly acoustic ballads. The funk and rocktracks one those records mostly seem unispired, copying earlier work but without the intensity and magic those earlier cuts had. But those ballads often sound much more inspired to me, the lyrics are more thoughtfull, and the way the songs are arranged suit an aging Prince (i mean, he is 46 now) much better in my opinion, then the obvious, almost selfparodying songs about sex (Come, i mean, those sucking sounds are annoying, this song wouldnt sound out of place on Dirty Mind, but not coming from the mouth of a singer who is in its 40's, the same goes with songlines like "get you underneath the cream, and whoooo", wtf?) or coolness (I mean do we need "Prettyman" when Morris Day sang songs in that vain 15 years before that?)

To give you some examples about the songs that made me keep faith in Prince during the 90's and 00's:
- Power Fantastic (on the B-sides / Hits album)
- Shy (on the Gold Experience)
- Dinner with Dolores (from Chaos and disorder)
- Lets have a baby (from Emancipation)
- I love you, but I dont thrust you anymore (from Rave)
- Reflection (from musicology)

I would love to see Prince releasing an album of songs in this vain, mixed with more bluesy kinds of songs, like that on the Truth album and like The Ride (the version of this song on the Live at the Alladin-dvd sounds inspired and fresh).
I mean Prince isnt the partyanimal (was he ever one by the way?), sexfreak, and James Browns crown pretender he was before, and i think releasing more subtle, introspective ballads would make him more interesting and believable as a musician.

What are your opinions on this?

erm.....i have seen to be on my own when it comes to this

I luv to here something like Reflection on acoustic guitar.

I'm 37 and there is nothing out there for me except my old records and people like Prince that still make new music. The kids have their slow ass rap and the older people have their adult contemporary. For someone like me that likes to throwdown hard, Prince is the only thing left.

There's enough Barry Mannilow type singers out there these days and I would hate to see Prince become what Rod Stewart eventually became....a weak adult contemporary type artist. Just because someone gets older does not mean they have to slow down. If they still have it in them, let them jam. I like hard slamming music and probably still will when I'm 87.
[Edited 4/10/05 8:41am]

i like the acoustic stuff as well but only when it works like Reflection or Dinner with Delores. some of it can be a bit long and drony but it's still Prince and there are always elements that i love in every song of his.

Something I like about most Prince albums is that you get an assortment of musical genres. I want to hear beautiful acoustic ballads as much as old school funk, juicy slow jams and rock-n-roll.

Vainandy

I am not talking about Barry Manilow-type of music. The following peeps bring out slower / acoustic-type of material, that is far away from MOR and can still be adventorous or soulfull:
- Ben Harper
- Solomon Burke
- Damien Rice
- Neil Finn
- Richard Thompson
- Lyle Lovett

To name a few

I Love U but I don't thrust U anymore has to be the typo of the month!