To make things clear: i dont consider Chaos and Disorder a classic or masterpiece in the vein of Purple Rain, Sign of the Times and (yes, it is) Diamonds and Pearls, but its probably the record that keeped my hopes in Prince alive during the second halve of the nineties.

The reasons?
- The live-feel, the vividness, the urgency that shines trough on most cuts on this album. This record seems to be 'built' on songs Prince performed live with his band, adding overdubs later on... This way of creating a record reminds of me of Purple Rain. On that album he used live-tracks as basistracks. It gives Chaos and Disorder a kind of sparkling energy.
- The guitarwork on this cd is splendid, Prince shows his whole range, from Chuck Berry-like riffing on the title track, and Elvis Costello-like new wave guitars on I like it there, to dirty bluesriffs on Zannalee, and even REM-like arpeggio's on Dinner with Dolores.
- The record seems to be recorded quickly and mostly live (something that is stated in the liner notes also), and that ads up to a spontanous atmosphere, where a lot of Prince earlier efforts did sound a bit laborated, calcutated (producermusic instead of musicianmusic, if you understand what i mean)
- Apart from the last two tracks, who seem to only be put on this record to make it last around 45 minutes, there is a very nice flow in the material, that keeps me enjoying this Cd for at least 30 minutes

So, from the obligiational records Prince released to get away from his WB-contract, i find this by far the best cd. Come lacked 'soul' and did sound uninspired to me. The vault was nothing more then some decent, and mediocre cuts scrapped together from the vault. Chaos and Disorder (apart from those last two songs) i consider a lively, vivid, ENJOYABLE record to listen to.

Anyone agrees (or disagrees)?

Me! I! Yo!

Riverpoet31 said:

Yep, I like this cd. It has some great guitar work on it. I love Zannalee!

Ok, let me hip y'all to the muthafuckin' scene!:

That trite bullshit known as "Chaos & Disorder" was Prince's final obligation to the Warner Plantation and he just opened the vault, pulled out some BULLSHIT and said to them "Here, massuh...here goes the last of it" and then he walked his short ass off the plantation and came back with "EMANCIPATION." Prince HIMSELF even knows that "C&D" was a piece of shit cuz he hardly EVER plays any cuts from it in concert, can ANYONE confirm? Also, peep the last cut "Had U"...is he talkin' about WB or is he TALKIN' ABOUT WB! LOL!

"C&D" = GARRRRRBAGE!

eroticist, you have got to on C&D.

i hated - HATED - the Come album for like five years, until one day i had nothing better to do and decided to give it one more chance.

now it's one of my favorite prince albums, just cuz i listened to it with clear ears one day.

don't protest too much where any of his music is concerned. you never know when you're gonna wrap your ears around something in a different way someday. but hey, don't believe me now....

Anxiety said:

LOL! NOOOOO! I will NEVER LIKE C&D! EVER! PERIOD. END OF STORY. The ONLY cut I can cut for is "Dinner With Delores" and that's probably because he performed it on the Today show. The rest of the CD is GAAAAARBAAAAAGE!

Eroticist said:

Anxiety said:

At least we had Paris, right?

Also...notice the posts from the people that liked it...they're not raving about it like they are in the "Come" thread, just some emoticons and that's the extent of it. THEY probably aren't even sure they like it! LOL!

Prince didn't give a damn about his final offering for WB...neither should any of us.

Eroticist said:

heck, i loved C&D from the first listen. i'll say that i think it drops off a bit around the end with 'eye rock therefore i am' and 'dig u better dead', but even those are serviceable enough as dumb party songs. i think 'into the light' and 'i will' are really interesting, i see absolutely no way ANYone could hate 'i like it there' or 'zannalee', and 'right the wrong' cracks me up for some odd reason...'the same december' and the title track are right on, and 'had u' was SUCH a bad-ass dig at WB. this album is part of the reason i'm so fascinated by his mid-90s output. believe me - i know i like it.

Anxiety said:

Ok, I feels ya. But to me his BEST dig at WB was "Count The Days" LOL! -- CLASSIC!

Eroticist said:

says "i put my heart and soul into Chaos and Disorder"

MidnightFunk said:

Yeah, I bet "PRINCE" did...too bad at that time he was TAFKAP! LMAO!

when i have to choose between the vividness and joy that shines trough on Chaos and Disorder, and the uninspired coldness exposed on Come, i definitely go for the first....that simple it is

1. I enjoy Chaos and Disorder

2. I enjoy Diamonds and Pearls. However, although it is one of Prince's most well known albums a "masterpiece" it is not. was better.

Riverpoet31 said:

I would hold the title cut to "Come" up against ANYTHING from "C&D"...Name it. "C&D" was as "souless" (Meaning his TRUE SOUL, not music soul) as I've ever heard from The Kid. Blank. Blah. Nothing. The ONLY cut that had some verve as to a meaning = "Had U," an obvious dig at WB. Other than that..."C&D" is useless.

Eroticist said:

oh, i think C&D was plenty soulful. i think if anything about it fell short of being a traditionally considered pop masterpiece, it was a (willful, i'm sure) lack of restraint. it was loud and messy and angry and all over the map. this is a prince album when prince doesn't give a crap about commercial success. this is prince getting his ya-yas out. and that's why i like this album.

It's a very edgy album with lots of bumps and uneven qualities to it.

I enjoy Dinner with Delores,Zanalee,In2 the Light/I Will and Had U most.

Songs like Right the Wrong,I Rock... and Same December are cringe-worthy.

Chaos and Disorder,I Like it There and Dig U Better Dead all sound pretty dated now.
[Edited 4/16/05 10:46am]

thanks2joniandu said:

I think C&D was kind of ahead of its time. I can totally imagine the hipsters who are loving scissor sisters and that "danger high voltage" group are going to be discovering this album soon. It sounded so weird when I first heard it...hated it. Thought it was so overproduced. But it's got that weird "outside of time" quality to it, which I think will keep it from seeming too dated.

Anxiety said:

Totally agree. I thought Come and C&D were half-assed albums that sounded unfinished, but then I went back and just let go while I listened to them.

What I actually discovered were two underrated Prince gems.

C&D is a great rock album with tons of energy and anger.

MendesCity said:

Very astute way of looking at it....I can appreciate what you're saying.

I've got a lot of time for C & D , some excellent funk-rock on there , DWD is a
delight too with a lovely guitar break that gives me goosebumps , (which is often how I differentiate between a good peice of music and a great piece ).
Anyone who says we shouldnt enjoy the album because Prince said so needs his head read in the 1st place , make your own opinions on his music and dont follow Prince's lead like a purple puppy-dog eh

moonshine said:

LOL! Or be duped...CONGRATS! LOL!

I made my own opinion the very moment the cassette stopped...I was HOPING the tape would snap. But again, JUST BECAUSE IT SAYS PRINCE DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO LIKE IT. It's ok NOT to like some of his stuff...they won't take away your "Org" priviledges!

In fact, here's P's comment from the insert of "C&D":

"Originally intended 4 private use only, this compilation serves as the last original material recorded by TAFKAP 4 warner brothers records - may U live 2 see the dawn"

Now, if THAT sounds like a man that just put his "SOUL" into an album...then "I feel 4 U" LOL! When he uses terms like "serves" and "compilation" and "private use only"...that should tell you right there he was basically putting out some filler-shit to fulfill his final obligation to the warner plantation.