What's the final verdict on this disc now that we've had a chance to soak it in? I assume everyone's got it now? Haven't read too many people talking much about it.

I'd give it a 7 overall, 8.5 if your in "the mood" for it. Love the title track, PBTS and a few others. Great CD for female non fans, too. Response had been surprised enjoyment from a few women I know who aren't fans...they seem to dig this one.

Sux a little that half the disc was downloadable last year, but I don't really mind. Works beter as a whole anyway. "So Young an Beautiful" I think is the only clunker on the whole thing, something I haven't said about a Prince album in a while. Gets an extra point for its consistency and cohesiveness.

I don't think the jury is in yet...

I think One Nite Alone is ok. The fact that ain't got more to say about the album says it all I think.

What fams have been dying for years is a LIVE album. Prince must be the biggest bootlegged artist about. Personally I much prefer to listen to live albums than studio cuts.


God Bless Scotland Home of the Brave...

I really like it. As I was not a club member last year the music is all new to me.

Love it.

With the possible exception of Young and Beautiful. . .it has a nice sound, but the lyrics are such a laugh coming from Prince. If it were a song to a daughter or somebody about respecting themselves, that would be one thing, but the lyrics are clearly towards a potential lover. And I'm sorry, the man is turning 44, should he be seeing young virgins as potential lovers? Slightly creepy.

But other than that, I adore it, I can't stop listening to it. I think that Pearls before Swine is one of the most solid songs he's released in a long time, and the first several tracks are really gorgeous. I'm so glad he released Case of You. I do wish it were longer, but I like the verse he chose to include. It's vocally just stunning.

It's nice to be so in love with a Prince album again. To me, it's been hit and miss in recent years. Loved Emancipation, CB, and especially the Truth, but I'm lukewarm about Rave and Rainbow Children (because of the lyrics), and what the HELL was NPS? So anyway, it's fun to have him release something that I can get behind, and that I want to play for everybody who thinks they don't like Prince, or doesn't know how good he is on piano.

BTW, this album has unleashed a burning desire on my part to get a digital piano. Too bad I've spent my entire disposable income and then some on Prince shows lately.

Doves,
tackaMel!ssa

'young and beautiful' i'm not crazy about..however it seems to be the song i catch myself walkin around humming or whatever...

i love all the other tracks tho...'avalanche' kills me...

I love it! The one I like least is Young and Beautiful, but the tune is catchy like a "Mary Had a Little Lamb" song so I do catch myself humming it, too.
I listen to it everyday. Again, it is a mood song so if I want to be really introspective,it's great. If I want to jam,then...well, U know...
Hi, Rio.


***

BEAUTIFUL!!!

The only songs on there that I really seek out at all are "One Nite Alone," "A Case of U," "Pearls Before the Swine," and "Avalanche."

"One Nite Alone" has an eeriness to it, and is falsetto is haunting. The playing is a stand out.

"A Case of U" is sublimely beautiful.

"Pears Before the Swince" has that same beautiful/sublime quality.

"Avalanche" is mournful, bluesy, and passionate.

These four deserve to be on a better album IMHO. When hearing we were going to get a piano album I was looking for a real deal piano album. I didn't even mind if it was just him and the piano in demo style (reminiscent of "Intimate Moments")... but just him and the piano on some really well written songs with fully developed ideas.

Hell I would not have minded if he gave us piano versions of some of his best similar to what he's been giving at the ONA concerts... a straight up piano version of "Purple Rain," "Father's Song," "Do Me Baby," "Sometimes It Snows..." etc.

I feel like "ONA" the way I felt about "The Truth"--I excitedly looked forward to an acoustic album... and while some of the tracks on The Truth are really interesting, it's not what I was looking for entirely (the synth fluorishes didn't help -- gimme acoustic guitar, with minimal live drums and a real string section!)

As far as getting some real deal "piano" trax, I guess we'll have to settle on whatever gems he drops every now and then into his other projects.
[This message was edited Mon Jun 3 11:03:08 PDT 2002 by NuPwrSoul]

so young and beautifull sounds like a ELTON JOHN cabaret review song no offense to those who are fans it is just not Prince . the cd is fine pearls before the swine is a classic
I hope to hear it live.

maybe it would have been stronger with claire fisher overall the cd was thrown together I question how much Prince is challenging himself or how much we are really worth.

I don't know how I really feel about this CD yet, all I can say, it's not something I would listen to while I was driving. Too calming. I do love the title song, and "Pearls before swine", which from what I have read so far, most of you love those too. Since I wasn't able to download much from last year, everything on it is quite new to me.

I'd give it a 7 overall, 8.5 if your in "the mood" for it.~~~by herbthe4

That seems about right for me as well, herb.

I'd give it at least a 9, but I am biased, as piano is the only instrument I play.

I'd give it around a 7 also...Only 2 or 3 songs might get skipped, but the other 7-8 songs I enjoy a lot...and count me among those who actually like "Young & Beautiful"...great melody and vibe to it, very catchy...and Prince's vocals are great on that song, the way he sings it is loose and energetic, without concern for "nailing" every note to perfection...even the "Oh yeah..." at the end fits perfectly...the lyrics don't cut it at all, though...

Doesn't quite live up to The Truth CD, but it's still a solid album.

I'd give it an 8.5. I like the album very much and I think Prince did a great job. Each song is well written (including the abstract, almost atonal "Objects in the Mirror")

The only song I think is a tad weak is Arboretum. It's not bad, but I think he could make a better instrumental. It just sounds like a few arpeggios to me, thrown together and called an instrumental. The rest of the album though is quite nice.