I've been a Prince fan forever and I have great appreciation for the man and always will.

That said, I thought "Musicology" was the least inspired and original Prince album in years. Beyond the title track and "Call My Name" I didn't like any of the songs, and thought the entire album sounded like stuff he'd already done a million times over.

I thought the "Rainbow Children" was a really inspired album that was enjoyable to listen to--fantastic musicianship. But even on that album, he wasn't really stretching the limits of his talents as far as creating 'new sounds' or songs with high originality.

I think the last truly 'original', weird, fun, bizarre, unique Prince jam was "Joint 2 Joint". I think he pushed the boundaries of his creative genius on that cut.

What do u think?

You have to ask yourself--- At what point is it okay for Prince to just be Prince and do what he feels??? After 20+ years in the game, is it fair for us to expect him to keep doing something we've never heard from him?? I mean, he's done a shit ton of different styles/genres/etc. So what are you expecting from him?? Some fans are of the thought that Prince started repeating himself after "lovesexy".

What do u want me 2 do? is a wonderful song !!! Reminds me of Dorothy Parker...

shaomi said:

Used to like it alot Shaomi but got bored of it. I'd have to say Avalanche. It's up there among my top 5 all time Prince tracks.

omnithanos said:

The more i listen 2 it the more i happen 2 like it

No opinion about Avalanche, it's OK with me, but not one of my faves on ONA

shaomi said:

The beat is almost idenical. I said the same thing 2myself when I got the Musicology album. "This sounds just like Ballad Of Dorothy Parker".

Skywalker--

I hear what you're saying. Prince has given us so much of his talent, it seems a little ungrateful of me to suggest he's slackin' off.

But at the same time, he has been repeating himself and frankly much of his latest material leaves me really really bored. His'soul-jam' ballads all sound the same. Even a beautiful song like "Call My Name" gets lost in the blur of all his other "Do-me-baby"-ish trax that sound just like it. Sure, "What Do U Want Me 2 Do Girl" is a funky little number, but we've heard it all before!!

He's an artist--a TRUE artist--and the best living life performer we have. And I think artists should constantly try to expand themselves and break new ground. His latest material is mediocre at best -- dull -- often uninspired. All you have to do is listen to albums like "Purple Rain" and "Parade" to understand that.

shaomi said:

I got the same feeling the first time I heard it!

maybe Day of wild...

Rinluv said:

WDYWM2D is a distant cousin of TBODP for sure - similar sounding bass, the Rhodes keyboard and, I think what does it for most people, is the hyper-flanged sound of the Linn drum machine!

But the beat is not identical - far from it! Play 'em back-to-back. Entirely different rhythm, feel, structure and chords. WDYWM2D is great, but Parker is a far superior composition.

I don't agree with the idea that Prince doesn't sound inspired lately, particularly on TRC and Musicology. TRC and Musicology have been magical moments of Prince stretching himself again (his last "treading water" album for me was Rave). Yes, its derivative of his earlier work, but that's the point! This is Prince's lesson to everyone about music, hence the title, hence his most singularly performed album in ages. As a summary of what Prince has done musicall and a demonstration of what people should aspire to, this album really works. Its a great thing to good enough as to be able to reference yourself in a display such as this, and Prince has a hugely divers cannon to pull from.
[Edited 9/21/05 1:23am]

The last interesting (I'll stay away from 'original') Prince tracks for me were Digital Garden, Everywhere and Xogenous.

The last time I thought a new Prince song had the same "vibe" as his older work, without just straight-up copying that older work (like most of the drum patterns on 'Rave') , was "Wasted Kisses." Of course I've liked a lot of stuff since then, but for some reason that song felt like it fit somehow with his 80s work.

"Musicology" wasn't even meant to be a weird Prince album, there was enough Prince-weirdness on TRC already. Prince needs to work his both sides on their turn, he's been like that since the mid-80s and continues to do that. Besides, there are more "experimental" / "original" Prince tunes in his post-name change output than in his 78-84 output. Even "Rave" had some pretty strange moments on it.

What can he do that he hasn't done b4.....record his morning leak?????

I

luv4all7 said:

I thought half of Emancipation was just that!

Just kidding, I love that 3CDs worth of his morning leak.

I'm surprised more people aren't agreeing with me about this. I guess my concern is that Prince fans are raving about his recent material, and I can't believe how lackluster a lot of it sounds.

Where are the melodies? Where are those EXCITING Prince songs like "Kiss", or "Sexy MF"? Back in the day I used to wait with baited breath for the new Prince track, and there was ALWAYS a payoff, whether it was something weird and new like "Thieves in the Temple" or something unique and scary funky like "Gett Off". Now we get songs like "Reflection" and "SST", which are pleasant enough for the ear, but dull and forgettable.

I want to be inspired again by the man who always inspired me. I want him to expand himself again. Am I greedy and selfish? Maybe! But people, don't be telling me that "Musicology" is his best in years -- that it's better than TRC, or TGE, or even "New Power Soul"--which had some very cool trax.

When I read this, the first song that came to mind was Beautiful Strange

I love that song

Novabreaker said:

I figured Musicology was just like "Prince-lite" for the casual fans
and concert goers.
I wasn't really expecting to be moved, or astonished by it

Proof?...

Prince said:

(Today show interview 2004)

Now that i think of it, the extraordinary, Laswellesque, intro of "East" (not 2 mention the whole track or actually the whole NEWS album) was kind of a great improvement in Prince's musical evolution.

Mindflux said:

I said almost identical. It sounds a lot alike.

Hmm probably the rainbow children with that low voice and the way the music changes alot.

I would add "When the Lights Go Down" to this list. It sounds like what would have been the natural musical progression had he kept Wendy and Lisa around.

switters said:

Do you really expect Prince to inspire you like before?
How many middle-aged men inspire popular music?

His last inspired song was probably Goodbye.

2freaky4church1 said:

This better be sarcasm.

Novabreaker said:

Has to be

switters said:

I really hadn't thought of it in that way until now, but I think you're absolutely right about Joint 2 Joint. To me, it's the last song that really "sounded like prince" and exhibited the excitement that you used to only be able to get with a prince joint. He's made a few songs I've liked since then, like some of the stuff on "the truth", but nothing has really made me say WOW, since Joint 2 Joint.

The only song I really like on musicology is Reflection, and that's really only because of when he performed it with Wendy.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

have u guys never been in love?

shaomi said:

Yeah but I'd never use that song to say goodby