Just interested to know , seems that lately P is still in cruise mode and whilst I really do enjoy his last few offerings i.e NEWS, ONA Live, Xenaphobia, Musicology etc they only provide me with a pleasant enough listen. Believe it or not the last album that really did it for me was TRC, loved the music, regardless of lyrics it was seemingly an Honest/ confused view of where his head was at and above all it was an album that he seemed to have made for himself first with no hang ups about sales and marketing. It got back the old sound and introduced some new and I love it!!.
Don't get me wrong , the diversity throughout his career is astounding but for example what did you get out of Musicology that you didn't get out of any other releases over the last 2 years or so?.
Prior to TRC there were many from '82 onwards that formed the soundtrack to my life but now his music seems to be a pleasant and comforatble listen.

You´re right about TRC, I feel the same way about it.

Id be boring and say his recent albums have some VERY GOOD CUTs but there's too much filler, its impossible to listen to an offering from the little one without pushing the SKIP button at times.Asiding greatest hits albums, the last I can let roll without a hitch was the Gold Experience.

1999 becuase its helping me dehumanize myself.

I liked the Rainbow Children minus all the Darth Vader voice and storyline you have to listen to everytime you listen to the cd. The music itself I like about every true song on it except for Mellow (Can't stand that song)I believe.

I really like 1+1+1=3 even though every live version i've heard kicks the album version's ass. I also really like Last December, Everlasting Now is funky as hell, also Everywhere and really love She loves me for me.

Some good tracks on that album for sure. The title track is longish but listenable and The Work Pt. 1 is fine but I think i've heard it too much.

Yeah if you have a program where you can strip all the talking on it away whenever you feel like playing it and can burn a non narrative copy consider yourself lucky because then you have a funky album.

My, my, my. So many people hated TRC, but I keep seeing it come up as one the great albums in posting since. What to say about that.

only thing i really liked on musicology was -reflection-.

Forget Fun and comfort!!, i mean an album that really touched you, you could relate to , had lyrics that spoke for you etc. I vaguley recall a quote from Madonna aboutthe Purple Rain album and she talked about playing 'When doves cry' over and over and crying to the lyrics etc. Come on, dig deep, surely P has albums that really touched you at some point.

javed said:

Ummmm... my extra copy of Musicology fell off of my desk and touched my foot

what actually makes this a difficult question is that different people look for different things when they listen to Prince or anyone else. To some ... it simply is about the fun. For others, its how sensual a song can make them feel; yet for even more.. it may be about the deepness of the lyrics.

IE

If I were to simply say 'Musicology meant something for me simply because it had a couple songs I can't get enough of'.... then that should satsify the quastion. Thats all I may have ever looked for in a Prince album for it to mean something.

The direct answer from me woukd be SOTT

javed said:

the last that struck a cord(if we're going by recent output) was the truth. but the last song was reflection.

lovesexy....after that its about certain cuts on each cd...and not about the entire cd....

For me it has always been about a few songs on each album, there are only a few P albums that I can listen all the way through. I have to say that most of the times I can listen to TRC all the way through, I think it was quite a good album.

javed said:

Well, don't bother asking the question if you don't like the answer. You asked this: "...what did you get out of Musicology that you didn't get out of any other releases over the last 2 years or so? " and I answered.

Just because an album/song doesn't make me break into spontaneous sobbing doesn't mean that it hasn't "meant something" to me. Maybe you should rephrase your question so people can give you the answers that you want.

skywalker said:

you seem to be really crabbit lately skywalker.

crabbit? A cross between a rabbit and a crab? I was just responding to the fact that javed asked a general question, to whicch I answered, and then javed decides to comment on how my response wasn't the one he/she was looking for.

each album has "meant" something to me, and since I'm relatively young (20) and I
bought the albums out of order I don't have special memories from
the year any particular album came out.

Musicology was special to me because it was the first year since
I have been a hardcore fan (I really fell for him around 1999-2000), that Prince had been really popular, and had new songs on the radio and videos.

So I guess it was the last album that "actually meant anything" to me?

umm...Gold Experience. It was the party album for like a year at my house. People would come over and ask to put the album on. so much so my then boyfriend bought me the cd cause all i had was the cassette of it.

fun times....

while i enjoy The Truth far more Gold has more sentimental value for me.

sosgemini said:

TGE.. had that effect on my friends who didn't "like Prince" I like just about everything, but "come" has a special place in my heart because it reminds me of someone who I love. Everytime I hear that album I think of that person. Hearing that CD almost hurts.

Relax Sky, what started me on this thread was that there was a time [yes during the golden 80's period] that each album would draw hard core fans like me on the basis of their craetive arrogance, spirituality, filth!, lyrics, bolted on tours and B-Sides etc. It was so much deeper than having merely a pleasant listen. Therefore I just wanna know if we in the P community still feel that way. As for Fun, i can tell you that i had the Exodus CD in my car this morning and wet myself laughing at Prince's Mashed Potatoe head Gangster routine.

slm4m said:

Hey 'Come' meant the same to me for the same reason [bad experience!!!], can't play Dark or Solo without the old heartstrings being ripped apart.

TRC for me!

The Rainbow Children -- tho I don't agree with all the lyrics

i'd say TRC cuz it was from a time when life was good and i was itching for a new P album. it was around the time when i had greater access to the net and i kept hearing about certain new songs like 1+1+1=3 and then when i finally heard them on the ONA tour i just about died.
i listened to TRC so many times in London. just that whole era from TRC to ONA and then the box set....ah, heaven.

Musicology meant so much to me I bought it for 8 euros!

'The Rainbow Children' - moved me incredibly. Shocked and suprised me.

'Musicology' - was a fun, funky, accessible record. Some tracks such as 'A Million Days' (that 'heroes' line gets me everytime), 'Dear Mr Man' and 'Reflection'(gorgeous song) really touch me. I would consider 'Reflection' classic. Its way up there for me.

TRC... I would have never thought that Prince was capable of coming up with an album as brillant as this one. Pure music. And when you realize nearly all the instruments are played by him. It is incredible.

javed said:

Listen, all I am saying is that you should have been more clear with your question. You should have stated your leanings towards that "golden" 80's era amd then asked who agreed with you. Instead, you asked what was the last album that "meant" something to you and why. I said it was "musicology" and I am sorry you didn't like my answer.That's all-no big deal.