The Mirror

March 17, 2006 Friday
Inner London Edition
SECTION: FEATURES; Pg. 8
LENGTH: 377 words
HEADLINE: BACK ON THE THRONE;
BUY IT PRINCE 3121 ****
BYLINE: BY GAVIN MARTIN
BODY:

It was a sobering moment in pop history - the unconfirmed news that Prince was to have a double hip replacement op. Unthinkable! Surely, the sexiest, sharpest, most multi-talented pixie in '80s/'90s pop - the, er, hippest thing on two legs - could not have succumbed to the ravages of time?

But there he was onstage at the Brits last month, seemingly in full working order, causing old timers to weep into their vol au vents as he performed Purple Rain - undiminished rock, pop 'n' soul brilliance. And now here we have his greatest album since Diamonds And Pearls 15 years ago, a reminder of everything that made him great.

Prince in 2006 is a man who has known personal tragedy as a parent, damaging business feuds as an artist, and Howard Hughes levels of mystique in his personal life. And, of course, the sort of sex not accessible to mere mortals. It's all here in this album - one of the little lad's periodic excursions to strike a bargain with the slave drivers of the music business.

Here, he devises delirious cocktails like the great Black Sweat single which mixes race pride with humorous highpitched effects to bring out the dogs in the hood. Yow!

Genius shines on Incense And Candles - no one combines lyrical drama, sensual use of technology and rapping riches so effortlessly. Add the Latin loveliness of Te Amo Corazon, the scorching tear-down-the-house climax of The Dance and the full range of his talents unfurl.

Is this really as good as he was in the good old days? Like all pop songwriters, Prince's most memorable works came in his early days. But like many black American stars who have adopted a regal name, Prince's dedication to his music and the prolific output bears comparison with jazz legends such as Duke Ellington, Count Basie and the dark prince Miles Davis as much as to pop/rock gods.

Here even his religiosity on The Word is digestible, while the final Get On The Boat shows he's the sassiest horn arranger in town. Smart, funny and funkier than a fishtank full of tie-dyed dolphins, Prince the all-singing and dancing mastermind is back on top.

If this isn't vintage Prince, it's a fantastic facsimile. He still has more talent in his little finger than most musicians pack into a lifetime. THIS is hip your highness - take a bow.
[Edited 3/17/06 2:49am]

All these reviews, the only one im realy interested in reading is Q magazine... They have always given an honest opinion of a new P album...

The Sun did a bloody ggod review.

Rebeljuice said:

I disagree. Q reviews have deteriorated to be nothing but a paragraph of arselicking, or a short summary of an artists private life or career. Their focus on music has strayed massively.

CrozzaUK said:

all the albums i love to read a review on are covered by 10 lines in Q
lately. i hate that. prince releases a new album and they write a 1 by
2 inch column on it. horrible.

Q magazine? The rag with The Beatles on the cover every other month? That magazine is just like Rollingstone Magazine only more pretentious.

It's all relative really. We are fans who listen to him a lot more than your average person...let alone a reviewer.

Rebeljuice said:

I tend to agree , Q pretty much gets it right regarding Prince's past albums.

wow thats a cool review
cant wait to hear it

skywalker said:

its Bob Dylan this month.


i agree Q usually tell it how it is.