Musicology was the 1st really disappointing album of Princes for me , one that I heard and couldnt see anythign on there that could feasibly grow on me over time . I've heard lots of Prince's albums and not got them immediately but pretty much everything else he's done I grew to like a LOT more over time .

Chaos and Disorder. When I first heard it, I thought P. lost his mind. Now It's my second Favorite album by him.

Yeah, Chaos rocks - I didn't know what to think of it at first, but it grew on me quickly - Such a great album.

I started collecting Prince's music after I saw the video for Gett Off. It totally blew me away into Earth orbit! My older sister had Purple Rain and 1999 so I already knew those were great. From there I collected everything in between Purple Rain and Diamonds & Pearls (including the Black Album). I couldn't believe how talented and creative this guy was, especially with the lush sound productions. When I listened to his music in headphones I was struck by the amount of "ear candy" detailing every measure and phrase, which only served to reinforce such well-crafted songwriting. I figured this guy was probably at his peak, but then 1994 came around and Prince sent me to another dimension entirely with Come and TMBGITW. Trax like "Staxowax," "Come," and "Space" left me dizzy and speechless from their lush orchestration, rich detail, and superior craftsmanship. I was truly humbled!!!

So I had been hearing from various sources (such as Rolling Stone) that there was this early record called Dirty Mind which was the Holy Grail of Prince albums. "One of the greatest records of ALL TIME" they said. "The Holiest of Holies" they touted. So I eagerly bought the CD, anticipating another incredible blast into orbit and.....

My expectations were completely and brutally shattered! The music and sound production totally fell flat. Even the two songs I thought could be salvaged (Head and Party Up) were devoid of all the life, energy, sophisication and ear candy which I had come to love and respect, not to mention "expect" from Prince's music. In fact, this was one of the flattest productions I had ever heard by anyone. It was a total "let down" or as I can be quoted as saying at the time "Man, whatta turd!"

Because it's Prince, I still give Dirty Mind a chance and play it every once in a while (a very loooong while), but everytime I do I thank GOD for New Power Soul.

eccotides said:

I also gave it short shrift at first. But it definitely grew on me. Now I LOVE it!!!

gcu1 said:

Sounds like you like the sweeter Prince stuff, like you said: ear candy. "Dirty Mind" is not ear candy. It's more like a slab of beef freshly killed and served up bloody. He started tarting up his funk after that, sweetening it till it became this puffy artificial snack item in the early 90s. Princies! Like a Dolly Madison cupcake.

padawan said:

Mmmmmm....Dolly Madison cupcake....Yummy!!!

Also when he met an aspiring rapper called Tony Moseley

mrbobgeorge said:

vainandy said:

Vain you know it!!
My first disappointment was ATWIAD, but I let it go. Then Parade and the whole under the cherry moon. That did it for me. I heard about sign of the time, heard the singles on the radio... but didn't buy anything from it again until Musicology and 2004 tour. I was surprised at so much stuff I really like but didn't get air play, like GE, and yes, Emancipation.

RAVE & `1999 Masters

But I think Prince learned from these mistakes.

All the times I paid $7 just to attend a "dance party" at the Park...meaning no Prince performance (he's not obligated, just sayin'!) and lots of fat skanks prancing around. I wish I had that money back.

vainandy said:

You considered Parade a disapointment? Behind Sott,1999,and Dirty Mind, Parade is my favorite.

gcu1 said:

WOW...i never encountered a fan like u before...dirty mind is a turd...but New power soul is a lush...well crafted album with great songwriting ???...whateva...

KingSausage said:

prettymansson said:

Well, actually Newpower Soul had to grow on me. I didn't think it was horrible, but I did think it wasn't anything beyond average...at first. Then on a few more repeated listenings it won me over. I also had a good strip club experience with it. Mad Sex, Come On, Wasted Kisses and The One are fantastic, top notch lap dance tunes. I absolutely LOVE all the horn arrangements. "I Love Funky Music" puts me in orbit everytime. I'm shocked at how many people don't like the album. I'm even more shocked at how many people do like Dirty Mind. It just sounds flat and stale to me. To be fair, I do like "Head" (especially the synthesizer solo) and I think Party Up is pretty jammin'. But overall it sounds like a weak, uninspired effort...very substandard material and sound production.

gcu1

gcu1 said:

I really do like NPS. And I haven't had a chance to really listen to DM yet (I don't own a copy yet). But I have heard most of the songs from back in the day... and I think I might like NPS better than DM as well.

I just checked the track list, and I think people think DM was so great when you compare it to what was out there at the time. Wasn't this 1980, or 1981. We were just finish ODing on the disco era, and the techno beat. DM was FUNKY!! in your face and with racy lyrics... it just seemed so daring. I remember jamming on it as well. But I think NPS is aging better because it doesn't rely on the raw in your face attitude that the dirty rappers have run into the ground. ( "dirty rappers"my personalized title for The Nasty Ones. )

prodigalfan said:

That's a REALLY good point. I'm further biased by the fact that at the time I was very much into the West Coast, white-bred, guitar wizards like Randy Rhoads and Eddie Van Halen. In 1980, I was spinning Van Halen's "Women And Children First" and Ozzy Osbourne's "Blizzard Of Ozz." I was also blasting AC/DC's "Back In Black" quite often. Man, I was such a hopeless little metal head.

In an above thread, Padawan described Dirty Mind as "like a slab of beef freshly killed and served up bloody," but to me that analogy better describes late seventies/early eighties metal....from Van Halen's 1978 self-titled debut to Motley Crue's 1983 album "Shout At The Devil." From that perspective Prince has ALWAYS sounded refined, polished and pop-oriented to me....NEVER freshly killed and served up bloody.

gcu1

If I could express me...

The Vault

The vault.

It was 2003 and I started digging Prince, I had just bought Dirty mind, For You and controversy and right after that The vault. I was really disappointed. Not that it's a bad album, just a disappointment.

legendofnothing said:

it's his first album i ever heard, it made me fan.

No Roadhouse Garden or Crystal Ball 2.

gcu1 said:

I agree. When I bought this album, I couldn't wait to hear it bc everyone loved it so much. But my first few listens of it had me thinking that it was boring and bland. Now a year later, I like Uptown and When U Were Mine, but I don't care about any of the other songs. Easily my least favorite P album.

teaming up with Larry Graham

Crystal Ball. I'm sure alot of people had this feeling, but I would've picked mostly different songs. And the version he included of "Crucial" was not the best.

NPS was pretty dissapointing, but I did enjoy some of the songs. For me Rainbow Children was the biggest let down - I was only able to listen to it a couple of times. Just couldn't get into it. (Sorry if I offended anybody.)

Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic yUUUUUck!!!!!

vainandy said:

OOOOO TOTALLY DITTO (sometimes I think we share a brain ).