Days of Wild

P Control introduced the last album on which he would use foul language explicity.

P Control introduced the last album on which he would use foul language explicity.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen
Boys and muthafuckin' girls
This is your captain with no name speaking
And I'm here to rock your world.

If that is not the EPITOME of Prince's swagger, I don't know what is. The crisp enunciation of every curse word, the loud clarity of the vocal track...This is Prince's ginormous purple cock'n'balls swinging it outta the park, folks. To those who profess to not like it: Whatsa matter, did it hit you in the eye?

Nice review PurpleKnight.
"There's a mountain and it's mighty high/ You cannot see the top unless you fly/ There's A molehill of proven ground/ain't nowhere to go if you hang around"

seem to be a reference to his own career. Like his own work is really just a molehill and he's ready to move on--something he's been saying for a long time. But isn't Gold just proven ground itself? I was ready for him to move on as well, but he responded with a pretty average pop song (though it's performed really really well) .

Before you jump all over me, I like this album just fine.

It's so often hailed as a classic around here--the one 90's album worthy of his catalog. But the individual songs get bashed pretty often:

"P Control is pathetic posing and bad rap

Endorphinmachine was ruined in production

We March is plastic & cheesy

Beautiful is boring & cheesy

Dolphin is just plain lame

Eye Hate U is typical dull Prince balladry with questionable lyrics

Gold is pandering pop, with none of the soul of Purple Rain (which it's clearly an answer to)."

This leaves SHHH, Now, 319, Billy Jack Bitch, & Shy as pretty well liked in general. Five songs that don't get much criticism, but are they classics?

Am I misreading people's comments, or is Gold overrated?
[Edited 5/17/06 13:30pm]

NDRU said:

I really can't agree with your take on that line. The 'molehill of proven ground' to me is an analogy for 'mediocrity' - other people who are satisfied and impressed with themselves for merely climbing a small hill, the 'proven' referring to taking a safe 'proven' route. In contrast, Prince is saying he strives for much more, i.e. trying to reach the peak of the highest mountain.

In the same song Prince encourages you to 'break the mold' implying that is what he does. Prince has consistently moved forward and tried different styles practically every album, breaking the mold of what is expected of him. Perhaps TGE wasn't the peak Prince was searching for, but the message of the song is that it is still part of that process of stretching himself. I don't think it is a 'safe' album at all like is being presented.

NDRU said:

What are you talking about? Gold Experience is Prince's last masterpiece to date. Grrrr ...

It follwoing Diamonds n Pearls, Grafitti Bride (and Symbol) made it greater then it really is

The Gold Experience represents everything that's great about Prince's best albums.

The first thing that jumps out to me is the sheer energy in these songs. I've often criticized Prince's later work for lacking the same fire seen in his live performances, but on The Gold Experience, he's totally captured the thrill and urgency of his best live shows.

Every song is exploding with life, and you really feel the power of the NPG in the playing.

The album's inspired, basically, and it's really obvious that Prince believed in these songs when he recorded them.

A big part of what makes TGE so brilliant is its cohesiveness. Whereas something like Rave just sounds like a patchy batch of songs, TGE feels and sounds like a true album.

Just take a song like P Control on its own; it sounds somewhat silly and out of place. But as an attitude-filled opener that directly leads into the fierceness of Endorphinmachine, it somehow fits perfectly.

That's the way I feel about all the songs on here. Not one feels tacked on or placed randomly. Every track flows wonderfully and is strengthened by its context on the album.

A lot of fans criticize the production, but I actually think that's one of the album's strongest merits.

Yes, it sounds loud, and very polished. I think that's precisely the point. The songs all end up feeling enriched as a result. It gives the album a consistent sound.

People have complained a lot about a lack of guitar in his albums since Purple Rain. Well, here you go. TGE only has some of the most inspired guitar playing from The Kid that I've ever heard. That solo in Shhh is yearning summed up, and that solo at the end of Gold? Not only is it incredibly rousing, but to me, it's like Prince speaking through his guitar that we don't have any time to wait.

I've even come to appreciate the lyrics on this album. P Control manages to be entertaining while containing a relevant message about female empowerment, Endorphinmachine's fun lyrics compliment its thrilling sound, Eye Hate U effortlessly transitions from anguished love to bitter disdain, and Gold's message, though trite at first, works like an anthem for his career at that point in time.

What's great about The Gold Experience? What isn't? Mostly wonderfully produced songs with incredible hooks, underlying depth, fantastic playing by the whole band, and a consistency that fans have complained a lot of his 90's albums lack.

Prince made a statement with TGE, and it still sounds powerful to me.

DiamondGirl said:

While I don't think the quality of the album itself is anything less than top notch, I do see what you're saying. I think TGE definitely acted as an awakening for some people who thought Prince had completely lost it in the studio.

Purple rain sucks,
[Edited 5/17/06 13:47pm]

He's not unlike most artists though. They hit a peak of creativity and then everything kind of falls off after that.

I don't think its over rated.

Its one album that I know *I* can say there isn't one single song I dis like. Including P Control.

If we have to explain it to you, you'll never get it

I think a lot of people like it because Prince had so much "trouble" releasing it. They feel like they're in some way supporting Prince in his "battles" with the label to like this album.

I've never understood why people liked it so much.

He's not unlike most artists though. They hit a peak of creativity and then everything kind of falls off after that. Maybe it's because they get insulated from the outside world and therefore don't have influences to challenge or inspire them? Not sure. But if you think about it, there aren't many artists whose later work is better than their earlier work. I guess I keep hoping that Prince will be different, that he'll release something of musical significance again, but it's been almost 20 years since he has and I find myself being less and less interested in what he has to say.